Stock modifications; accuracy trade-off?

[HathcockProtege]

Hi,
I've heard it's fairly common practice to sand a small amount of the material out of the fore end of the Savage Mark II's to ensure that the barrel is truly free floating. This sounds logical, and I was intending to do the same to mine, but I got thinking...

Some people claim the factory stock is too flimsy on the Mark II-FV. I'm assuming that the "too flimsiness" leads to stock/barrel contact when shooting off a rest or bipod, so this could be an accuracy problem...?

So my question is, (assuming the factory stock is used) what's the most sensible course of action?

A.) Trust Savage's job of floating the barrel (don't sand at all) to avoid removing more material and thereby exaggerating the stock flex?

B.) Sand a minuscule amount to discourage stock/barrel contact?

C.) Sand a significant amount of material out in an attempt to avoid contact even in the case of dramatic stock flex?

So, what think ye? Leave more material for less flex? Or sand more, create a wider gap between stock and barrel and risk a noticeable increase in fore end flex?

For the record, I'm aware that this may be a moot point since the amount of material in question may result in a negligible difference in actual stock flex.

Thanks in advance for your input.

"Ya'll's" posts are generally helpful, occasionally Very helpful, and other times at least give me a good laugh when some of you show how little you really know. I may be new to long range shooting, but I know enough to know when you don't know what you think you know.

-The Kid.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

Re: Stock modifications; accuracy trade-off?

did a free float on a savage stock

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1579946#Post1579946

although the stock still flexed a bit, i took enough off that it REALLY had to be stress upon to get it to touch.

as i did it to a regular barrel, i had sanded to the molding lines in the stock that savage was using to cut out the channel for your heavy barreled version.

i have to believe that you still have enough material there to successfully do the freefloat and still have enoough structure left that if it did flex, you'll still be in the "clear" in regards to rubbing.

start off small sanding only a little, test it, and if yo need to sand more, do so.

the amount of extreme flexing of the stock and any rubbing after the freefloat happens when you put an amount of higher than normal stress / load on it. you should be able to freefloat it and not worry about it.

 

[HathcockProtege]

Re: Stock modifications; accuracy trade-off?

Thanks, TP. Guess that makes sense, and I'll likely follow your advice. I'm planning on measuring the barrel's outer circumference at the thickest point, finding a dowel of slightly (1/16th? inch) greater thickness and sanding with that until it (the dowel) sits in the stock about the same percentage as the barrel did. Is that too aggressive?

Gun order attempt #2 was kicked off today with a down payment at a local gunshop.

Gander Mountain sent me the wrong gun 2 (?) weeks ago, so I wasted an hour's drive and the time waiting for it...'nuff of that. I'll be using your project Mark II-F as reference material...thanks again for all the work you put into it! Can't wait to get started, but for now...2k pages (literally) of textbook reading await.