Finding the Pressure Points on Bolt Action Stocks

[smoky]

I am just getting into learning how to do my own stock work (Bedding, Floating, Refinishing, etc).

The first item I want to tackle is free floating the barrel.

Is there some easy or particular method of identifying or marking the pressure points for removal.  I have a dremmel tool and was thinking that I would use it for this.

Thanks,

Smoky

[gunnut69]

I love dremel tools and have 4 in the shop now but advise strongly you not start out using one to float a barrel.  A dowel wrapped in sandpaper is quite efficient and will cause a lot less grief.. I bought some rubber sanding forms from a woodworker supply house a few years ago.  There are many shapes aand sizes and all have a 1/4 flat projection on one side that allows them to be more easily grasped.  The round ones of various sizes are perfect for something like this.  You really don't need to remove much would, just enough so that the barrel no longer touches.  Usually one will see a shiney spot where the pressure of the steel on the wood has burnished it.  Otherwise a piece of paper wrapped around the barrel and slid down the barrel channel will be stopped where there is barrel/channel contact.  Really the dowel is the way to go.  Get several sizes and use the correct one.  Piece only needs to be about 2 - 2 1/2 inches long... but must be the correct diameter, a bit smaller than the channel width.

[safetysheriff]

If you are just getting into stock work, then how much do you know about pressure bedding such as those Very accurate Remingtons are often using?   If you remove the pressure then you put the rifle into an untuned state.  :eek:

If I knew how your rifle(s) performing then I'd have something to say about bedding and modifying of a firearm.  

If it aint broke don't fix it!    A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing!
Etc. etc.

No disrespect intended; but stock work is not done unless a rifle is known to need it, at least in my mind.

Take care.

[gunnut69]

safetyscherif is right in that we don't have to work on a rifle that is not broken, but, experimenting is a fun pass time and in many instances improvement can be accomplished.  I have found that in most instance a barrel with some amount of pressure applied by the stock will shoot better than a free floated stock.  This is of course in reference to sporter weight barrels...  Now NOT ALWAYS but in a large majority of the cases..  The pressure acts as a vibration damper and if the bedding is right otherwise, will usually make a rifle a bit more accurate..  On the other hand it directly ties the barrel and the least stable part of a rifle, the stock, together.  This means that the pressure, applied by a pressure bedded barrel, and the direction the pressure is pushing, changes as the moiture content of the wood stock changes. This can lead to seasonal changes in the rifle's zero!  NOT SO GOOD!  The worst example of this was a Remington M788 in 243 I once owned.  It shot 87 grain Hornadays into tiny little groups but the groups lcation changed weekly!!  Even daily if the weather was variable!  I usually look at accurizing a rifle as a project.  If the bedding is good and the rifle shoots well I will sometimes remove the pressure point to see how the rifle finctions without them.  If the accuracy stays good, then the wood is sealed and well enough is left alone.  If groups are not as good I may replace the pressure point and alter it's tension until the best amount of pressure is found.  If I have a worry about a wondering zero with a rifle with fore arm pressure on the barrel simply stabilize the fore end and reapply the pressure...  This all assumes of course that the action bedding was OK to start with.  There are many variables that can be altered...

[smoky]

Guys,

Thanks for the info, but maybe I should clarify.

This is a replacement factory synthetic stock.  I doubt that any contact between this stock's barrel channel and the barrel is intended.  I would think also that any contact would also not help accuracy as the contour of the barrel is in the 1.5 to 2 range.

I shot it for the first time yesterday to indeed see if there was an accuracy issue.  It shot federal premium ballistic tips into a 2" group at 100 yards.  Not the worst I've seen, but I expect much better. All my other rifles will shoot sub moa and that includes two muzzle loaders.

I have always paid for this kind of work but I am now ready to perhaps tackle it on my own.

Thanks for your input,

Smoky

[gunnut69]

A barrel in the 1.5 to 2 inch range won't respond appreciably to pressure bedding and those groups are not the greatest.  Frankly I ecpect better from a factory sporter.  A replacement stock will need bedding.  Pressure points are pretty much irrelavent with that heavy a barrel but poor action bedding can play hobb with accuracy..

[smoky]

Sorry again for the confusion.  I meant 1.5 to 2 contour.  This is a tapered sporter barrel.

Smoky