Bedding 1917 Enfield Action

[WhelenMan]

I'm looking at bedding a 1917 Enfield with a straightened floorplate in the next few days. I've never done one of these and didn't realize until I put in my long fitup action screws that the rear action screw on these has a slightly forward angle. Just looking at it, things appear that when the rear action screw is tightened it will either push the recoil lug away from it's bedding if it's loose or bow the action and put it in a bind if it's tight. Or after the bedding will there not be enough movement to matter? Has anyone ever run into this problem before and if so are there any tricks to getting less stress in the bedding.

 

[sjk]

If the bedding is done right, this cannot happen. First bed the front lug so it's where it has to be. Chances are you're doing the bb'led action altogether. Do NOT take any material out from under the rear screw until you have reached that point, which is close to the end. Excess material taken away from under the tang will warp the action. The action must come down SQUARE as this is impossible when the tang is angled. If you are unsure of how to get this correct, put some steel tubing,to the correct length) and inlet to that depth. The rear tang should be about the last thing you do to avoid this problem. If you are to the point of already encountering this problem, build it up with some glass filled epoxy or acraglass,etc) and start all over again. I do not like the long screw as you have a tendency to spring and the wrong spotting occurs. Just use a longer headless front recoil lug screw, leave it in the whole job and work with that. Just my .02

 

[WhelenMan]

Thanks for the reply. I hadn't considered bedding the action in two steps but you may have a good point there. I really would like to raise the rear tang just a mite so I may just put in a bit of JB Weld and after it sets at the proper height bed the front lug. Then I'll go back and take out the JB and do the rear. That way I'll be able to bed the rear with the recoil lug fully in final position and help to stop any springing caused by the angled rear screw. It may take a little longer but you're probably right about doing it in two steps.