Free floating???
 

I've never been concerned with making my rifle too much more accurate, like I've said before, I've shot washington off a dollar bill at 375 yrds with my .30-06. I'm thinking about getting a new .30-06, b/c I like shooting the one I have now so much, I'm wanting to start shooting it more than a hunting rifle should be, making it a benchrest gun. If I do though, I want to take it out as far as it will go, and I might consider to do the same to my new hunting rifle if it isn't as accurate as I'd like it to be. I've learned what bedding is, and I can see how it would effect accuracy noticeably, but what is free floating???? I've come to assume that it means that the bedding holds the barrel and action rather than screws or bolts, but I can't see how that holds the barrel down in the stock. What is free floating exactly, and how much does it effect the gun's inherent accuracy.

RE: Free floating???
 

I've never heard of it before, but it sounds interesting.

RE: Free floating???
 

Free floating refers to the barrel not touching the stock through the entire length of the barrel channel. Usualy bedding is when the action is mated to a compound that is formed to the action itself. Giving it a perfect surface surrounding the lugs and action to prevent movement or twisting of the action during the firing of the gun.
If the action is bedded good and the barrel is free floated, it sould (if the ammo and every thing else is perfectly the same) "IN THEORY" it should shoot in the same hole! But that is another post entirely.

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RE: Free floating???
 

If freefloating is so good then why don't the top rifle makers do it?

Savage= excellent out of box accuracy
Win and Rem= very respectable accuracy
Marlin Mr7(bolt gun) great accuracy, until I started playing with it.
Interarms= Good accuracy

If these companies found that freefloating was such a big advantage, why don't they do it? Surely people would pay a higher price for sub MOA accuracy.

RE: Free floating???
 

Hey Fight, they do, they are. The savage 10FP is free floated but looks to need some accurizing or adjusting to make fit well with the action. The sendero's and accumarks have H-S precision with have full lenght bedding which is arguablely good too. Look at browns, or any of the custom gun makers. Most all use Mcmillian, alum. pillar bedded and free floated. The bedding I never had great luck with is the pressure bedding remington does with their BDL's and others. I put a little pressure point in the front which I always take out.

RE: Free floating???
 

The good rifle makers do float their barrels. Sako, Tikka, CZ...

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RE: Free floating???
 

Some barrels will shoot best free-floated, while others require some upward pressure at the forend tip, and some need to have contact the whole distance between the front of the receiver ring and the forend tip. Each barrel is an individual in this respect, and one never knows which arrangement is best for a particular rifle without trying each bedding method.

Larry

RE: Free floating???
 

I have heard that before also. But then, why does Ed Brown, and Jarrett rifles always free float their rifles always. Why does Hart, and douglas recommend free floating?

RE: Free floating???
 

I know that some do, but I was refering to entry level guns not so much custom or high priced guns.

RE: Free floating???
 

Yea, those savages are up there in price.

RE: Free floating???
 

In the opinion of many gun custom gun builder (of which I am not) the only reason NOT to free float the barrel is to overcome a poor job of bedding the rifle. I'll take a piller bedded action and free floated barrel every time.

RE: Free floating???
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> Yea, those savages are up there in price.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

Are you saying that the 110 and 111 are freefloated?

RE: Free floating???
 

Greets,
Ok.. what about older military rifles that have been sporterized?? Mine is nearly free floated, butthere is one point in the middle that doesnt actually touch, but its so close the dollar bill test wont pass it. (I powdered the stock with talc and then set the action it it, no apreciable residue anywhere, so I know it isnt touching but its close ). Should I play with it or leave it be?? It shoots as accurate as I am capable with factory loads.. will be trying reloads soon.

Just my uneducated opinion!
Terry

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RE: Free floating???
 

The reason most custom makers who produce extremely accurate rifles generally free-float their barrels is because, usually, a premium grade barrel will shoot MORE PREDICTABLY that way, and it is not as difficult to do this as it would be to individually bed each rifle by a trial and error method involving possibly extensive test-firing of each rifle. Makers don't want to wear out a barrel before shipping the gun!! Also, free-floated bedding is not subjected to changes when the stock wood swells or shrinks due to atmospheric moisture changes. Of course, this does not apply to non-wood stocks. However, even the finest barrels don't ALWAYS shoot best free-floated!!

Larry

RE: Free floating???
 

eldeguello, you said:
even the finest barrels don't ALWAYS shoot best free-floated!!

Care to give some examples. I have never heard and definately never seen this before. All the custom makers I have talked to says different. I am not saying you are totally wrong, but am willing to learn a new trick.