HEAVY barrel - free float or not?

[jlvandersnick]

With a 27 inch really heavy barrel (1.259 @ breech and 1.030 @ muzzle) on a trued rem 700 action. Is it best to have it fully free floated or does one want some contact at the end of the stock? ? This is assuming the stock is temp and humidity stable.

 

[elkaholic]

I would bed it 2-3 inches in front of the lug

 

[Barrelnut]

If worried about it, I would bed the action and leave 1 inch of the stock bedded and contacting the barrel in front of the lug. Some smiths do this to help take stress off of the action itself with long heavy barrels. Caution: This sends some free float purest into a tizzy though.

 

[Slick8]

I always bedded about 1 inch forward of the lug as I was taught by an old bench rest guy. My smith like most doesn't bed forward of the lug.

I'd think bedding just forward of the lug would help in support but I don't think you're really talking about that much more weight for it to truly be a concern.

 

[ShtrRdy]

You do not want to have any contact with the front end of the stock.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I would bed it 2-3 inches in front of the lug

Yep, 2 to 3" in front of the lug, and float the rest.

 

[AZShooter]

My friends and I have had no issues with totally floating barrels in many Remington action rifles with barrels lighter, as heavy or heavier than your barrel. Some of these rifles are used in 1000 yd BR competitions.

I have a finished 30" Bartlein in a Shehane tracker stock that is totally free floated with a SA Rem 700 action. This barrel is huge yet there are no issues with the full float. The monster rife weighs just over 20 lbs! It is an incredibly accurate 6 BR. Recoil is a fun 2.69 ft/lb

Specs from listing on Grizzly Industrial where I got it:

• Caliber 6mm

• Twist: 5R 1:8

• Length: 30" Finished, Blank is 31"

• Contour: 1.250" x 5.000" Straight, Taper to 1.00"

• Bore/Groove: .237/.243

• Approx. Raw Barrel Weight: 8.6 lbs.

 

[eklarsen]

Yes, free float it

 

[memtb]

If this is to be used for hunting/tactical in very dirty or snow/rain sub-freezing temperatures.....full bed! This eliminates the possibility of debris, or water freezing in the barrel channel, creating a pressure point. More critical on a light contour barrel....but I wouldn't chance it with a "heavy" barrel either. JMO memtb

 

[gpo1956]

Sorry to hijack, but does this apply to the Sendero contours also? I have a 7 RM Sendero SF in a McMillan A3. I can get some 3/4 moa groups, but as yet have not found anything that gives 3 holes touching type accuracy, unlike my other rifles. I've gotten low 20 ES and low teens to single digit SD. I bedded the recoil lug, but didn't bed any of the area forward. Any thoughts on if this would be a good candidate for bedding out 2-3 inches?

 

[elkaholic]

It may or may not help, but shouldn't hurt either, if done correctly.

 

[MagnumManiac]

None of my F-Class rifles are bedded forward of the recoil lug. Barrels are 1.25" or 1.5" from chamber to muzzle.

However, all of my hunting rifles have the Knox form, however long/short it is, bedded. This is due to most hunting rifle stocks, even those with an aluminium bedding block, are not as stiff as a comp rifle stock and appear to sing or resonate. The bedding dampens this.
The only stocks I do not bed forward of the recoil lug are HS-Precision VSSF II or Sendero II stocks, they are very stiff as they come. As are McMillan stocks I normally use.

Cheers.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Sorry to hijack, but does this apply to the Sendero contours also? I have a 7 RM Sendero SF in a McMillan A3. I can get some 3/4 moa groups, but as yet have not found anything that gives 3 holes touching type accuracy, unlike my other rifles. I've gotten low 20 ES and low teens to single digit SD. I bedded the recoil lug, but didn't bed any of the area forward. Any thoughts on if this would be a good candidate for bedding out 2-3 inches?

It might just help to bed the entire Knox form, then using a Dremel remove material until groups shrink. I have done this a few times with varying results. True fibreglass stocks like your McMillan have shot better doing this, but honestly I don't believe all the problems with those rifles shooting poorly was the fault of the stock. It did not work on injected moulded stocks in my experience. It has also worked on timber stocked rifles that were pillar bedded. My Dad's Ruger tang safety worked a treat.

Cheers.

 

[HARPERC]

.....I would bed it 2-3 inches in front of the lug......

A good place to start.

I've never been dogmatic about bedding, if the action is squarely, and solidly bedded, and produce the results you want leave well enough alone. If not, tinkering with some fore end pressure may help. A bit of trial and error can help.