i couldn't resist, i was given a churchill sporterized enfield and bedded the action tonight. has anyone else done this to a no4 mk1 action? seemed fairly straightforward... gun is a great shooter but i was getting a couple fliers when she got real hot so i figured what the heck.
bedding an enfield
- Thread starter mikeystew
- Start date
Likely a LOT of guys here have done this. It works, too.
Number 4 with half-stock: bed the action and chamber solid, float the barrel, instal a 2-pound to 4-pound pressurepoint at the forward tip of your fore-end and then very carefully load up a batch of Sierra 180s to the overall length of a Mark VII Ball round, use 37 grains of IMR-4895 and go to the range.
Use a SQUARE aiming-point (about 4 inches square, black) at 100 and put the upper-right tip of your front sight on the lower-left corner of the aiming-square and VERY carefully fire 3 rounds very slowly off the sandbags. That will tell you what the rifle will do.
You just could get a real surprise!
Have fun.
Number 4 with half-stock: bed the action and chamber solid, float the barrel, instal a 2-pound to 4-pound pressurepoint at the forward tip of your fore-end and then very carefully load up a batch of Sierra 180s to the overall length of a Mark VII Ball round, use 37 grains of IMR-4895 and go to the range.
Use a SQUARE aiming-point (about 4 inches square, black) at 100 and put the upper-right tip of your front sight on the lower-left corner of the aiming-square and VERY carefully fire 3 rounds very slowly off the sandbags. That will tell you what the rifle will do.
You just could get a real surprise!
Have fun.
Check the Technical Articles for Milsurp Collectors and Re-loaders (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/forumdisplay.php?f=25
The Canadian Marksman (Bedding the 7.62mm No.4 Rifle) - 1965 (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=867
Also, there's an interesting thread from a member who re-bedded his Enfield and shows the targets that resulted.
My No.4 MK.I* after beddinghttp://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=16195
Regards,
Badger
The Canadian Marksman (Bedding the 7.62mm No.4 Rifle) - 1965 (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=867
Also, there's an interesting thread from a member who re-bedded his Enfield and shows the targets that resulted.
My No.4 MK.I* after beddinghttp://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=16195
Regards,
Badger
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I vote for SMELLIE as The Man Who Has Been There Done That.
I'm a firm believer in the pressure point at the front of the wood. Years ago, when everybody bedded their rifles, a round, rule of thumb figure, was six pounds, for the average sporting rifle. Many of us carried a spring scale in our shooting gear. To test the pressure we would stand the rifle up, put the scale just above the wood, then slowly pull the scale, to see what pressure it took to ease the barrel from the wood.
Of course, this pressure point is the final action in bedding, by no means the only thing.
Of course, this pressure point is the final action in bedding, by no means the only thing.
What's the verdict on centre bedding? This was once popular, and my No.4 Mk.2 is bedded that way; the barrel is supported about where the centre band is, and is free floating at the muzzle end.
If I ever get any range time, I'd be able to report on how well (or not so well) this works...
If I ever get any range time, I'd be able to report on how well (or not so well) this works...
The centre bed was used as a pressure point. The No1 MkIII rifles had a springed cradle where the centre bedding was done. Works well. Now we just add a pressure screw into the stock and add or remove pressure until the rifle settles down.
Wood stocks, have a bad habit of changing with the weather. That's what I like to use as an excuse anyway. Some No 4 series rifles don't seem to need a pressure point. Most do. The poor old Lee Enfield rifles got a bad reputation, right after the war, when bubba got ahold of them and cut them down. Usually the first thing to go was the king screw sleeve and the fore end, along with the pressure point. The results of course can be summed up with sayings like "good for nothing but a bumper jack handle" etc.
As long as a Lee Enfield is in decent condition, bedding maintained and barrel not shot out, it will shoot as well or better than most can shoot it. I won't go into batches of milsurp ammo. That stuff is luck of the draw.
I have a NoI MkIII no star, that is a tack driver. The rear bedding points are copper pads, held in place with one screw each. The springed cradle on the fore end has a very tough spring, about twice as much as normally encountered. Each rifle will require its own particular setting. Just like handloads, just because a certain recipe will be a tack driver in your rifle, doesn't mean it will be in someone elses. It will usually give a good starting point though.
Wood stocks, have a bad habit of changing with the weather. That's what I like to use as an excuse anyway. Some No 4 series rifles don't seem to need a pressure point. Most do. The poor old Lee Enfield rifles got a bad reputation, right after the war, when bubba got ahold of them and cut them down. Usually the first thing to go was the king screw sleeve and the fore end, along with the pressure point. The results of course can be summed up with sayings like "good for nothing but a bumper jack handle" etc.
As long as a Lee Enfield is in decent condition, bedding maintained and barrel not shot out, it will shoot as well or better than most can shoot it. I won't go into batches of milsurp ammo. That stuff is luck of the draw.
I have a NoI MkIII no star, that is a tack driver. The rear bedding points are copper pads, held in place with one screw each. The springed cradle on the fore end has a very tough spring, about twice as much as normally encountered. Each rifle will require its own particular setting. Just like handloads, just because a certain recipe will be a tack driver in your rifle, doesn't mean it will be in someone elses. It will usually give a good starting point though.
What's the verdict on centre bedding? This was once popular, and my No.4 Mk.2 is bedded that way; the barrel is supported about where the centre band is, and is free floating at the muzzle end.
If I ever get any range time, I'd be able to report on how well (or not so well) this works...
I think the centre point was used in full wood, original configurations, for target shooting.
The original poster said a "sporterized," Enfield. And wow, that word, sporterized, can sure have some various meanings! That's why I said the pressure point at the front of the wood, sort of a gamble with them.
To make them shoot better the long, slim barrel, should be reduced to about 22 inches.
