free floating barrel

steelhead777 · 12-02-2007, 07:25 AM

i have heard of doing this but dont know how.i have a winchester apex i have did the paper test doesnt slide between barrel and stock i also see areas of the stock tight against the barrel.if it is easy to do and would make the gun a little more accurate i would like to try it.i have shot so many bullets through this gun not being happy with the consistancy and groupings.my best shooting load as of late is a 270grn platium powerbelt over 95grns of loose 777.thank you for any help
scott

cayugad · 12-02-2007, 08:52 AM

For those that do not understand, there is a difference between a bedded rifle stock and a free floating. My Black Diamond is free floating. You can slide the dollar bill all the way to the first locking lug. Many people on the other hand, bed their rifle stocks. This is where you fit the stock to the barrel. What is better? I have no idea. I never bedded a rifle yet. Although I think my Disc is considered a bedded rifle stock.

The problem you might face, and I am not saying it is not possible to float that barrel mind you, is you have to raise the barrel up. Would some simple washers in the locking lug do such a thing? I hate to see someone start sanding away stock. Because once it is gone, then you have to put it back if it does not work out. I am sure some of the Apex owners will jump in here and solve all your problems.

falcon · 12-02-2007, 09:05 AM

i have glass bedded and floated the barrels on a whole bunch of CVA Mag. Hunters, Staghorns and Buckhorns. Accuracy always improved. Neverworked ona Winchester though.

steelhead777 · 12-02-2007, 09:28 AM

yes why cant a guy usea couple thin plastic type washers wear the lugs screw into the barrel i would think that would lift it off the stock a hair.the tightest point of contact is at the end of the stock the first inch or 2 it is verytight to the barrel.
thanks

frontier gander · 12-02-2007, 12:00 PM

Just use a fine file and mark the areas where the stock is touching the barrel. I did this to my winchester x-150 and then lifted the barrel a little using engine bearing shim and the accuracy improved greatly. Dont wrench the lug bolts down either, You just want them snug.

Do the paper test after you are done and remove material/add shims until the paper runs freely to the first lug.

steelhead777 · 12-02-2007, 01:40 PM

thank you guys for the feedback i will give it a try!!

lemoyne · 12-02-2007, 02:50 PM

One thing I would suggest; if you raise the action to float the barrel 90% of the time you will get the best results if you shim it the same over the whole action so no area is stressed. Stresses will affect the barrel harmonics just like the string on an instrument thats a little out of tune. Lee

steelhead777 · 12-02-2007, 04:21 PM

ok lemoyne thats what i will do the gun has 2 lug screws the go through the stock into the 2 post from the barrel i will try to shim both post the same amount to see what happens.
thank you

River Rat · 12-03-2007, 01:28 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: steelhead777

i have heard of doing this but dont know how.i have a winchester apex i have did the paper test doesnt slide between barrel and stock i also see areas of the stock tight against the barrel.if it is easy to do and would make the gun a little more accurate i would like to try it.i have shot so many bullets through this gun not being happy with the consistancy and groupings.my best shooting load as of late is a 270grn platium powerbelt over 95grns of loose 777.thank you for any help
scott

I have an Apex also and have ran around 300 rounds threw mine this year trying to get it sighted in. The one thing I didn't try to do was shoot it with open sights and I am wondering if I would have shot it with open sights if I would have found out if it shot good groups. However I believe I ended up getting it sighted by doing a few things. First I found out I needed to lock tight my base down and then I ended up getting a set of rings that were 50% stronger then the Aluminum ones. Can't remember the name of the rings but I will look. I then ended up shooting 90 grains Pryrodex Select with 200 grain Shockwaves which ended up giving me a 1" group at 100 yards. I actually had two bullets touching with one that I think I moved a touch on. At 250 yards I had a 4" group or maybe a little more. Either way it took a long time to sight in and almost made it to the bottom of the river. I went threw two scopes and just got the muzzleloading scope I sent in back. The reticle was broken so they replaced it with new one. The scope I sent in was a traditions which is a good scope just couldn't wait to see what the problem was so I went and got an Omega Nikon. Really nice scope and seems to be holding the zero.

One last thing I am going to try and place a couple of washers between the screws also let you know if it helps any.

Good Luck!!

River Rat

steelhead777 · 12-03-2007, 02:33 PM

thanks for the info river rat i have a half box of shockwaves 200gr and 250grdidnt work along with hornady's and precision dead on bullets etc.i am not going to try to float the barrel til after muzzleloading season is over here in mich i dont want to have to sight in again.i feel rather comfortable the way the platinum 270 powerbelts are shooting and i have 4 bullets and 6 100gr loads left and dont want to drop another $45 until season is done.let me know if you float the barrel on ur apex and how it worked out...good luck