Free Floating/Glass Bedding Explaination?
 

Can someone explain that free floating and glass bedding a barrel means? What's entailed in doing this operation? I've seen this mentioned a few times and haven't had the light bulb come on. I've recently purchased a Browning A-Bold 270WSM. Haven't even put the scope on yet, so I'm not thinking of running out and having this done, just looking to file it away for future consideration.

RE: Free Floating/Glass Bedding Explaination?
 

Free floating means there is no pressure on the barrel from the receiver all the way up to end of the forearm. Most factory guns have a pressure point here and there do the stock doesn't fit the barrel perfectly. These pressure points can cause accuracy problems possibly due to vibrations not being consistent in the barrels as bullets fly out or cause stringing as the barrel heats up.

Glass bedding usually only takes place on the recoil lug and all around the reciever. This is just another way that the you have a nice tight fit for the gun to stock. Its just a fiber glass like mixture that you apply in the stock. Alot of people also go another step and pillar bed with aluminum pillars the the screws that hold the reciever to the stock. When the gun is fired, this will ensure that reciever doesn't move in the stock as the bullet is going down the barrel. Also this nice fit will cut down on the vibration going on on the barrel so it is more tolerant to different bullet depths.

Some people don't like a free floated barrel. They like a little pressure on the barrel at the end of the stock. I believe this method works good if you have a good strong stock like a McMillian or even H-S precision. But if you got a cheap plastic stock like remington puts out on their supposely synthetics, I believe its better to free float.

RE: Free Floating/Glass Bedding Explaination?
 

bigcountry gave you a good explanation, but I disagree about when to float or not float. I've saw some rifles that did shoot better with some pressure near the end of the stock. But I personally believe that a properly bedded rifle will shoot better 99% of the time free floated. I once read a custom rifle maker that stated that anything other than a free floated barrel was just an attempt to cover a poor bedding job.

RE: Free Floating/Glass Bedding Explaination?
 

In our match rifles (they had wood stocks) the prefered method was to glass bed the stocks. The reason to glass bed the stock is to keep it consistant. Wood changes with the moisture in the air and in competion shooting a little change can make a difference. With composite stocks glass bedding doesn't make as much of a difference. Does anyone know how much it helps on a composite stock? We always glass bedded from the front mounting screw all the way back.

RE: Free Floating/Glass Bedding Explaination?
 

In a well made synthetic with steel bedding blocks, I don't think it's necessary. It may help insure solid contact in some of the cheaper synthetic stocks.

RE: Free Floating/Glass Bedding Explaination?
 

I believe that custom gun maker you are talking about is New Ultra Light Arms. I went out to Morgantown, WV, and saw his setup. He convinced me that if you having to free float or tighten the screws to just the right torque, then its compensating for something. I do believe him, but his rifles are $2400. But he does get subMOA groups out of a 5 1/2lb scoped rifle. Thats pretty incredible.

RE: Free Floating/Glass Bedding Explaination?
 

How much does it typically cost to have these jobs done? I'm planning on buying a synthetic stock for my Ruger Mark II M-77, and would like to have it pillar bedded and free floated, but I'm wondering how much$$$$??

Screw the 10 ring, keep them in the zero!!!

RE: Free Floating/Glass Bedding Explaination?
 

What I usually see is 80 to 100 dollars for the pillar job and 50 for the glass bad.