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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

Barrel floating


Guest MorgansBoss

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Guest MorgansBoss

There are differing opinions on this subject but my personal opinion (and experience) is that a free floating the barrel is always a good bet to improve accuracy. Its also just about the simplest procedure you can do!

 

First off test for tight spots, slide a piece of paper - I like a dollar bill - between the barrel and fore end. Note where any tight spots are found. Remove the stock and using a dowel, pipe, or something as high-tech as your thumb even, wrap a piece of sandpaper around it and go to work on the barrel channel. Don't take off any more than necessary to avoid detracting from aesthetics, try the fit often. When a dollar bill can be slid from fore end tip to the receiver ring, or an inch or two ahead of it, you're done! The process is the same for wood or synthetic stocks.

 

Some rifles have fore ends designed to put pressure on the barrel - Rugers typically have a small ridge of wood at the tip, others have a "tension screw" that can be adjusted - I still prefer to float the whole barrel though.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I was mainly referring to sporting rifles but in the case of a original configuration mil-surp the hand guard typically doesn't touch the barrel much except for where its attached. For this reason its not a great concern.

 

Where the problems usually affect accuracy is from pressure exerted on the barrel from a tight fitting fore end. Closely inletted stocks can swell or warp due to weather conditions and such. Now as I said before, some rifles like this pressure but when it changes (as in bad weather) things can get iffy. A gap the thickness of a good ole greenback is usually pretty safe and not so much as to be unsightly.

 

I took my 7x64 on a hunting trip, carefully zeroing with the ammo I'd be using before leaving. As an after thought I installed a sling. When arriving at my destination I couldn't hold zero! Shot up half my ammo trying to figure it out before trying the dollar bill trick... Assumedly due to the very different weather conditions, my front stud was contacting the barrel ever so slightly! Loosened it 1/2 turn and was back to sub-MOA!

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Once again... the barrel channel gremlin strikes.

 

Several months ago I "re-did" an M93, 7x57 for a friend's daughter. Before any work was done the rifle shot decent. After modification it shot very decent. I presented the rifle and was sorry to hear that it didn't consistently fire factory ammo (I'd test fired with reloads). Back in the shop the culprit turned out to be a too tight mainspring. That fixed, firing was consistent but accuracy was now horrendous. Since about a month had gone by between repair and testing (don't ask!), I checked the crown and cartridge OAL (reloadeds again!) suspecting either a damaged crown or long throat (common on mil-surp 7mm's). Sitting at the bench and thinking it out led me to check the fore end. Alas, it was tight as a keg bung! For some reason I'd tightened the action screws... well, TIGHT and I do mean tight, for some reason. 3/4 turn back and the front screw was still "tight" but the fore end accepted the customary dollar with little resistance! It's a synthetic stock so no damage should have been done. Can't wait to get back to the range to check it out. I'd bet a paycheck it's shooting where it points again.

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  • 1 year later...
  • 1 year later...

For rifles with sporter-weight barrels, my experience has been a mixed bag, as regards free-floating. Many sporter-weight barrels actually prefer some uplift at the forend (and shoot better for it). With a heavy-weight target barrel, free-floating usually works better. I can say, without fear of contradiction, that, unless the action area of the rifle is FIRMLY bedded, a free-floating barrel will actually SPOIL accuracy. This is the reason many commercial sporter rifle manufacturers provide pressure points for the barrel in the forend of the standard stocks. As for military-stocked rifles.....one should always ensure that the inside of the handguard does NOT bear against the barrel (lots of them DO in untouched condition)... and since it is nearly impossible to truly free-float the barrels on many of these weapons (such as the Mausers)....they tend to perform better with a pressure point or "cradle" in the barrel channel, at approximately the half-way point of the barrel. I have never encountered a military-stocked rifle that performed better with handguard contact than without - so this is almost an absolute, in my experience.

 

Every rifle is different, though.....

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I agree with MorgansBoss that in my experience, free floating a sporter style stock resulted in better accuracy. Every one that I have is floated. The only exception is my Remington 541-T HB. That is factory original with the little bump in the barrel channel. It shoots the PMC moderator ammo into half inch groups at 80 yds. I understand that PMC stopped making ammo a while ago.

I realize that my free floating a barrel was also coupled with handload development so I cannot validate that free floating alone was responsible for the improvement. An actual before and after sequence with several rifles shooting identical factory loads might shed some light on the question. I haven't checked, but tests may already exist on the NET, answering this question.

 

Spiris

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  • 2 weeks later...
I realize that my free floating a barrel was also coupled with handload development so I cannot validate that free floating alone was responsible for the improvement. Spiris

I tend to agree that freefloating is the way to go, but like Spiris says, handloading development has always been a part of my accurizing, and I've never had opportunity to scientifically test for freefloating alone. I have had opportunity to evaluate bedding before and after, and definitely believe every domestic and sportered rifle should be properly bedded.

 

The original Mausers had a pressure point. Most of my experience is with Swedes, and I would have to say, they shoot pretty good with the pressure point. Their craftsmen were also expert at hand inletting and bedding. They didn't cheat with epoxy the way we do today.

 

If starting from scratch, I suggest trying freefloating. Record your results. Then put a slight pressure pad, such as a business card or two, under the barrel. If it improves it, okay. Lay a coat of epoxy near the end and use the business card/s to hold the barrel in proper place. Once epoxy sets, remove the cards, and you will have the ideal pressure point.

 

Essential to the process, whichever way you go, is to make sure the barrel channel is sealed so moisture doesn't shift the stock and change POI.

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