I have a new Ruger M77 Mark II .270 (hence my screen name) in the all-weather. It is not freefloated, I tried to slide a dollar bill between the barrel and the stock and it couldn't. I have tried to do some research and have heard several different things, one being that Ruger gives their rifles pressure points that the stock holds and that by free floating the stock you could hurt the accuracy.
Location: S.W. Pa.-- Heart in North Central Pa. mountains-
Posts: 2,508
RE: Free Floating my Ruger
early is right...do a little benchwork and tell us how it's shooting and with what. Make sure you're using a good, solid rest and give the gun a chance to show what it will do. You didn't mention if you are using a scope, but I assume you are. What kind and whose mounts?
If the gun shoots decent as is, I'd try handloading if you're not doing that now, before I'd fool with the bedding........
I'm with the rest. Shoot it and see. Remember, it's not a match rifle so expectingmatch accuarcy is quite possibly the first step of dissapppointment. Guessing it's for hunting purposes so in all usefulness, it's only gotta be MOGA (minute-of-game-animal).
It is correct to say that by floating you may hurt accuracy. It is also true that if you expect less you will probably get it. I have seen guns floated then completely bedded to the end of the stock. Define your needs and expectations, then balance with your skills and resources.
There are a lot of things that are not as drastic rasping a stock out you can do. Different ammo, good cleaning procedures, check sight in proceedures. But right now my opinion is to follow the manufacturers or a reputable break in proceedure. VERY often new guns have rough spots that smooth as you shoot. Very often guns seem to shoot better and better as you shoot more, but the break in is important. This will take longer if your gun is stainless. Can consider lapping.
I disagree with the implication that settling for good enough is ok, unless that is really what you want. I have failed a lot in working on guns and learned from every failure, Just be safe.
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See how it shoots. If it puts three shots into a 1.5 to 2.0 inch circle at 100 yards consistantly, I'd leave it alone.
early
Exactly! See how it shoots! If it shoots well as it came from the factory, being a synthetic it is not subject to the kind of warping and swelling that affects wood stocks, so it will pretty much stay as it now is! I never do anything toa new rifle until I find out how it performs as it came, hoping that I can skate by and not have to change anything! Just lazy, I guess.....
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I was in the same boat as you last year. I just purchased a Remington 700XCR in 30-06 and after I got home realized that the barrel was not free floating. I was all upset about it untill I took the gun out to the range and was shooting clover leaves at 100 yards with off-the-shelf ammo. Now I'm not concerned about a floating barrel anymore.
Free Floating my Ruger
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