Free floating a synthetic stock

[koivu]

I've got a Charles Daly (Zastava) 30-06.  The barrel is definitely not free floating.  So far the groups are not great so I was thinkng about freeing up the barrel.  It's my first synthetic stock.  Any advice for opening up the barrel channel? 

Thanks

[Catfish]

It may or may not help. My first center fire rifle was not only not floated but had 2 match book covers at the end of the stock for more presure and it was a tack driver. I would recomand that you bed the action first. It may or may not help, but I never had one shoot worse after it was bedded, and most improve.

[Ahab]

I would shim the action in the stock to bring the barrel slightly above the barrel channel. Then shoot for group. If it improves you can open the channel with a Dremel tool and bed the action. As Catfish suggested, some rifles need more pressure.

[PawPaw]

While it's true that some rifles like a supported barrel, the question was how to float a bolt-action rifle barrel.

I went to the hardware store and bought a piece of 3/4 dowel.  I cut it down to 12 inches and put it in my cleaning box.  When I want to float a barrel, either wood or synthetic, I wrap a piece of sandpaper around the dowel and use it to open the channel slowly.  Try and fit, sand some more, rinse, lather, repeat.

I can generally float a rifle barrel in under an hour.  It's fairly easy.

[trotterlg]

Problem with floating a barrel in a plastic stock is that once you get it floated the front part of the stock will be so flexable it will be difficult to hold on target even on bags.  My best results with floating a synthedic stock ended up being that I floated the barrel and then bedded the front of the stock to the barrel to eleminate the flex in the stock.  Good luck.  Larry

[usherj]

One tip I've learned over the years is to evaluate how the barreled action is currently bedded before changes are made. This can be easily done by removing it from the stock, cleaning oil from it, and applying a thin coat of lamp black, or prussian blue, or lipstick (get the stuff from the $ store) on the underside of the action and barrel, and then carefully install it and tighten the guard screws. Once removed, an imprint will be left that will give you an idea of what kind of contact you have. Poor contact of the stock with the action area, or uneven contact in the barrel channel are not good for consistent accuracy. I have learned, but many may disagree, that good contact in the following areas generally gives good results:
-rear tang
-front receiver ring
-rear (and possibly sides and bottom, but not front) of recoil lug
-a few inches of the chamber area of the barrel
-some may benefit from a small contact area at the front of the forend

If your rifle isn't well bedded in these areas, it can easily be corrected by glass bedding.
The wooden dowel and sand paper method of floating the barrel is good advice, just go slow to make it look decent

Good luck

[Zachary]

I have been told by gunsmiths that it is not as effective free floating plastic stocks as it is with wood, laminate, or premium synthetic stocks (i.e. McMillan, etc.).  You can certainly try to do the work on your plastic stock, but the money you spend might not be worth the results.  As such, you might want to consider using that money and applying it towards the purchase of a better stock and glass bedding/Free floating it.  Again, I know times are tough, but I'm just saying that I once spent money trying to do it on a plastic stock, and my results were not good.  I then spent the money and got an HS Precision stock, had the action glass bedded/free floated, and the results were not only great, but consistently great. 

Just keep this in mind, that's all.

Zachary

[PawPaw]

You can certainly try to do the work on your plastic stock, but the money you spend might not be worth the results.

My floating equipment consists of a piece of wooden dowel and some sandpaper.  It's not a terribly expensive proposition.

I know times are tough, but I'm just saying that I once spent money trying to do it on a plastic stock, and my results were not good.

I understand.  If I had the money I'd spent on some projects... I would have spent it on other projects.  Sometimes they turn out, sometimes they don't.

But, it doesn't matter how much money I might have, I'll never knowingly buy anything manufactured by H.S. Precision.