Free floating barrel problem ??

[CBM SC]

My Tikka T3 is supposed to have a free floating barrel !! I have checked this with several different types of paper, dollar bills, etc. and they all stop at the same spot !!

Where the barrel tapers down and around the end of the "read your owner's manual" warning is where paper stops on mine !! If you are supposed to have clearance the entire length of the barrel..........wouldn't that go all the way to where the barrel is attatched.... back by the bolt ??

The gun is shooting pretty good..........would you worry about this ?

It's a Tikka T3 stainless/sythetic .270 WSM if it matters !

[Tony Orlando and Dawn]

Normally the barrel should be floated all the wa back to the action. Is your a wooden or synthetic stock? In the past I've had wooden stocked rifles shift to where the barrel would touch in one or more areas. I always removed enough wood in the barrel channel to ensure the barrel was floating again.

I guess I don't understand. Why not just take the barreled action out of the stock and take a look. Doesn't take a few min.

[CBM SC]

Obviously I don't know much and would be a little worried about taking a new gun apart !!

What would I need to do to take it apart..........what would I check.......how do you check it (paint, powder, etc.) .........what would I have to worry about taking it apart (springs,clips, etc.) ???

[statjunk]

In general if it is shooting good don't mess with it. However, what is in your definition pretty good?

Taking the rifle apart is typically pretty easy just take your time. Remove the bolt and magazine. Remove the action screws and pull it apart. If it is a new gun taking the action out of the barrel may take some force.

Before taking it apart I would contact the manufacturer and see what there policy is on free-floating. Maybe they'll do it for you.

Tom

CBM, its only two action screws. take the barreled action out, and see what is contacting. You can use foot spray or whatever if its that much of an issue. But it should be appearant.

[bugsNbows]

My T-3 Stainless synthetic does the same. The bill stops about where you said yours did. The rifle has shot great for about 1 year, so I haven't worried much about it. Guess I'll pull the screws and have a look-see.

[CBM SC]

If MOA is 1" per 100 yards.......I am not too far off with my good shots !! I am probably no more than 1/2" off per 100 out to 300 with 5 out of 6 shots.........but I do have that one that gets away from me when I pull (usually low and right)!!

When I am taking my time and not pulling........have many shots touching or within 1/4" of each other even at 225 !! Very impressed with the gun so far !!

My 300 yard groups had several shots within 1/2" of each other and the worst was no more than 3-3.5" off !! This is once I got in on @ 300 [8D]!!!

[crimedog]

Typically when the barrel is freefloated the portion of the barrel that is the chamber is not floated, generally the first 2-3 inches of the barrel connected to the action. The reason being it's not effected by the bullet moving down the barrel because it's behind the bullet.

[demoIL]

The first couple inches may not be, where the bbl ends it's "taper" is where the free float should start, just after the action. Depends on the gun though.
More important is that you don't have uneven contact on the bbl. "Pressure on one side of the bbl and not the other....