Fitting a short front band to a Mississippi rifle

[threepdr]

I picked up an old Bernadelli Mississippi and collected all the parts needed to convert it to one of the long range rear sight versions.

I've found that the repro short front band will not allow the rammer to be inserted and seated in the channel. I have not altered the stock yet, so I can choose to leave the whole shebang in the original configuration.

The entry hole in the short band is 1/8 or more closer to the barrel than in the stock long band, so the new band will not line up with the existing rammer channel.

Has anyone else run accross this problem? Is is due to design differneces in the Bernadellis, or is this a problem all repros have?

If someone has found a fix to this problem in the past I'd love to hear your solution.

I guess I can always get a Whitacre stock and start from scratch....

Thanks

[Joe Burchette, 2440V]

Check the stock lengths. Some repros have stocks too short and you can't get it approved without moving the band forward even though it was production approved. I had that problem with my Gold Rush. Easy fix. :D

[mwmoore10261]

I bought a Zoli made in 1978 last year. Had a cut down Springfield ramrod, incorrect for weapon. I bought the correct brass ramrod and in
order to make it fit had to use a specialty long 1/4 inch drill bit about 18 inches long and opened the channel and front band. Sealed and waxed the channel. Now everything lines up and the ramrod is a nice snug fit. If everything else lines up except the front band, you may be able to open the path in the front band by using a 1/4 inch 0r 5/16 drill bit and polishing with emery paper 600 grit. Good luck.
Michael Moore, 10261, St Mary's Light Infantry

[bilge water bob]

Funny you should be posting this, I'm doing the exact same thing to a bernardelli. I got the flared ramrod to do a variat D, and I got my short nose cap from lodgewood, the problems I had was the channel being too narrow. Seeing that I have lots of cash sunk into this thing, I gave it to Doug from twin river gunworks to finish the job. I'll see if he won't post a picture on his website when he's done with it. Good luck.

[threepdr]

I got the rifle off of Gunbroker for $225, so I can't complain about having too much invested!

I have already run a 24 inch long 1/4 drill bit down the length of the rammer channel because the stock ramrod was too tight. So tight it would sieze as soon as the weather turned humid. :shock: It slides in and out easily now.

I used a dremel tool and one of the small sanding drums and took a lot of brass off the inside bottom of the band. The rammer will go in now very tightly, although I have not altered the stock to take the new band yet. It will get tighter when move it down the stock that last inch.

Since I have to change the rammer anyway for this conversion, maybe a rammer with a smaller diameter will cure the problem. The stock rammer is .235

Thanks for the comments.

[R Filbert]

Hey guys- if you live near the fort I can help you out with the tight rammer problem I have full length bit I use to drill New stocks or we may be able to use a 1/4 inch rat tail to open the channel. Give a PM or call @ 540-662-7318. I also have SAC sheets with proper dimensions.

[John Bly]

I've fitted up a few of these and as Mr. Filbert said, the 1/4" round (rat tailed) file may be your best bet. There have been 3 variations of the short front band available over the years. The first ones in the mid to late eighties were quite small and difficult to fit up without a lot of work. They were changed probably 12-15 years ago to be larger and they are easier to fit than the earliest ones. They were made especially for converting the import guns to the short front band style as the wood is generally smaller on the imports than on original guns. There are still some of the first style floating around. I picked one up at Spring Nat'ls. The third style is the one by the Rifle Shoppe. It is copied right off an original and is larger than the others. It will fit on original gun restoration projects best.

The Bernadelli guns had short stocks if I remember correctly and the front band will need to be moved forward to be correct. To be an approved gun in the N-SSA it also needs a "W" stamped on the bolster. Some of the earlier ones had brazed bolsters and some have blown off ove the years. The "W" indicates a welded bolster and these are considered safe for shooting.