Wedge Pins falling out on a GPR - Using an Arbor Press to tighten

I operate on the theory that you modify the least expensive part, either in time or money. If it was me I'd bend the wedge slightly. No sense mucking about with the barrel and tenons.
And I'd take Grimord's advice and capture the wedge. It's easy to do with escutcheons. On my English rifle with no escutcheons I had to drill a hole inside the barrel channel for the pin. It was pucker time to make sure I didn't drill too far and have the bit come out the bottom of the fore end.

Y'all can beat, bang & press on those GPR wedge loops all you want & trust the solder to hold. As for me, it's a simple enough fix to lay the wedge on a hard flat surface and give it a light tap or two with a small ball-pein hammer.

bubba.50 said:

Y'all can beat, bang & press on those GPR wedge loops all you want & trust the solder to hold. As for me, it's a simple enough fix to lay the wedge on a hard flat surface and give it a light tap or two with a small ball-pein hammer.

Click to expand...

I'm with you on "adjusting" the wedge. Much cheaper to fix/replace if you go too far.

I use a railroad spike, a piece of 2x4 and a two pound hammer.

I just went through this with a new LGPR rifle that both wedges would fall out of if you turned it on it's side. I found that if i shimmed under the barrel it tightened up both pins with no vertical stringing. If you look under the barrel just behind the front wedge you will find a strip of wood about 1.5" long above the ramrod channel. I took a piece of clear plastic 14 thousands thick from a Lyman sight package and folded it in half and placed it on top of the wood bridge of the channel. I made it wide enough to cover all three flats under the barrel up to the edges of the stock. It worked very well. The pins stay put and no vertical stringing of shots. The guys at the range said the shim would not last once the barrel got hat but after almost 200 rounds through the barrel during five sessions not problem.
Your shim thickness may be different depending on how your stock is cut. Only tools need are a pair of scissors and some scrap plastic. I have bent wedges and staples before but they always worked loose over time and were a pain to get both of them to the same tension.
With the shim system if the moisture level changes over time just change the shims.

I bet mine and I got one just right and one a little too tight now when I go to take it apart I really have to beat on that wedge but on the upside they don’t fall out like others and say it doesn’t take very much to tighten it up

I used two pieces of wood a dull chisel and a small hammer to bend mine. It doesn't take a lot of bend to do the job. An arbor press would give you more precise control. As the old Brylcream commerical said: "A little dab will do you!"

Don't the GPR instructions include a segment on fitting wedges?

I've had this and did the hammer on vise anvil. However,
the capture pin is the best way. Lyman did use the
Interarms people to build their rifles- maybe still do.
Interarms makes very high quality stuff- top notch.
I have used a Hawken style carbine made by Interarms
that received compliments from sportmen for years.
Light accurate with superb fit and finish. Take care
when bending or adjusting the attachments, including
peening or bending the wedge,because eveything is
rocketing up in price,should you damage it.

William Lincoln said:

I've had this and did the hammer on vise anvil. However,
the capture pin is the best way. Lyman did use the
Interarms people to build their rifles- maybe still do.
Interarms makes very high quality stuff- top notch.
I have used a Hawken style carbine made by Interarms
that received compliments from sportmen for years.
Light accurate with superb fit and finish. Take care
when bending or adjusting the attachments, including
peening or bending the wedge,because eveything is
rocketing up in price,should you damage it.

Click to expand...

Lymans had been made by Investarms not Interarms.

I use a small ball peen hammer just a couple of light taps at a time then check .I don't mean a limp wrist-ed swing at it like a Washington politician and certainly not like an Oregon logger with a dull axe. this worked for me for a lot of years

I know this is an old thread but I finally got my courage up today and put it in the arbor press. I just barely bent it . I mean you can hardly tell it . Boy it is tight now. Probably a little bit too tight but it is such an improvement I am gonna leave it alone. Man I put almost no load on it. I would say this is an easy way to adjust your lug and as I have just proved anybody ( even the mechanically challenged like me ) can do it.

Glad it has worked well for you. Mission accomplished.

My recently acquired GPR' wedge fit is way too tight. The wag before me peened both the wedges and the slots under the barrel. Mo matter which way I try the wedge pins hit the escutcheon plates. Suppose some tap taps are necessary.
Really like it capture wedges, too.

Nameless Hunter said:

I'm with you on "adjusting" the wedge. Much cheaper to fix/replace if you go too far.

Click to expand...

Just laid my wedges over slightly opened vice jaws and gently tapped the center. Check fit, proceed slowly.
Then marked each wedge for correct placement
Easy peasy.

Capture the key! Take the time to do the work ONCE - If you mess with the fit of the key, it will eventually loosen. If you take the time to capture the key, you will NEVER lose it again.

jambuster said:

OK my wedge pins keep falling out on my Lyman GPR . The manual suggests you use a 1" pipe and gently tap it on the barrel lug bending it slightly till the pins are tight. I have a 2 ton Arbor press with a 3/4" spherical nose that can be put on the ram . Seems like this would be a good way to do it . What do you guys think and/or have any of you done this.

Click to expand...

Try bending the wedges first. Easy to do. Takes about 15 seconds for each one.