Finishing a Stock Questions

[TheFlynn01]

Hey there folks,

I am thinking about getting a repo stock for my no 1. Mk III It has some small cracks, and I dont want to ruin a numbers matching stock with my fiddling. So I was thinking of getting a repo I wont feel bad about breaking. So if I get a fresh stock, I thought it might be fun to do a little bit of bedding work on it, were they tend to be a bit loose around the receiver and such.

Long story short: Should I fit, and sand the stock and do the glass bedding THEN oil it, or should I fit, sand, oil, then do the glass bedding. The reason I ask: I have heard that oil can mess with bedding compound.

Anyway, figured I would get some wisdom here first before I start!

[36g]

Bed first then sand and oil. If by some chance you'd smear the bedding the sanding would take care of it prior to oiling.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Definitely bed before finishing. Glass bedding is fairly impervious to oil unless it is almost soaking in it. However, most are not in need of bedding. The only place where there is sometimes a gap is between the rear surface of the fore stock and the front surface of the butt socket. The fore stock is mounted in a unique manner, having two stock bolts holding it to the barrel, an internal spring and plunger exerting some pressure upward against the barrel, and passing through the heavy nose cap. It's not intended to be free floating, but neither is it entirely in full wood contact for most of it's length. At the arsenal each rifle was originally hand fitted and met specific accuracy specifications, but they've been around here and there all over the world for a hundred years and originality is often not present. I have, just for the sake of appearance, glass bedded the gap between a fore stock and the butt socket, but would advise against full length bedding of the barrel channel unless it's a sporter--and then free floating might prove a better option with better results.

DG

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Here's a few from my accumulation, some No.1s and some No.4s, no glass bedding at all.

300930 300931 300932
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Click to enlarge.

DG

[TheFlynn01]

Here's a few from my accumulation, some No.1s and some No.4s, no glass bedding at all.

300930 300931 300932
300933 300934
Click to enlarge.

DG

I have heard that they are not supposed to be fully bedded, but I have also heard that they do well with a bit of bedding work around the receiver and the trigger guard. I thought that it might be a good option to try with a repo stock as it might not have the best fit and finish out of the box. I saw some process on bedding out of a book: The 2012 Complete Book on Lee Enfield Accurizing by Rodger Wadham, it seemed interesting.

I was also unable to see your pictures you linked, it did not pull up for whatever reason.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Yes, you have a point-- a replica stock might not fit as well as an original.

Something is a bit out of whack with the system today. Everything seems to be posting double. The photos should have been visible and not attachments.

DG

[Der Gebirgsjager]

We'll try again!
300941 300942
300943 300944

DG

[TheFlynn01]

Yup pictures worked that time!

So bedding it I think would be fun, any tips on how to go about that process to make sure it has a good snug fit? I feel like I might want to just avoid the barrel channel all together, though I should remove a bit of material on the sides of the barrel well, as it is supposed to only contact at the bottom right?

[Winger Ed.]

I'd go easy on the sanding.

It's easy to take off too much wood, and harder than Chinese Algebra to put it back on.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Since, as you pointed out, it's going to be a replica stock, I just can't give you an intelligent answer based upon experience. I have replaced many butchered fore stocks with sporter semi-inletted stocks, but have only used glass bedding to fill in chips, nicks, etc. I believe that if the stock's inletting is done properly there wouldn't be much to bed in the receiver area. But, if they did a sloppy job you might want to bed it here and there, but I'd send it back. I can't even give you a recommendation on whether or not the barrel should touch the sides of the barrel channel, as they will unless the barrel is free floated. There are other Lee Enfield aficionados on the Forum, and perhaps they will chip in with their experience and opinions. Good luck with your project.

DG

[porthos]

goggle lee enfield glass bedding. something will come up

[TheFlynn01]

Since, as you pointed out, it's going to be a replica stock, I just can't give you an intelligent answer based upon experience. I have replaced many butchered fore stocks with sporter semi-inletted stocks, but have only used glass bedding to fill in chips, nicks, etc. I believe that if the stock's inletting is done properly there wouldn't be much to bed in the receiver area. But, if they did a sloppy job you might want to bed it here and there, but I'd send it back. I can't even give you a recommendation on whether or not the barrel should touch the sides of the barrel channel, as they will unless the barrel is free floated. There are other Lee Enfield aficionados on the Forum, and perhaps they will chip in with their experience and opinions. Good luck with your project.

DG

Fair enough, thank you much!

Anyone have any general tips and tricks for bedding?

[Gtek]

I used foil tape up to edges and break points on exterior surfaces. Multiple reasons, small amount of push out can let it happen and then file and sand back to hard edge of tape. The epoxy can saturate pores preventing stains and finishes from penetrating evenly which makes for bad words and visible spots.

[waksupi]

Keep in mind some military barrels do not like to have any contact, except for the action and the front of the barrel.

[W.R.Buchanan]

YOU don't need to glass bed an Enfield Rifle. There is absolutely nothing to be gained by doing it and it is an Utter waste of time.

Now finishing the outside can be a rewarding experience and greatly enhance the visual appeal of the rifle. Here's my #4 Mk1 that I modded to look like an L39. It came out nice.

I shot my all time highest Short Range Silhouette score of 32/40 with Cast Boolits in this gun. It shoots <2 MOA with cast and <1.5MOA with jacketed bullets. No amount of bedding would improve this and you would never see it anyway. This gun has a Redfield Olympic Rear Sight mounted which was an excellent upgrade.

Randy