Free Floating Barrel

triple_deuce

triple_deuce

New member
I have a Rem 788 and I read somewhere that I should be able to take a dollar bill and slide it down between the stock and the barrel. That must be what they meen by free floating. On my rifle I can't do that because the barrel is tight against one side of the barrel. This rifle shoots good but could it shoot even better if I were to make it a true free floater. What is the best way to do this? Could I just use sand paper on the stock to get it away form the barrel. I would be happy to here any tips, tricks or ideas.
 
Quote:
Could I just use sand paper on the stock to get it away form the barrel.



You got it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

I use 60 or 80 grit. Some wrap it around a dowel rod; I wrap it around the end of a sponge.

me!

377078.jpg
 
If you bed your action that will help your accuracy as well, there is a bunch of info out there on how to do it yourself. As for floating the barrel, the sandpaper on the dowel should get you where you want to be.
 
Ditto to what was said above+

Take your time and sand a little, replace action, check and repeat as necessay. Step down from coarse grits to finer grits to get a smooth finish at the end. If you go to far with the coarse, the fine may make your channel wider than you want. Besure to only take it off the side that needs it and try to get the same barrel/stock gap on both sides. edding will center it to some extent if the gap is greater on one side than another. Place some kind of finish on the sanded areas (if wood) to ensure they do not swell from moisture and close the gap.

Finally, when you are at the range and have the barrel warm from firing, check the gaps again to ensure that nothing is warping from the heat.
 
yeah, what they said....and don't forget to allow for the thickness of whatever kind of sealer you use. It doesn't have to be fancy, nobody will see it. Whatever you have laying around will work fine as long as it seals against moisture. I mask off the the stock and spray the channel with clear urethane.
 
You'll want a little more gap than the thickness of a dollor bill. Some folks (Jack in particular) say 1/8"...I say that's too much. I always try to make sure a standard business card will fit between the barrel and stock with no hint of being tight along the way....Never can tell what the weather is going to do and how the humidity will effect the clearance...that's why I like a little extra.
 
Simple test.

Hold the barrel and smack the stock then hold the stock and smack the barrel. If that makes them touch you need more clearance. Heavy barrel and stiff stock need little clearance, wimpy barrel and/or flimsy stock may need lots of clearance. The bottom line is that too little clearance will cause problems but more than needed will never cause problems.

Jack
 
Thanks everyone. I'm going to try sanding and see what happens and how it shoots. If it doesn't shoot any different I might try something else. Like bedding or something. First I will come here and get more suggestions from you guys.
 
Jack Roberts, I can hold the barrel and move the stock back and forth to touch the barrel on both sides, but it always goes back to where it was. Tight to one side. That must mean I have a flimsy stock.
 
3x2, many ways to sand the barrel channel one thing to add to the list is long sockets. if you have a set select one that clears the channel and wrap it with emery cloth about 120 grit to fit the channel. in your case you should favor the tight side to centralize the channel and equalize the side walls. if you bed the barrel wrap masking tape around the barrel near the end on the channel to fit it and centalize the barrel in the channel. bob kudile
 
I had the same problem with my Winchester Model 70 Featherweight. You could flex the schnabel forearm away from the barrel on the left side, but it would go right back until I sanded it. It was a slim forearm and somehow started to curve. Only problem with too much clearance is the chance of objects being lodged in between the forearm and the barrel.
 
My barrel is now free floating. I put it back together and then shot it 4 times and I couldn't hit my 8" target at 100 yards. I then set up a bigger target and shot 4 more. I was shooting 6" to the right in a nice little group Three out of the four holes were touching. Got it all dialed in now. I can't shoot that good of a group all the time but its better than it was. I have ordered a new trigger that I hope is going to help me be a little more consistant in my grouping.
 
My 2 cents. The business card is a good gauge. I will attached my Harris bipod and apply downward pressure back at the stock. This is the ultimate test. If you can run a business card down the barrel channel with downward pressure from the rear of the stock. You are truley good to go. On a side note. I have never found a rifle that did not shoot better (a tighter group) after floating the barrel.
 
Quote:
by ACE-MAN: I have never found a rifle that did not shoot better (a tighter group) after floating the barrel.


ACE-MAN,
Try doing the floating on one of them "pencil" barrels, say in a 270, them light barrels alot of times go SOUTH once they are relieved from the stock.

A lot of them have to have a pressure pt. at the forearm in order to be very stable.
 
I free floated the barrel on my Model Seven in 7mm-08.
That's a "pencil" barrel with a .284" bullet.
I also bedded the action.

When I haven't been hitting the coffee and pseudaphed, it will easily produce 100 yard groups about 1/2".
(Funny how what I eat and drink effects my rifles! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/ubb...page=3#52153662

me!
 


Write your reply...
Back
Top