how much freefloat on barrel

[mtbugle]

I see often that people say almost all barrels like to be freefloated and not with a pressure point at end of forearm unless a very light profile barrel. I am finding that my o3 and o3a3 and other simular weight barrels are all liking a pressure point at end of forearm. But my freefloating is not a lot. I can slide a dollor bill down the channel easy enough, but probably not two or three. Is this too small of a free float? And what is recommended?
Thanks Don.

[gunnut69]

If the barrel doesn't touch it doesn't touch..and that's free floated.  I too have found that some rifles respond to a bit of contact between barrel and forearm. Most mauser sporters I've seen  were completely bedded to the stock and I've never heard of problems with their accuracy. I've an Enfield (winchester) in 300 Winchester Mag that I built in the mid 1970's.  It's not altered it's zero in 35-40 years..unless the scope was removed and replaced. it's typical of the period I suppose but it's reliability makes it the rifle I go to when it really has to work the first time. I believe that sometimes the vibration of the barrel can be quelled by a tight fit withion the stock. The pressure point at the front applies tension to the barrel making it vibrate as if it were stiffer than it really is. There are some barrels that will change point of impact as the wood alters it's moistur levels but it could be the lack of a perfect fit between barrel and channel allowing pressure to be amplified on one side more so than the other.. The 300 has it's barrel channel glass bedded tight to the barrel..and it never seems to change..

[mtbugle]

Thanks for the reply Gunnut. I was afraid my two thicknesses of black tape was cutting my gap too close. It sure does look nice and tight though. Glad to hear that it is not a problem. Guess I will put the pressure point in for a while till I decide to put in pressure point or bed whole barrel. Sun with pressure point it put first 4 rounds in .525 inch. I'm happy as it is my deceased dads old rifle which had developed 6 inch stringing issues.
Thanks Don.

[mtbugle]

So if I decide to full bed the barrel, how much up pressure do I bed in? Also the stock has a couple of weight reducing voids drilled out in forearm, will this be a problem of not having those voids bedded?
Thanks Don.

[parkergunshop]

Mtbugle,
Approach 1 Sporter, When floating a barrel, I prefer to glas bed the action and the first two inches of the barrel in front of the receiver, this seems to give best accuracy, I generally try to allow enough clearance so that several dollar bills can be slid down the barrel channel to the point the glas bedding starts.
Approach 2 Mannlicher, Full length barrel bedding:  I use this glas bedding technique on Mannlicher stocks, my 1932 03 Springfield with the original barrel in 30-06 shoots 1/2 groups for 3 shots at 100 yards, I also have a 98 Mauser Mannlicher that shots under 1 inch after being full length glas bedded.  I don't try to bed in any pressure other than the regular pressure from the guard screws when full length bedding.
On a standard sporter stock I would use approach 1, on a Mannlicher approach 2.    If approach 1 does not work with a regular sporter then as a last resort full length bed the barrel as in approach 2.
Contrary to what we have been told a Mannlicher can be as accurate as a regular sporter, one thing that helps that is the shorter barrel is stiffer and vibrates less.   Shorter barrels also work to an advantage on benchrest rifles.
 
 

[gunnut69]

When I bedded the 300 there was no pressure applied.. In fact the action was bedded completely dead prior to bedding the barrel. I inletted the barrel tightly then relieved the channel about 1/8 inch below the top of the barrel groove. This hides the bedding compound and makes a bit nicer looking job. The idea is to deaden the barrels vibration with the contact in the barrel channel. It shouldn't create a big problem although I would fill them with modeling clay and bed ove them. They can then be cleared with a mototool to remove the clay later. I'm building a 270 just now for myself so it's done when time allows..which has been not too often lately. It is one of those heavy laminated stocks but has been milled almost to the point of weakness. To stiffen it I'm going to line the recess with epoxy and glass cloth. This also has the advantage of sealing moisture completely (nearly anyway) from the wood. This rifle also has a recess in the butt which will likely also get a lining, maybe?? The actions a Remington 721 that was a 30-06 with a rotten bore. Was rebarreled with a Douglas premium barrel and the bottom metal replaced with a DBM unit from a long action M700 that I found for cheap on EBay!! It still should have the bolt handle lengthened-freplaced but that'l come later I guess. I'm looking to keep the weight as low as possible so a 2x7 scope will likely get the nod eventually although a 3x9 Leupold will go on first for load developement. Going to try the 130 Partition and Scirocco's with 4350 first. the next project for me is a restock I bought the parts for 10 years ago, a Ruger No.1 (25-06) and the best piece of English walnut marblecake I've ever owned..