Laminate stocks? (Remington VLS)

M

Matrix

New member
My new rifle is the first wood stocked gun that I have bought in a long time. Laminated stocks are heavier than plain wood, but how do they do in the rain?
I carried a synthetic stock in the pouring rain for a week in Canada, with no ill effects or shift in zero. Can I expect the same with this stock?

Also, the barrel is not free floated. I haven't shot it yet, but suspect this may be an accuracy detriment. I may need to have the barrel channel expanded and the action bedded. Or, may just need to get a synthetic stock. Any comments, suggestions?
 
I just bought a Rem. VLS in .243. Easily free-floated the barrel using the larger of the two sanding drums that came with my Dremel kit. (I can now slide four or five dollar-bill-thicknesses around the barrel all the way to the recoil lug.)

I also easily bedded the locking lug and tang area, using quick-set Marine Tex. I'm torquing the action screws to 40 in/lbs.

I'm also shooting one-hole groups.

The laminated stock will do fine in wet weather. It doesn't warp like plain wood stocks.

[This message has been edited by WalterGAII (edited August 16, 2000).]
 
Tell me more about Marine Tex. Does Midway or other shooting supply houses carry it?
Also, how much did accuracy improve after taking these steps?
Thanks!
 
I shot some pretty good groups while breaking in the barrel, before free-floating and bedding. My particular rifle seems to like 75 gr. Sierras better than anything else; however, I did get a couple of great groups with 55gr. Ballistic Tips today. Had them running a little fast for my taste, 4200fps, so I'm backing off of that load.

Accuracy with the mods is more consistent. My experience is that a rifle will do better with the barrel free-floated than without. Free-floating is really easy with the Dremel and the sanding drum. Just sand the barrel channel out until you get the degree of clearance that you want.

Marine Tex can be found at any boat supply store; also at Brownell's. I picked the quick-set version, which comes in two tubes, from which you mix equal parts. Has a working time of five minutes. I use plain old Johnson's wax as a releasing agent. First gun I ever bedded, and it turned out perfectly.
 
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