Milsurp After Hours

I'm trying to find the procedure for proper bedding the fore-end of a No 1 Mk III. I've found documentation for the No 4 but mine is a No 1. Any help would be appreciated.

As far as I can remember.

Good even contact on front half of the body underside.

No contact on the round section into which the barrel screws.

Contact on bottom of chamber swell of barrel. then clear to half an inch or so behind the Band, inner, then tapering contact to the Stud,forend.

Barrel must not touch the nosecap other than at the centering points and must be free to move against the spring of the stud and also free to move against the spring of the Band, inner.

Front half of the trigger guard must have good even contact.

Back of forend should have good tight contact with the butt socket of the body

No contact with the stock bolt.

Last but by no means least the recoil shoulders must fit TIGHTLY against the recoil surfaces of the forend or the copper recoil plates if fitted.Otherwise as the body BENDS under firing the forend will be damaged.

Apart from all that there's not much to it

Another point. Make sure that there is clearance between the barrel and the front handguard.

You forgot the part about having to sacrifice at least 2 live chickens while dancing around a bonfire in a loin cloth no more than 12 hours prior to the attempt. (Impresses the hell out of the neighbors)

Some will tell you that this step is not necessary but I skipped it during my only attempt at restocking an SMLE and now I can't seem to put 2 shots in a row anywhere close to each other.

Sorry that I left out the theological part, but different peoples have their own particular rites; one thing that is certain though is that the tongue should protrude slightly through the lips at the left side of the mouth (this is the same in both hemispheres as the majority of Lee-Enfields have left hand rifling).

Will have a look at my notes, if I can find them, and post an illustration.

Thanks for the replies. I think I've got all I need except a loincloth. That WILL get the neighbors' attention.

It seems to be having some problems today, but when it comes back up there are some good threads on this over at the gunboards enfield forum including pictures ans drawings.

Once I got into it, I ended up putting in some .010 inch shims where the trigger lugs bear against the wood to tighten up contact with the butt socket. After that was done, all the other points of contact seemed to be OK. Range time will tell the story.

I found much good information in the material on Gunboards. I copied a lot of it for future reference. The armourer's manuals were especially helpful.