New Remington 700 26" bbl should it be floated?

Clash10660

Private
Minuteman
Apr 27, 2012
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0
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Need some advance with all the conflicting opinion on the web. I just purchased a new Remington 700 .243 winchester with heavy 26" barrel. This is an ADL "special production for Dicks sporting goods" and has the vented beavertail stock. Stock has 2 large pressure points on either side of the end of the forestock. Should I keep the pressure points or eliminate them for accuracy? I'm not done working up loads but the factory loads "about 6 different loads of all weights" are not impressing me. The forstock seems to have so much flex that have to believe the weight of the gun itself on sandbags is increasing the pressure applied by the stock against the barrel. I say that because I can pull down on the forestock and create a small gap between pressure points and barrel. Ideas? My concern is once they are gone, they are gone and I can't go back.
 
Re: New Remington 700 26" bbl should it be floated?

Yes, keep the pressure points. With the plastic stocks on the cheaper 700s, they will flex too much to maintain a float. Its better to have consistent pressure than inconsistent pressure on the barrel. To get a floated barrel, you'll need a new stock.
 
Re: New Remington 700 26" bbl should it be floated?

Agree with Tyler, the pad on the end of the stock is for pressure bedding. If you remove that pad it will not shoot as good as you hoped. I suggest leaving it alone, look on the sale thread here on the hide and find a B&C or HS precision take-off stock( aluminum bedded). You will not find a stock cheaper. Then sell your tupperware stock on the Bay.
 
Re: New Remington 700 26" bbl should it be floated?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CLash</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Should I keep the pressure points or eliminate them for accuracy?</div></div>

Eliminate the factory stock for accuracy.
 
Re: New Remington 700 26" bbl should it be floated?

Toss the factory plastic stock....ALWAYS. If on a budget, I've had good luck with the Boyd's laminate replacement stocks and they are mostly drop in. I put a .257 Weatherby Vanguard in one and have seen sub MOA groups with the generic factory ammo.
 
Re: New Remington 700 26" bbl should it be floated?

So the concensus is keep the stock as is until I replace it. A new stock is my plan and the reason I didn't buy the higher dollar SPS, BDL or CDL 700's with the same action and barrel. I have my eyes on a stock in Rifle-Stocks.com and planned on pillar and glass bedding it when I do it over the winter.

As for how to deal with it till that happens, is there anything to my concern about the flex on the stock against the barrel when shooting on bags? This gun is extremely front heavy, so much so I've heard of other shooters with the same stock filling the hollow butstock with sand to offset the weight. Should I keep the sand bags under the recoil lug when shooting to avoid the additional pressure against the barrel? I tried this in my last 4 shot group yesterday and there was nearly a 2 inch vertical difference in the group locations on paper. Problem is the gun is so front heavy its not the most stable shooting setup.