Is anyone using a barrel block on their ELR rifle and floating the action? Good results?
Thanks,
Scott
Thanks,
Scott
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Barrel block
- Thread starter Scootch
- Start date
Yes, Scott, that is really a good idea. I prefer zero-stress mounting of a machined aluminum BB to a cylindrical rear 8 or 9 inches of the barrel. After the barrel is fitted and headspaced, I would glue the barrel swell into the bored (0.025-inch oversize) one-piece aluminum BB using Devcon-F putty--paying careful attention to alignment marks to line up the BB with the action when the barrel is re-installed. We inlet and bed the stock for the addition of the BB and attach it with two pillar-bedded bottom screws. The rear face of the BB is the new recoil lug. Nothing else touches the stock. Don't let the action face touch the BB. Pay attention to the trigger and bolt handle for clearances. I use a length of Picatinny rail stock to make a cantilever scope mount inletted into the top of the BB at 20 or 30 MOA of down-slope. The stock, action, scope and front extension of the barrel each vibrates (almost) independently during firing. The barrel inevitably couples strongly through the BB to vibrate the action which is OK as long as they do not co-resonate.
I would make several identical BB's for switching and replacing barrels without re-bedding. A BB can be reused if you remove the barrel by heating it above 350 degrees (F) to soften the Devcon.
Jim Boatright
There is no argument that a benchrest gun is more (edited) accurate precise, than a field gun. But at some point .001 clearances and blowing dirt, ungodly weight/length with the need to transport etc. don't really make a good field gun. Traditionally, most ELR was not taking places were bench guns would be used easily.
I know, this is changing to were a 49lbs gun is considered fine, and moving more and more to be an ultra heavy F-class, hell soon maybe full blown benchrest.
But, I think we all need to think if a 1/64MOA or whatever, is really going to out strip the real deal issues like optical errors when just looking through 2K+ of airborne debris and bent sunlight, a few FPS; much less the wind.
I know, this is changing to were a 49lbs gun is considered fine, and moving more and more to be an ultra heavy F-class, hell soon maybe full blown benchrest.
But, I think we all need to think if a 1/64MOA or whatever, is really going to out strip the real deal issues like optical errors when just looking through 2K+ of airborne debris and bent sunlight, a few FPS; much less the wind.
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Agree for ultimate BR accuracy and repeatability , the BB is great . For testing projectiles , loads
and general tuning it’s best combined with a bench rest . I wonder if a 2 rifle setup would be
useful . One rifle setup for KO2M comp style rules , another one for testing loads for your comp
rifle , both same caliber, twist , reamer , bullet etc . Watching KO2M video makes it very
apparent that repeatability from the shooter is more critical .
and general tuning it’s best combined with a bench rest . I wonder if a 2 rifle setup would be
useful . One rifle setup for KO2M comp style rules , another one for testing loads for your comp
rifle , both same caliber, twist , reamer , bullet etc . Watching KO2M video makes it very
apparent that repeatability from the shooter is more critical .
Other than weight, balance, length, shape, and general handiness, benchrest rifle-building accuracy techniques are not as incompatible with field conditions as most shooters seem to think. Free-floating barrels and pillar-bedded actions are commonly used in the field today. Tolerances and certain clearances are actually more like 0.0001-inch for ultimate rifle accuracy and precision. Using "Borden Bumps" on sleeved bolts, we built many varmint and hunting rifles on blueprinted Remington 700's which shot 5-shot 0.200 to 0.250-inch extreme spread groups at 100 yards in almost any chambering. Those bolts cycled with ease in any field conditions despite locking up with 0.1 thousandths positional repeatability. [Jim Borden of Pennsylvania is one of the finest BR rifle builders.]
I have yet to hear any customer complaints of a rifle being too accurate for any particular type of shooting. I repeat: Short-range accuracy is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for ELR accuracy.
I have yet to hear any customer complaints of a rifle being too accurate for any particular type of shooting. I repeat: Short-range accuracy is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for ELR accuracy.
We all completely agree the the entire sport benefits from stuff learned in the BR community.
But as you pointed out, weight, heavy black sand filled Edgewood bags, heavy front rests, ultra heavy builds and too tight of tolerances can and do indeed all work agains the field shooter. I've seen many locked Jewels and even bolts that had to be hammered open in the desert when the wind starts moving the sand and dirt around.
This guy knowsup on the barrel block idea!!!! It reduces all the stress on the receiver threads and stiffens everything. Most importantly it reduces the cantilevered weight. A win all the way around.
Thanks for helping out the OP. Good luck this season!
