#4 accuracy questions

[Brass Rat]

My #4 MkI* Long Branch has a great looking 5 groove barrel with an excellent crown, so it should be extreamly accurate. Its not, even from a sand bag I am lucky to keep it in an 8" black at 100 yards.





I tore it all the was down for the first time today after I noticed that there was no upward preasure on the barrel by the stock, in fact the barrel will move up and down with very light finger preasure and will stay in either position.





The only thing I noticed besides gobs of cosmo under the wood was a small shim inside the lower barrel band and a vertical crack in the rear of the forestock. Is this enough to keep the stock from fitting properly?





http://pic11.picturetrail.com/VOL368/95 ... 261897.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END-->





I gather from previous posts that accuracy suffers without the correct stock preasure on the barrel. What can I do to improve this?





Thanks


Curt

<p>

[dromia]

Hi Curt,





I think I'd be tempted to try it with another stock, swap one from another rifle rather than buying one and see if that makes any difference.





The stock does look tired with that crack which won't be helping the bedding any.





I would look to also see if the stock is warped and canting the action. Although this doesn't necessarily make it group bad, just shoot off.





You could also lipstick the barrel, knox form and action bottom to see whats bearing on the wood.





Failing that you could try my Savage trick and lock the barrel into the stock by pushing the foresight protectors back to the stock to hold the barrel in place.

<p>http://www.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... _Badge.gif" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END-->





Adam.





Why don't you visit .

[dromia]

I forgot to say the first thing to check is the king screw in front of the mag. This should be tight and when refitting the wood the king screw should be tightened up last.





A loose or improperly tightened king screw knacks the bedding and is usually the most common cause of a badly grouping No 4 every thing else being OK.





I still don't like that crack though.

<p>http://www.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... _Badge.gif" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END-->





Adam.





Why don't you visit .

[bradtx]

While forestocks for the Mk.IIs were cut through, they were also reinforced...I think your reinforcement strap needs some help





To repair the crack, go to a hobby shop and get a 1/8" threaded copper or brass rod. Try to get some woodworking glue meant for exterior applications into the crack. Compress the rear of the forestock with something that'll stay on until completion and drill through. Give the rod a coating of the glue and install with some coming out the other side. (Chucking the rod in a drill helps.)





Carefully cut/file/smooth 'till the rod is the same contour as the wood.





An interesting alternative to the metal rod I've read about is using a bamboo 'dowel'. Supposedly it will expand/contract at the same rate as the wood. Seems better suited to repairing a non-compression flaw though.





HTH,





Brad

<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p089.ezboard.com/bmilsurpafterho ... >bradtx</A> at: 5/10/04 8:56 am

</i>

[bisley]

Do use the threaded rods, then, without fitting the handguards, fit the fore-end, tighten the front and rear trigger guard screws, and see if the bottom of the Knox Form is bedding quite firmly on the stock. It is usually useful to so shorten the collar around the front screw that tightening the screw slightly crushes the wood. The stock should bear on the Knox Form for at least the lower 1/3 of the diameter. Check that the "draws" (the 2 blocks from which the sear is pivoted) bear equally and firmly in their sockets. The barrel should not come near the groove in the fore-end except at the front of the wood, and here the wood must be shaped so that the barrel is centred and resting on the wood just enough that a fairly easy thumb pressure will lift it free of the wood. It is very worthwhile to apply lots of graphite or moly to the wood, so that the barrel slides freely enough to always return to centre when you displace it latterly. When you fit the handguards they must not contact the barrel at all. Another thing that will open groups up is a front handguard that has shifted forward far enough to foul the foresight block. Fit the hanguard, then with a hammer and chisel,drift,or screwdriver, drive the rear edge of the front band down into the rectangular opening in the top of the handguard's metal reinforce cap. One sixteenth of an inch is enough. Well held, it should give consistent 2 minutes of angle with issue sights. Good luck.

<p>

[Brass Rat]

Thanks, I will give it a try, I was wondering what the opening in the handguard was for.





We will be camping with Troop 500 this weekend but I should be able to work on it during the week next week and try it out Saturday week.





I want to use it to take out a few ferral hogs that are making a shambles of my Brothers Orchid farm in SC. They are mean as hell and run up into the 300 lb range. I beleive my Long Branch along with Winchester Super X 180 gn Power-Point's should drop a 300 lb, pissed off hog, pretty much in his tracks.





I'm anxously waiting to see what the batch of Enfield's that are supposed to arrive in the next month will bring. I would love to pick up a couple more #4's and maybe an SMLE with no ishy screw in it.





My Greek Maltby is going to be a project also, it shoots pretty good with the 2 groove barrel but that legendary greased lightning action was apparently left off of this particular rifle. The bolt gets hung up at the rear of the receiver nearly every round.

<p>

[bradtx]

Hi brass rat,





I suggest Winchester CXP3 ammo for the hogs. I know some wags (around here) claim they can be dropped with a .22, I wouldn't try that unless I could call in an air strike!





Regards,





Brad

<p>

[bisley]

My input above should read "1/3 circumference" vice "1/3 diameter", "laterally" vice "latterly", and should not sound so preachy.

<p>

[bradtx]

Hi bisley,





Not preachy, just good advice.





Brad

<p>

[bisley]

This is not an easy reference, but The American Rifleman of November 1964 has an article on bedding the #4. Luck.

<p>