I'm liking something like this

http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/Thumbh...ngton-s/44.htm


Says barrels are free floating in this stock.

I'm no gunsmith, but isn't the only place a free floating stock makes contact with the barrel, about an inch or two before the end of the stock near sling swivel?

I'll look at Fajen's too.

No. A free floated barrel doesn't make contact with the forearm at all past the first couple inches forward of the action. You can test if your rifle is free floated by trying to slide a dollar bill between the stock and forend. If it easily slides back almost to the action, it's free floated. If the bill will not slide back more than an inch or two, then your stock has a pressure point that it touching the barrel. Most Remington Model 700's have a pressure point between the stock and barrel, where all Savage CF's are free floated.

My Savage 111 which is free floated. See how the folded piece of paper slides all the way back to the barrel nut:


This is my Remington Model 700 LSS Limited which is NOT free floated. See how the paper stops about 2" from the tip of the fore end? When you take the barreled/action out, you can plainly see the hump intentionally milled into the barrel channel to put pressure on the barrel.


Mike

Thanks for the pics. Yes my barrel has the same pressure point as your Remington.

The thumbhole stock in that boyds link says it is free floating.

Not being a gunsmith, I was wondering if I got that stock in the link, that maybe it would work.

Being that they state the barrels are free floating in that paticular stock, and my barrel dia. is smaller than the other Rem. 700s, it wouldn't matter because the barrel is free floating anyway. Am I wrong about this?

If the stock allows the barrel to float with a standard Rem contour, then your slimmer contour will also free float. Since the dimensions of the action are identical, the stock will fit your rifle fine except that the visible gap between the barrel and forearm will be larger, but this is purely cosmetic.

Mike

Hey, thanks for your help.

I called Boyds, they stated the same thing.

The guy I talked to, said the gap would be really noticable.

He even said it would be ugly. LOL!

Not sure what I will do. I'm not really concerned that much about appearances. Seems there are lots of mixed reviews about thumbhole stocks on a hunting rifle. Some folks like them, some don't.

Thanks again for your help!