Gunsmithing Free Floating the barrel

[BrentBradford]

Hello All

Two years ago I upgraded the Tupperware stock to a Bell & Carlson hunting stock on one of my hunting rifles. Even though it's a little heavy I really like it and it has improved the way the gun shoots. I have always been under the impression that ideally you want the barrel to free float. The stock doesn't allow for that which is surprising to me. A friend of mine suggested I make some small chimes and place them just above the front action screw between the stock and action. He said ideally I should use a Dremel tool and remove material from the stock until my barrel no longer touches.

The stock wasn't super expensive but I really don't want to ruin it by messing up when removing material around the barrel and i'm not sure if the chimes would even work. Any suggestions or is this really a non issue?


Thanks

 

[Bradv86]

I believe you mean shims?

You can open the barrel channel up with some sandpaper wrapped around a dowel of the direct size, a touch larger than the barrel to evenly and slowly the material

I would not use shims. After opening the barrel channel I would then do a bedding job if needed.

 

[Mordamer]

Get a wood dowel rod slightly larger than your barrel. Get the coarsest sand paper the hardware store has. Something like 50 grit is good.

Wrap the sand paper around the rod and slide it back and forth in the barrel channel. It is very easy and leaves a very uniform barrel channel.

Put the action back into the stock several times during the process and make sure that the gap is even all the way around.

If you are just shooting off a bench or prone sometimes a factory rifle will shoot to the barrels full potential even if it isn't free floated. Where free floating can still make a big difference is in different shooting positions. The front of the stock ends up with more pressure in some positions and changes point of impact. If it is a hunting gun you never know what position you'll find yourself in and how you'll end up supporting the gun in the field. If you free float the barrel that fixes most of this concern.

With most factory barrels that shoot about 1 to 1.5 MOA you probably won't see much difference.

 

[Praeger]

What @Bradv86 and @Mordamer said. Don't use shims - ever. You'll be surprised how effective a dowel and sandpaper can be. Spray the barrel channel your color of choice when done and it'll look like a factory job.

 

[seanh]

The task is pretty simple, plenty of videos on how to open up a channel and do bedding. But if you really not comfortable I would suggest it something like a krg Bravo chassis... assuming you have and action that they make the inlet for... you pick him up new in the $400 range depending on options chosen

 

[ofelas]

Free floating a barrel is a cost cutting cool factor that doesn't hurt, but having the action/lug bedded first is key, along with a way to secure the screws consistently.

 

[BrentBradford]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I will absolutely try the dowel and sandpaper. The stock I have is a Bell & Carlson medalist, it has an aluminium bedding block and supposedly doesn't need to be bedded. I have no issue bedding the action if it will help though. What bedding compound does everyone suggest?

 

[Bradv86]

Devcon plastic steel putty is what I've used with good results.

Acraglas is another product that will work.

 

[BrentBradford]

Devcon plastic steel putty is what I've used with good results.

Acraglas is another product that will work.

Thank you, that's very helpful!