I used oak a few times when I didn't have the right size bushing, I don't now recall what kind. But there was always enough compression to keep the barrel from being clamped really tight. IIRC the wood worked OK if the barrel was not too tight, but if it was, the wood wasn't good enough. Sure, I could have made a relief cut (and often did if the barrel was scrap) but couldn't do that when the barrel was to be reused.
I guess I just don't know why there seems to be such opposition to using metal bushings; if used right they won't scratch or score the barrel.
FWIW, I see now that Brownell's has only steel or aluminum bushings, but we had bronze (Babbitt metal?) bushings, which worked just fine.
Jim
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