Lee enfield bedding.

infideleggwelder

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what is bedding? is it a process you do on a lee enfield, or a product? i`ve looked all over this forum, obviously in the wrong places, but have not really found anything that explains it. i`ve just finished(almost) a remilitarization of a No1 MkIII, and am wondering if i will need to do this. it shot fairly well as a sporter, have not yet fired it with its new suit on.
 
Bedding can be done to most rifles, done properly it can enhance the accuracy. The SMLE is a special bird, they were set up to have various pressure points along the barrel to make the 'whip' or barrel flex consistent every shot. There's a detailed explanation somewhere in the Lee Enfield knowledge library sticky, I'm not learned enough to explain it further...
 
Until someone waaaay smarter than me comes along:

Its a method of improving the interface of the stock inletting / recoil lugs of the stock to the action.

Not at all an Enfield specific customization. The intention is to improve accuracy by minimizing the amount the barrelled action moves in the stock when fired.

Most common product I've heard about is Acraglas....kinda like a resin that's applied in liquid form to the stock, then the action is installed with a release agent so the action can be released from the mechanical bond created when the resin cures.

Not to be confused with "floating" a barrel...however the two need to work in harmony for best accuracy...although I'm not sure that all barrels need to float.

Lots of vids in youtube on how to bed a rifle....iraqveteran8888 has a quick and dirty vid on bedding a 91/30 (try to ignore the drilling/tapping nastyness)...should help you understand the concept
 
In the top of the Milsurp section there is a search button. It limits the search to the milsurp section only.



Another option is to go to milsurps.com and search in the Lee Enfield or Restoration section.
 
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In the top of the Milsurp section there is a search button. It limits the search to the milsurp section only.



Another option is to go to milsurps.com and search in the Lee Enfield or Restoration section.

Sir, you are much better than that, I always enjoy reading your posts. Please give the OP a break and share your knowledge, even us old guys need a refresher once in a while.

No disrespect intended, just tired and wasn't expecting to read that kind of response in milsurps.
 
For simplicity, if your rifle shoots to your satisfaction once you finish putting it together, then you can leave it alone. If not, only then worry about bedding. Correct bedding, where the stock fits on all the pressure points, will improve accuracy. Improperly bedded rifles can amaze you in how badly they will group.. It can be quite a chore to bed a rifle if the wood is old, warped and has shrunk. There are whole books just on bedding the Lee Enfields.
 
Sorry, Rum made me impatient.

This is from the manual

13. To fit a new fore-end to rifles No. 1:—
(i). Remove from the unserviceable fore-end:—
The dial sight complete with fixing screw and washer (when fitted to No. 1
“A” fore-ends).
The nose cap nut.
The stock bolt plate.
The collar.
The inner band spring washer.
The protector with screw, nut and washer.
(ii) Select the new fore-end to match reasonably with the butt, and examine it
for straightness; assemble the nose-cap with nut and screws, the guard screw
collar and stock bolt plate, and examine the location of the barrel hole in the nose
cap in relation to the barrel groove in the fore-end.
(iii) Place the front handguard on the fore-end, apply its cap to the recess in the
nose-cap, and, if necessary, plane or file the upper surfaces of the fore-end until
the cap fits and the handguard lies evenly on the fore-end.
(iv) Remove the nose-cap and coat the seating surfaces of barrel and body with
lamp black mixed with G.S. oil. Test the seating of the fore-end, and adjust as
necessary, taking care to keep the bottom of the groove level with the bottom of
the barrel hole in the nose-cap, using a straightedge of sufficient length for the
purpose. The fore-end should seat on the base of the body, especially at the front
end for 1½ inches at least, on the barrel at the reinforce, and from half an inch in
rear of the inner band recess to the nose-cap. The guard screw- collar should bear
on the boss of the body; and its outer end should be slightly below the guard
seating (about .01 inch). The fore-end must be clear of the barrel from the front of
the reinforce up to a point half an inch from the inner band recess; it should fit
closely between the sear lugs and the face of the butt socket of the body. The
inner band recess should be of sufficient depth to ensure that the inner band can be drawn down on to
the barrel.
Page 15
(v) When the seatings and clearances are satisfactory, press the fore-end on the barrel and body,
assemble the trigger- guard and screws, and test to see that the barrel is free and that it seats along the
bottom of the groove without undue tension. Test the pull-off for double action and, if unsatisfactory,
adjust as necessary— see paragraph 6. Assemble the nose-cap and screws, test the alignment of the
barrel in the fore-end and the barrel hole in the nose-cap, and, if necessary, adjust the sides of the
groove to avoid influence on the straightness of the barrel.
(vi) When satisfactory, remove the fore-end, and assemble the remaining components, seeing that
the backsight protector is quite clear of the barrel. Lubricate the barrel and body recesses of the foreend,
the groove of the handguards and the barrel and body, with red mineral jelly (at stations abroad,
with the mixture referred to in Section 2). Finally, assemble the fore-end to the rifle, seeing that the
inner band spring is free to act, that the barrel can be sprung down fully at the muzzle against the
tension of the stud and spring, and that the rear handguard does not prevent the backsight slide from
seating on the bed at the lower elevations.
(vii) As accuracy of shooting and sighting may be affected by the new fore-end, the rifle should be
submitted to the O.C., the Company or Squadron, etc., for accuracy test, the foresight to be adjusted as
necessary. (See para. 15.)
(viii) Alterations to be made to No. 1 “B” fore-ends when fitting them to rifles with cut-off (a) or
aperture sight (b) :—
(a) The upward extension, on the right side of the stock, which covers the position of the cut-off
slot in the body: will be cut away, and an angular recess will be cut to half the depth of the cutoff
lug recess, to clear the cut-off joint when the cut-off is opened.
(b) The aperture sight will be replaced by the washer, spring, bolt locking, but should this
component not be available, the pillar of the aperture sight will be filed off at the base and the base
disc used as a washer under the spring.
 
red wine made me unable to see.
but thanks to all, and no offence taken at all. i did actually go to the milsurp forum that all the links send you to before posting my question, but as a guest you can only view so many. then my eyes crossed and was in no condition to join another forum. and spring is coming and i think i could be lost to family and friends in that other Milsurps forum. this one takes enough time as it is. figured some one would want to discuss this often refered to but never broached subject.
once i get the nose cap nut installed, i will try to get some range time to see if it requires bedding.
i must stop blaming demon alcohol.

i will look on my own for headspacing the enfield…..;-p
 
As for headspacing the #1. Shoot it, look at the brass. If the primer is still flush and the brass is not deformed, you are good to go. Now that statement will start the arguements :)
 
Bedding is fitting the action to the stock.
Looking at the brass tells you absolutely nothing about headspace. Only proper headspace guages do that. Not bits of tape, empty cases, paper nor any of the other daft methods seen on-line.
Red wine makes me terribly profound.
 
In a few words, for the No1Mk3:

- Good even contact at both recoil lugs
- Good contact between the rear face of the forend and the receiver
- contact under the barrel at the knox, and around the king screw
- free floating from about 1.5 inch after the knox to about 1 inch before the mid-barrel ring
- even, constant contact from there to the muzzle
- no contact on sides of barrel or top
- contact between muzzle and nosecap, at 10 and 2 o'clock

Use a feeler gauge to see where it touches and where it doesn't, or lamp black; go easy when you remove some wood, it's easier to remove some more than put some back!

Bedding a Lee Enfield forend is not too troublesome, it's just the first 100 you do that will be challenging :)

Lou
 
Bedding is fitting the action to the stock.
Looking at the brass tells you absolutely nothing about headspace. Only proper headspace guages do that. Not bits of tape, empty cases, paper nor any of the other daft methods seen on-line.
Red wine makes me terribly profound.

I told you it would start the arguments :) Here's the deal. And I speak profesionaly. Looking at the fired brass will tell you little about the headspace. Several ruptured cartiages and or popped primers may indicate you have a problem. If the brass looks good and is intact in all respects, then the rifle is in all likelyhood in shootable condition. If it has been shooting moose for the last few decades and hasn't blowen up it will probably continue to do so. I strongly suggest that anyone not well familiar with firearms get their gun checked by someone competent but in the interm, a bit of home spun advice will do. In the literally thousands of rifles I have worked on, the worste I have ever seen from loose headspace is badly ruptured casings. Of course you don't want that to happen, it can sting but this pathological fear of headspace in Lee Enfields is a bit much.
 
I told you it would start the arguments :) Here's the deal. And I speak profesionaly. Looking at the fired brass will tell you little about the headspace. Several ruptured cartiages and or popped primers may indicate you have a problem. If the brass looks good and is intact in all respects, then the rifle is in all likelyhood in shootable condition. If it has been shooting moose for the last few decades and hasn't blowen up it will probably continue to do so. I strongly suggest that anyone not well familiar with firearms get their gun checked by someone competent but in the interm, a bit of home spun advice will do. In the literally thousands of rifles I have worked on, the worste I have ever seen from loose headspace is badly ruptured casings. Of course you don't want that to happen, it can sting but this pathological fear of headspace in Lee Enfields is a bit much.

Very well said!! I agree that headspace in a Lee Enfield is something that people get way too silly over.

Like you stated the worst thing that can happen is a severe case rupture which may cause you to have a red face after. Anyone who shoots firearms will eventually experience a case failure or punctured primer etc. it's happened to me several times (neber due to headspace) and I've yet to experience anything more then some slight powder burns.

Anyhow back to the topic at hand. Lou as always has given good advice on bedding an LE. OP, if you still are unsure go on YouTube and search for the channel called "enfield accurizing", the videos on that channel should answer your questions.
 
Also search for posts by BigEdP51 on here. He has posted some excellent, easy to follow and understand diagrams on here in the past that are well worth you looking up.
 
Anyhow back to the topic at hand. Lou as always has given good advice on bedding an LE. OP, if you still are unsure go on YouTube and search for the channel called "enfield accurizing", the videos on that channel should answer your questions.

Nice resource, thanks !

Sometimes it's so much easier to understand these concepts with a visual explanation.

I subscribed
 
Perhaps download a complete set of manuals for the Lee Enfield, which includes operating and armourer's maintenance instructions.

The manuals may be found in the Technical Articles for Milsurp Collectors and Re-loaders (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/content.php...esearch-for-milsurp-collectors-and-re-loaders


2002 No.4 (All Marks) .303 Rifle Manuals (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=3314

Complete Set includes:

- 2002 No.4 (All Marks) .303 Rifle Data Summary
- 2002 No.4 (All Marks) .303 Rifle Parts Identification List
- 2002 No.4 (All Marks) .303 Rifle Operating Instructions
- 2002 No.4 (All Marks) .303 Rifle Equipment Description
- 2002 No.4 (All Marks) .303 Rifle Maintenance Instructions


1991 No.4 (All Marks) .303 Rifle Manuals (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=3322

Complete Set includes:

- 1991 No.4 (All Marks) .303 Rifle Operating Instructions
- 1991 No.4 (All Marks) .303 Rifle Maintenance Instructions

Note: The difference between the 1991 set of No.4 Manuals and 2002 No.4 (All Marks) .303 Rifle Manuals, is that the 1991 manual contains armourer's information on how to properly "bed" the No.4 rifle, whereas the newer 2002 manual does not.

Hope this helps... :)

Regards,
Doug
 
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