Years ago I bought a stripped action with a cutdown barrel mainly because I got it for next to nothing.  It sat in the basement for a long, long time.

I finally took pity on it and hunted up the parts to put it back together as a functioning firearm.  Most of the parts are original, the barrel is a new Criterion, and the stock/handguard is a new unfinished one.  This firearm has no collectors value beyond the fact that I love Krags.  It won't be sold or passed off as an original.

So with that said, I've noticed on a number of original stocks that there is crackling around the back of the magazine area or in the wrist.  Would either bedding the stock or pillar bedding the screws yield any benefits in the terms of either longevity or accuracy?

Thanks for any help or comments.


Matt

SharpsShtr wrote on Mar 24^th, 2019 at 7:26pm:

Probably not. The US Krag is particularly challenging because the only screws holding down the receiver are located at its stern - immediately aft of a very thin section of walnut. Consequently, forestock stability is almost totally dependent on the barrel bands.

Norwegian Krags feature an additional action screw at the front of the receiver, a design enhancement reflecting recognition that the arrangement on the US model needed improvement.

If you look back in time a few years, you'll find a thread called "Cracked Stock" where I detail how I repaired my stock, which had cracked from the mag well rearward through the wrist.  My repair will most likely outlast all of us!  I shoot this Krag in sanctioned CMP matches all year long too.

Glass bedding and use in completion has already been mentioned. For a Krag that will never be used in competion, maybe some epoxy behind the magazine box would help distribute the load when firing and help prevent cracking.
As for pillars I do not think they would help. Besides doing pillars on a Krag is exceedingly difficult. I did them on my Krag sporter, but did not document that part of the build. Both screws attach to the surface at a 4 1/2 to 5 degree angle which makes the building and fitting of the pillars tough, then dropping the stock in with the pillars properly spaced so the screws will fit from the trigger guard is the last trick, spent much time working out that last detail.
Along with using a barrel band, it has been mentioned on this forum that one of the 2 trigger guard screws should be tighter than the other I will let the more experienced address that.