Barrel wedge sizing and fitting?

[THBailey]

A gun I recently acquired came to me without a barrel wedge. The wedge out of a TC New Englander is too small in width and thickness, it just drops into the stock and then wiggles both side to side and up and down. I don't have any bigger wedges in stock to test fit. A check on line at Track of the Wolf shows quite a few in several different sizes, both in brass and steel.

As to the brass vs steel, is there a reason other than cosmetics to pick one material over the other?

And second, am I correct in thinking I want the largest wedge that will fit through the escutcheons and the under-barrel lug?

Thanks so much.

 

[Vaino]

Steel is better for wedges. Why not take an oversized length of steel and file it until it fits? The width w/in reason isn't important, but the thickness is. Does the stock have escutcheons and if it does, size the length of steel so it fits and if it does, it should fit the slot in the bbl lug and the stock. Peen a head on the steel and you're set to go. If there's 2 wedges, make another like the first one......Fred

 

[bpd303]

Yes, you would want the largest wedge that will fit. I usually forge my own and prefer steel then file them down to fit snug.