is is ok to shoot with only 1 barrel wedge?

I was shooting my Lyman GPR percussion today and noticed that one of the barrel wedges had slipped out. GPR has two wedges,...is it ok to shoot it with only one in until I get a replacement? Going elk hunting day after tomorrow and wanted to use it. I also have 54 caliber Renegade that I could use if not practical to shoot GPR with one wedge. I shot it several times with one and it worked fine though and seems to be snug and tight fitting with only one wedge.
Thanks,
Jim in Idaho

shoot it. HOPE YOU GET A 7X7

It won't hurt your gun to fire it with only one wedge, but it may not shoot exactly to the point of aim if it was sighted in with both wedges.

To minimize the effects of the missing wedge, I think I would put my remaining wedge in the forward slot.
I've noted that the GPR wedges are often loose and many people end up bending them to make them tight. Of course if you do that now, it might have an even greater effect on where it will hit rather than where it is aimed.
To be on the safe side, perhaps you could put the wedge in the forward slot and put a piece of Duct Tape over the head to prevent it from falling out.

Have you checked to see if the Renegade wedge will fit it?

Jim Bob You might get a little whip out of the barrel if not snug. If you have a piece of hickory ramrod around whittle one out of it. The Mt men probably whittle them out out of bone,antler,wood, used rawhide or what ever till they could get another. Good Luck Dilly

That happened to me on first hunt with GPR. I purchased replacement wedge and extra set from Lyman which is in shooting box that goes on all hunting trips (in vehicle). I scratched "F" and "B" on wedgesso they always go back in right slot, same side up.

My rear pin dropped out while I was sighting in my GPR. I don't know how many shots I may have taken before I noticed it ( maybe thats where those "sinkers" came from ! ). Happily, I rooted around in the grass where I had laid the gun down and found it. I slapped a piece of tape over it and, with sad predictability, have been using that method of ever since. I like the idea of whittlin' a small wedge if you need to replace a lost pin on a hunt.

I have noticed there can be some barrel movement if the rear pin is out. It can't improve accuracy & consistency to have one missing. Strangely, my GPR came with the front under barrel bracket pinged to make it tighter, but not the rear. I'll have to do that to the rear bracket ( per the instructions - yeah, I actually read them ) since my escutcheons are gettin' gummy with tape residue.

The duct tape solution is a good one for the short term. I used to do that with my old Traditions Hawken.

Another solution is to take the barrel out, and flip it upside down. Using a ball peen hammer, tap the bottom of the slot a coupla times so that it’s ever so slightly rounded. Should make a snugger fit for the wedge.

When I built my GPR from a kit, I cut a slot down the middle of each wedge pin. Then I took a short piece of wire and laid it in the hole that the “wedge pin slot covers” (escoutcheons??) go in,. Then I screwed the little plate back on. Now when I look through the wedge slot, I see the vertical wire in the middle. Now take it apart and reassemble it so that the wire keeps the wedge captive. Now I can tap the wedge pins out far enough to get the barrel out, but the wire keeps the pins captive to the stock through the slots. Clear as mud?

-Shooey

Shooey,

Not to get this post off topic, but what did you use to cut the slots in the wedges.

Yes, I bought a Renegade barrel wedge today and will use it for extra for my renegade too.....it fits great on my Lyman, but sticks out on other side, but that won't be a problem until my Lyman wedges arrive. I ordered 4 extras from Lyman...the 2 wedges on Lymans are different sizes with small one in back and longer one in front. Got 2 of each!
Going elk hunting in a.m. and temps are to be below zero where we are going about 45 minutes from my house. Have another big herd right across the creek from my house, but this area is closed now. Thats the way it works most of time.

Thanks for info on barrels, I appreciate it!!!
Jim

Swamp Buck,

I drilled a hole in the wedges at either end of the planned slot, then slid a coping saw blade into it and went to work. It ain't pretty but it worked.

If you have a drill press you could just drill a line of holes, then neaten it up with a file.

-Shooey!

There is an old mountain man repair that involves wet leather and some fancy sewing...

They would repair the barrel/wood conection by stretching a moist leather band arounf the barrel and stock, once dry, it would shrink and pull tight, bonding the two together firmly...

The down side is it causes rust under the leather where it touches the metal...

To do this without touching the barrel would be better, I suggest that you make a long leather strip the width of the wedge key, thread it through the escutcheons and tie or sew it below the stock, this will keep the barrel from contacting the leather...

Jim Bob said:

...the 2 wedges on Lymans are different sizes with small one in back and longer one in front. Jim

Click to expand...

:hmm: I thought it was longer one in back, and shorter one in front (towards muzzle).

Dixie Flinter said:

:hmm: I thought it was longer one in back, and shorter one in front (towards muzzle).

Click to expand...

That makes sinse seeings how stock tend to taper towards the front...

yes, longer in back and shorter one in front. I didn't proof read I guess. I took longer one in back and moved it to front and and am using renegade wedge pin in back slot until my ordered wedge pins arrive from Lyman.
Jim

Use a black ty-rap as a temp if you feel you need to do something. Save the ductape for when you are watching the news and think your head might explode.

Greetings Jim Bob,

Do not be concerned about shooting your rifle with one barrel key. I shoot mine with one key on a regular basis. Many years ago, an extremely knownledgeable ML shooter told me that these rifles woul shot more accurately with one key. I find this to be true.

I build my own rifles and have a perference for replicating original Hawken rifles. These rifles have two barrel keys. On my rifles, there is the appearance of two keys, but in reality only the front key holds the barrel in place in the forearm. The rear key is for looks only and does not slide through an underlug. No rear underlug is even fitted to the barrel.

As a matter of fact, I have been guilty of at the last minute of fitting a new barrel to an existing rifle, not having time to install an underlug, and using black ruber electrian tape to hold barrel and forearm together. I have a TMLRA state record (50 - 4X at 50 yards) that was shot with a taped on barrel.

Several years back, I put an old, but unfired, Douglas barrel on a friends T-C Renegade. For testing purposes, we used my magician tape (available at thousands of outlets) to hold the barrel to the forearm, The rifle shot so good, it was two years before he would let me have it back to install the barrel wedge. He was sure it would
never shoot as good. It did.

My old Santa Fe Hawken rifle has been the base for barrel replacemennt and testing of numerous barrels. Those barrels have all been taped to the forearm. No problems have ever been encountered because of this.

Anyway, do not worry about it, and have a good time shooting. What is that old saying, "Let not your heart be troubled".

Best regards,

John L. Hinnant

If you are not an NRA Member, why not? I am carrying you load.