Rem 700 stock pressure

[Tumbleweed]

Ok, I have a buddy that I've been helping work up a load with the new 215 Hybrids. He's got a Rem 700 in 300Win Mag. It is completely stock. The gun is only 4 or 5 years old and has a camo synthetic stock with sort of a dark bead blasted finish on the barrel. We haven't been having great results and a few days ago I removed the stock to look for potential bedding issues. I noticed it has the factory dogs (raised areas) at about 5 and 7 o'clock on the forend of the stock touching the barrel. Should we get rid of these and let it free float completely? Would like to hear your experienced opinions on the subject.

 

[chas3stix]

Some rifles require barrel pressure for best performance and some don't. If you are happy with your current accuracy just leave it as is.

 

[elkaholic]

I've owned a lot of 700's and most shoot well. The pressure on the fore end, IMO, is a bandaid that often works to cure poor factory bedding. Most shelf rifles of course are mass produced and are simply machine cut or molded. A good bedding job will usually eliminate the need for barrel pressure, and in fact is superior. If the rifle already shoots well enough to suit you, leave it alone. I personally bed all of mine and float the barrel. You also want to make SURE that you have no side pressure on the barrel either. I have had few 700's that will not shoot moa when doing this.........Rich

 

[brentc]

If you don't like the way it shoots now, bed it and free float the barrel. I did this to a pencil barreled Mtn rifle and worked great.

 

[trebark]

If the rifle is shooting to your satisfaction, don't change anything. If you're not satisfied, throw out the original stock as it is a piece of junk and replace it with a decent stock and have it bedded. Do NOT waste your time or money bedding a factory remington synthetic stock.

 

[dstegjas]

Do NOT waste your time or money bedding a factory remington synthetic stock.

+1 on that one

My Remington VS came with a H.S. Precision stock and I loved it. My SPS Varmint came with the piece of crap stock like you're talking about. It now wears a H.S. Precision just like my VS and I haven't looked back.

Jim

 

[chas3stix]

My Rem 700 ADL in 30'06 has a B&C stock that is bedded. It shot shotgun patterns until I gave the barrel a little up pressure at the for end. Now it shoots 1.5" @100 yds. with factory ammunition.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Thanks guys. I always shoot off of a bipod and I noticed that the side clearance between the barrel and stock is too small at the forend. With a slight bit of torque while shooting from the bipod I can see where the barrel would easily touch the stock. I had my buddy take the rifle to a our smith and he agreed that this is most likely our situation/problem. He is going to bed the action, open up the barrel channel and completely free float the barrel. Hopefully we'll have a different animal when it gets done

 

[etisll40]

Please update us on how this works out. If you end up needing another stock or other work, stay up to date on here. This is a great teaching aid for the rest of us.

Thanks, Ed