Bedding the fore end of a Parker Hale sporter No 4 Lee Enfield

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MAC10

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I am refurbing a 1960's era Lee Enfield Savage made No 4. It is a Parker Hale conversion, with the PH marked hooded ramp front sight. It has the mid grade sporter stock, not the cut down military stock. I have followed the information found in "The 2012 Complete Book of Lee Enfield Accurizing", and the Enfield Resources web page. Also you tube videos by the same author.

I have completed epoxy bedding the butt socket, trigger guard, and receiver area, including around the main screw.100 meter group size has reduced from 4 inches wide by 8 inches tall to 2 inches wide by 4 tall. Well worth the effort.

The last decision is where to bed the fore end.The barrel is free floating right now.

The book does not specifically discuss short stocks as found on sporters. Mid bedding is discussed, where the fore end is pillar bedded halfway between the receiver and the mid band. That is described as very effective on a full length stock, where the No 4 rifle has some up pressure at the muzzle. There is no such pressure on a short fore end.

Where should I pillar bed a short sporter fore end? I think I can tighten the groups further by getting the fore end bedding right.
 
I have one that is in a sporter stock that has a wood disc at end of the forend. You could experiment with different thickness to find what rifle likes.
 
Also, well worth reading the articles by Peter Ladler over on milsurps site - he has very good information on exactly setting up the rear end of the forearm. Then try to find the information on the improvements made by the DCRA shooters. It is much more to "proper" bedding rear of that forearm than I would have imagined - in the end, the trigger guard acts as a big hinge to press the rear end up against the draws which then press stock back onto the wrist face.
FWIW, he has a section on the L39 and L42 conversions - heavier barrels so completely free floated, but note he is very particular that knox be bedded only 3/4" wide - stock should not touch side of receiver anywhere.
 
thanks everyone. I have made 3 different cardboard shims in different thicknesses to try out. I will read the articles on thew milsurp forum again, and can recommend the youtube videos- they demonstrate what they talk about and make it very clear.
 
Here is how I do it. No claim for expertise.

I make two worms of placertcine to hold the epoxy for a 2" pad, and assemble the rifle with tight screws. This make a pad at the forend that is just barely touching the bedding pad.

Then I make new worms to hold a dab of epoxy on top of the pad. The rear of the pad holds a smalls trip of card stock to act as a shim. This hold the barrel off the pad while it hardens. Then the card stock and worms are removed, and the pad give the up pressure.
 
I just returned from a range trip, where the accurized number 4 gave 1 1/4 inch 3 shot groups at 100 meters from a cold barrel. This project was worth it.
 
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