RE: free floating
 

This is an issue about which (almost) no two people agree....and has had legs almost since the invention of the rifle. These are the facts. No two rifles are exactly alike in this dept. Some prefer free-floating barrels....some do not. ALL rifles prefer solidly- bedded actions, but whether this is via traditional glass bedding, pillar bedding, or a bedding block is far less important than the fact that the action is firmly bedded...and doesn't move around from shot to shot.

As to the free-floating/ pressure-point issue....there is NO cut and dried answer. To make matters more complicated, some rifles prefer free-floating with one type of stock...but react better with a barrel pressure point...with another type. I have one of those rifles. With a laminated stock, it was most accurate free-floated. With a solid walnut stock with crossbolt, as it wears now, it prefers a pressure point at the forend.

The only way to be sure is experimentation. A few basic guidelines are in order. IMO, based on my experiences, thin sporter barrels do better with a pressure point. Heavy bull barrels tend to do better free-floated. Mid-weight barrels can go either way. Most rifles without truly solidly bedded actions do better with a pressure point. Most rifles with rather flexible stocks, like a lot of the factory- supplied synthetics, tend to do better with a pressure point. Really stiff, solid, aftermarket stocks, like the McMillan....or laminated stocks, tend to do better with free-floated barrels, unless the barrel is a thin sporter type. An exception is that, sometimes, thin sporter barrels do better if the entire barrel channel is bedded - so long as barrel contact only extends about half-way up the barrel length. If a pressure point is used, or deliberate barrel contact, in other words, this should be at roughly the half-way point of barrel length. (I say roughly - it doesn't have to be exact.) There is nothing to gain (and usually negative results occur) by allowing ANY barrel contact forward of the half-way point. So, if the rifle is full-stocked (or in a military-type stock) this sort of contact is of particular concern. In a sporter (half stock)...this is simpler.

In any case, for best results, the action must be firmly bedded. That is the
FIRST issue to consider. If it is not now, it is premature to be too concerned about the barrel. So, do look after the bedding issue first. Have the barrel free-floated when the action is bedded, if glass-bedding is necessary. Then, try the rifle both ways....with and without a barrel pressure point. If you look after the variables ONE at a time...it will be easier to determine that which works....and that which doesn't.