Free Float a Barrel?

P

PyroBob

New member
Be nice, this is a new guy question.

I have a Winchester Model 70 Sporter Magnum, chambered as a 7mm RM. After searching around these forums regarding my model and caliber, I read quite a bit about "free floating" a barrel.

What exactly does this mean? Does it mean exactly what I think it does, as in the barrel is not connected to the stock at any point beyond the base?

Thanks.
 
The barrel vibrates when the bullet is traveling down the bore. To shoot accurate groups and have consistent first shots, you need to assure the barrel vibrates in exactly the same manner every time you pull the trigger. For some barrels, pressure by being rubbed by the stock can cause the barrel to vibrate differently with each shot.

"Free floating" means removing material from the stock's barrel channel to assure it doesn't rub against the barrel. A test for a properly free floated barrel is to take a dollar bill, fold it lengthwise and slide it under the barrel from the forend all the way back to the receiver without snagging. A few skinny hunting-style barrels shoot worse once free floated. They require upward pressure from a pad on the stock near the forend tip.
 
Shoot it a bit first

Your rifle may be satisfactorily accurate the way it is. Free floating the barrel, once done, is pretty difficult to un do. Some rifles, shooting ok before free floating actually shoot worse afterwards. Not common, but it does happen. You should shoot your rifle with all available ammo (including tailored handloads if possible) before you consider messing with the bedding. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 
I should clarify some details...I have owned the rifle for 6 years, and put less than 20 rounds through it, so I would be sure to put several more before ever making changes. I was just prodding to see what these things meant. As it sits now, the stock is not touching the barrel, so it does not appear that I need to do anything!
 
If you're talking about the synthetic stock that Win uses, you might well find that the already-flimsy plastic stock won't have enough material for you to remove, without the stock's becoming waaaay too flimsy.
 
Well, there is definitely no space between the barrel and the stock...they are resting tightly against each other. I'm not knowledgeable enough about this rifle to know if it is the original stock, but I fully assume it is. I am not the first owner, though.

Notice my typing this message in the background...thats for authenticity, of course :p.

 
float

Sir:
Don't worry about the gap - Vietnam snipers wanted enough gap that they could run a rag under and clean out the crap they ran into. Also, Winchester, years ago had a floated bbl. channel routed WAY bigger than necessary,
I like the action glass bedded and at the very joint of the bbl with the action I like it (the bbl.) floated so a business card, at least, will go clear out.
On a bbl. that's "straight" out for say one or two inches I like it glassed out about one inch.
Harry B.
 
Well, I had some free time last night, so I took the gun apart, right down to the nuts. Scrubbed, degreased, regreased, oiled and any other possible thing I could think of.

After putting everything back together, the barrel does seem to fit better...it seems better lined on the stock, and has just enough gap to keep a business card in between the stock and the barrel...you can't go more than the width of the card in, but it is clear there is a gap.

It seems my rifle may have just needed some TLC...highly possible, since its been sitting in a closet for 5 years.
 
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