Another Quistion on bedding Mauser

[tripper]

When fitting action and floor plate to stock should the magzine box touch the bottom of the action or should a small space be maintained between them? When restocking my Enfield I maintained a small space beteen them.
  Thanks for your help.   tripper

[Nobade]

The factory bottom metal sets the height itself. Aftermarket setups need to have a slight gap for best accuracy - not pinching the mag between the floor plate and action.

[gunnut69]

I would allow a tiny bit of gap to remain between the action and the bottom metal on a mauser especially with a wood stock. Changes in the wood could alter the stocks dimensions enough to introduce slack into the bedding. This would be really bad. I like to inlet to allow a bit of space and so that the action does not move at all when the front and rear screws are alternately tightened and loosened. This removes any stress from the action and the barrel is then bedded or not. I usually shot the rifle first for accuracy and if not as good as needed pressure bed to help control barrel vibes. The front action screw surround acts as a pillar and the action originally had a steel tube to act as the rear pillar.. When the rifle shoots as I wish the rear screw is pillar bedded with a poured in place pillar. Some of the adjustable pillars work very well and are reasonably priced bit they don't appear to be to provide anything better that the poured in place variety and cannot  be as precisely fit.. I always hand bed the action to the stock before using polyester bedding material to make a better visual appearanve..

[tripper]

gunnut69, You pretty much discribed what I did with my 1917 Enfield 15 years ago and what I planed on doing now but wanted to make sure on the small gap with a mauser first. The new stock just arrived today,it is the boyds walnut Dakota hunter.