I have this 1902 LMLE fitted with a No.4 barrel and a heavy, fat fore-end. The barrel is currently bedded on the knox form. the fore-end is African Walnut which has been thoroughly oiled with linseed oil. This should make it pretty stable, so, will a pressure point at the end of the fore-end, which is midway on the barrel, improve accuracy? Or a bit further back where it is not midway on the barrel? Or both? Or not at all?

I was thinking of a cork (or similar) packing, without an upward pressure. This would mean fitting a barrel cover. Alternatively, a barrel band secured into the fore-end.

I always recommend starting at a "known" point. Sooo, I would recommend before adding pressure, that you try it first with no pressure. If you start with no pressure, and later decide to add pressure, you will be assured that the pad you pour will be even. If that makes sense.

On scoped rifles, the use of a collimator is handy in showing where and to what extend the pressure is moving the barrel.

I recommend you go to your public library and borrow Major E. G. B.Reynolds' book "The Lee Enfield Rifle, Its history and development from first designs to the present day, fully illustrated". If your library does not have a copy, they can borrow it for you on international inter-library loan.

It covers all sorts of methods for bedding Enfields, both Long Lees and SMLEs, including how English National Teams bedded their Enfields for international competition. The Commonwealth countries learned and used the same methods from Major Reynolds and his books for their National Teams' rifles as well. He was an international full-bore champion many time, firing the various Enfields.

Another book, at least as useful, is one co-authored by him with Major R. A. Fulton, who inherited and continued the operation of a very famous gunsmith's business at Bisley, England, where the various Enfields were long dominant.

Fulton describes bedding tune-ups learned both on his own and from his father, Arthur Fulton. The elder Fulton is the only man to ever win the King's Prize (or Queen's prize depending on the reigning monarch) three times. Major Fulton has won King's or Queen's 100 badges 17 times at Bisley. The name of their joint book is "Target Rifle Sbooting", by E. G. B. Reynolds and Robin Fulton, Barrie & Jenkins, London, 1972.

Thank you for your suggestion Alberta Canuck. I shall visit my local library in the next few days.

Westpac, do you mean 'packing' the barrel with no pressure? Where do you suggest placing the 'packing' - end of fore-end or away from a barrel harmonic point, or both, or the whole barrel channel? And then, what is the material that is used for 'casting' the pad? (I had thought of epoxy rubber with reasonable hardness).

What I had thought of doing was opening up the barrel channel and fitting a sling mount near the end of the fore-end and using that as a mounting point for the barrel band or packing 'clamp'. This would then be removeable should it not prove successful.

But as indicated, I shall read up on Major E. G. B.Reynolds' or Robin Fulton as suggested.

I would have to have the rifle in my hands so I could see what I had to work with. I can tell you what I would do first, and that would be to remove all pressure from the barrel and go from there. I would use temporary card stock shims to apply the pressure and make the necessary adjustments and additions before doing a final pour. And I would use acraglas.

When beginning a journey such as this it is sometimes helpful to have a road map at hand if one is available. The material recommended by Alberta Canuck may be a good thing to have at hand.

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The material recommended by Alberta Canuck may be a good thing to have at hand.

Agreed!

The rifle in question has a free floated barrel with the knox form and receiver fully bedded. The trigger guard is also bedded. I will not do anything other than as suggested with temporary stock shims until I have obtained and read those books. I have found the 'standard' bedding for the No.4 on the 'net. This rifle used to be quite 'accurate' with Hornady 150gr spire points as well as Speer 180gr RN's. Groups were consistent and did not shift. If I recall, I was getting 1.25 MOA with it. (Or was it better?!). Enough to hit a beer can at 200m, anyway. (Empty).

Glad you emptied that can first!
Lee Enfields are different than rifles with a one piece stock for a number of reasons. First is that the recoil lug is the butt socket. This means that the fit of the butt stock is very important.
Everything ahead of the butt socket flexes upon firing. The fit of the forend will, of course, affect how much and how consistently.
A #1 with the original barrel is much more limber than the #4 and a pad at the forend tip is almost mandatory. Without it, vertical stringing can be horrid.
The #4 will work reasonably well free floated but will still string vertically to a greater extent than will a Mauser, for instance, as velocities vary. Low velocity shots will hit higher, high velocity shots, lower. Again, using a contact point to dampen vibration will help.
My #4 hunting rifle will often produce 1 moa 5 shot groups. It is floated. My #1 MKIII shoots around 2 moa (but with a Lyman peep rear sight. The #4 is scoped)and it has a pressure point at the forend tip (about 5 pounds pressure). Regards, Bill.

Thanks for that Bill Leeper. I must have done reasonable bedding job when I made my fore-end. It was my first project. I was guided by a master gun-maker - my Uncle. I made this thing from quite a big piece of walnut with the intension of slimming it down until I was happy. It so happened that I liked it big and chunky. I never had vertical stringing with it but heavy bullets do shoot higher than the lighter ones. My second project was a SMLE, which I had re-barrelled with a new SMLE barrel - long and slender! This one had a fibreglass stock, which I made. Again, the action was firmly bedded up to the Knox form and tightly sandwiched the fore-end between the trigger guard and receiver. To my surprise, this one shot any ammo to the same point! Groups were not as good as my heavier barrelled No.1 but it was a light and well fitting rifle. The comb was so high, one had to turn the cocking piece to get the bolt out. I rejected the first action the gunsmith sold me and I had to pay for the second one but at least I got a decent one. Again, no vertical stringing. I wonder whether fore-end tip 'packing' would have tightened up the groups. That barrel was real whippy! I also re-barrelled my Dads No.1 sporter with a No.4 barrel and that too shot great with no vertical stringing. Maybe I am on to something?