Does free-floating a barrel really help?
- Thread starter Z400ACDC
- Start date
in theory yes, on a bolt action rifle it does help. Its called barrel harmonics. Every time a round exits the barrel, the barrel vibrates. A free floating barrel will vibrate the exact same way every time a round is discharged. On semi autos its not as good because there is something attached to the barrel that will cause the vibrations to be different.
.300 Weatherby Mag
New member
I don't remember which stock maker had this on their site... But in their opinion, a free floating barrel helps 95% of rifles to shoot better... All of my best shooting rifles have free floating barrels with only one exception...
FrankenMauser
New member
Of my "tack driver" bolt actions, only one of the rifles is free-floated. The other two have pressure points at the end of the forearm.
One of the rifles with pressure points spent a few months free-floated. The results were abysmal.
I have a feeling the rifle that is currently free-floated will tighten the groups up a hair, when I add some pressure points.
(It was a recent build, and hasn't been tested with pressure points, yet.)
What does that mean?
-That every rifle is different. You have to find out what yours likes, through trial and error.
There is no free lunch, or 'general rule'.
In my experience, loose or over-torqued action screw influence accuracy more than the difference between free-floating and pressure points (I am not a fan of full-bedding for a barrel).
The whole point is to remove stress and vibration from the shooting platform. That means the action screws should be torqued properly, accessories (bipod, scope, lights, muzzle attachments, etc) should be attached properly, sling tension (if used) should always be the same, and the barrel needs to be allowed to behave in the same manner for each shot. How you go about achieving that, is up to you.
One of the rifles with pressure points spent a few months free-floated. The results were abysmal.
I have a feeling the rifle that is currently free-floated will tighten the groups up a hair, when I add some pressure points.
(It was a recent build, and hasn't been tested with pressure points, yet.) What does that mean?
-That every rifle is different. You have to find out what yours likes, through trial and error.
There is no free lunch, or 'general rule'.
In my experience, loose or over-torqued action screw influence accuracy more than the difference between free-floating and pressure points (I am not a fan of full-bedding for a barrel).
The whole point is to remove stress and vibration from the shooting platform. That means the action screws should be torqued properly, accessories (bipod, scope, lights, muzzle attachments, etc) should be attached properly, sling tension (if used) should always be the same, and the barrel needs to be allowed to behave in the same manner for each shot. How you go about achieving that, is up to you.
Free-floating has it's advantages, especially with wood stocks, because wood warps a bit (or a lot) with humidity changes. For year-round point of impact consistency, I usually free-float barrels.
Pressure points can minimize vibrations and make rifles more accurate, especially using factory ammo, since the ammo can't be adjusted to accommodate barrel vibrations. When carefully tuned handloads are worked up, free-floated barrels are usually more accurate than bedded ones.
Pressure points can minimize differences in POI using different bullet weights and loads. That's particularly noticeable when there are wide variations in bullet weight, say going between 125 grain and 180 grain rounds in a light-barreled 30-06.
JP
Pressure points can minimize vibrations and make rifles more accurate, especially using factory ammo, since the ammo can't be adjusted to accommodate barrel vibrations. When carefully tuned handloads are worked up, free-floated barrels are usually more accurate than bedded ones.
Pressure points can minimize differences in POI using different bullet weights and loads. That's particularly noticeable when there are wide variations in bullet weight, say going between 125 grain and 180 grain rounds in a light-barreled 30-06.
JP
madcratebuilder
New member
FrankenMauser said:
Well said sir.
223 shooter
New member
The laminated stock on my heavy barrel 700VLS 223 was not free floated but had a pressure point which was caused erratic groupings. Alleviating this pressure point , which was quite substantial , cured the accuracy woes.
Picked up a Weatherby Vanguard Deluxe in .30-06 and the rifle simply did not want to group. Again , the barrel channel pressure , again a very good chunk of wood. Once again the results were positive as the rifle has now started to show some good accuracy potential.
There are those who say the pressure point is beneficial on a sporter weight barrel. As each rifle is different the results can obviously vary. In my case the floating was an improvement. The heavy barrel rifles I always float if they are not that way out of the box.
Picked up a Weatherby Vanguard Deluxe in .30-06 and the rifle simply did not want to group. Again , the barrel channel pressure , again a very good chunk of wood. Once again the results were positive as the rifle has now started to show some good accuracy potential.
There are those who say the pressure point is beneficial on a sporter weight barrel. As each rifle is different the results can obviously vary. In my case the floating was an improvement. The heavy barrel rifles I always float if they are not that way out of the box.
pabuckslayer08
New member
Free floating and correct torque on the stock are the biggest things to gain accuracy.
Its an old argument....
And both sides are right, as far as they go.
A properly bedded barrel (and what is proper will vary with each individual rifle) can be very accurate. The correct amount of presure (tension) on the barrel can result in good accuracy.
HOWEVER, no mass market rifle maker today can take the time to ensure that their barrels are bedded for best accuracy. Some don't even take the time to ensure their wood stocks are fully sealed against moisture. These things take time, and that costs money. And the best accuracy from a bedded barrel only comes after one has a chance to shoot it extensively with different ammo/loads and often only by "adjusting" the tension.
Free floating the barrel is simpler, cheaper, and usually results in acceptable performance, and sometimes in exceptional performance. Free floating a bedded barrel often (but not always) improves accuracy, mostly because the rifle was not bedded as well as it should have been to start with.
If the dollar bill will not go all the way back to the action, don't panic. Lots and lots of "free floated" barrels are bedded for a couple inches ahead of the action, then free floated from there on out.
Before you start making changes to your rifle (any rifle) looking for the "best" accuracy, shoot it! Shoot it with every different load combination you can come up with, and see just how well it behaves. Odds are there will be a certain load that will perform better than the others. It may be only a small improvement, or it may be a large one. The only way to find out is to shoot the rifle for accuracy, with all different possible ammo combinations. Then, and only then, if you are not satisfied with the results, is it time to start making permanent changes to the rifle.
Remember, somtimes, free floating the barrel (and/or other changes) can actually reduce a rifle's accuracy. Doesn't happen often, but it can happen. Each rifle is a law unto itself when it comes to what it shoots best, and in what configuration it does it.
And both sides are right, as far as they go.
A properly bedded barrel (and what is proper will vary with each individual rifle) can be very accurate. The correct amount of presure (tension) on the barrel can result in good accuracy.
HOWEVER, no mass market rifle maker today can take the time to ensure that their barrels are bedded for best accuracy. Some don't even take the time to ensure their wood stocks are fully sealed against moisture. These things take time, and that costs money. And the best accuracy from a bedded barrel only comes after one has a chance to shoot it extensively with different ammo/loads and often only by "adjusting" the tension.
Free floating the barrel is simpler, cheaper, and usually results in acceptable performance, and sometimes in exceptional performance. Free floating a bedded barrel often (but not always) improves accuracy, mostly because the rifle was not bedded as well as it should have been to start with.
If the dollar bill will not go all the way back to the action, don't panic. Lots and lots of "free floated" barrels are bedded for a couple inches ahead of the action, then free floated from there on out.
Before you start making changes to your rifle (any rifle) looking for the "best" accuracy, shoot it! Shoot it with every different load combination you can come up with, and see just how well it behaves. Odds are there will be a certain load that will perform better than the others. It may be only a small improvement, or it may be a large one. The only way to find out is to shoot the rifle for accuracy, with all different possible ammo combinations. Then, and only then, if you are not satisfied with the results, is it time to start making permanent changes to the rifle.
Remember, somtimes, free floating the barrel (and/or other changes) can actually reduce a rifle's accuracy. Doesn't happen often, but it can happen. Each rifle is a law unto itself when it comes to what it shoots best, and in what configuration it does it.
Don't confuse accuracy, with consistency. Many mannlicher stocked rifles and non-free floated barrels can be very accurate. But not always consistent. I only have 1 wood stocked rifle left. It is wonderfully accurate, usually shooting under 1" groups. But every few months those 1" groups shift to different places on the target as the wood expands and contracts due to the changing seasons.
A free float and glass bed would help considerably, but it is not one of my go-to rifles anyway. I won't spend the time or effort since I already have other rifles that will do better
Clifford L. Hughes
New member
Z400ACDC:
It is accepted that most rifles shoot more accurately free floated. However, this is not carved in granite. How I determine whether a rifle will shoot better free floated, I glass bed the action and about three inches of the chamber and then I free float the barrel. Next I shoot about twenty groups using different powders and bullets. If I don't find a promising load I lay several thickness of business cards at the for end and repeat the same twenty groups. Several thicknesses of cards, layered, can be tried.
Semper Fi.
Gunnery sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
It is accepted that most rifles shoot more accurately free floated. However, this is not carved in granite. How I determine whether a rifle will shoot better free floated, I glass bed the action and about three inches of the chamber and then I free float the barrel. Next I shoot about twenty groups using different powders and bullets. If I don't find a promising load I lay several thickness of business cards at the for end and repeat the same twenty groups. Several thicknesses of cards, layered, can be tried.
Semper Fi.
Gunnery sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
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warbirdlover
New member
I believe it has to do with the individual rifle. If you're hunting you'll never fire enough rounds to get the barrel hot enough to change point of impact which is the main advantage to free floating (bench rest shooting). My tightest shooting rifles all had pressure points near the end of the stock.
My Remington 200 SPS Varmint in .22-250 factory stock had a pressure point that I was convinced kept the rifle from meeting its full potential.
I changed the stock to a pillar bedded Bell and Carlson that allowed the barrel to be free floated back to the first lug.
The group size average with the same ammo was reduced by 0.15 inches and improved its group average to under 0.5 inches with its favorite loads.
I won't even attempt to claim that it would help any other rifle, but in the case of this particular rifle, it did make quite a difference.
I changed the stock to a pillar bedded Bell and Carlson that allowed the barrel to be free floated back to the first lug.
The group size average with the same ammo was reduced by 0.15 inches and improved its group average to under 0.5 inches with its favorite loads.
I won't even attempt to claim that it would help any other rifle, but in the case of this particular rifle, it did make quite a difference.