I have a 1990s stainless BDL with a synthetic stock in 300wm that is quickly becoming my favorite hunting rifle. It is very light and easy to tote around in the woods. That being said, it is a 1.5-2 inch rifle off the bench. The factory stock is in no way free floated. Would sanding the stock to free float the barrel improve the accuracy? Any other suggestions that would not add weight? The trigger is nice and crisp and at 4lbs.
Remington 700 question
- Thread starter bshefa
- Start date
You didn't mention what ammo you are using. If you are using factory ammo, you may have to try various brands to get the best accuracy.
Also, you can experiment with free-floating the barrel by putting a piece of match-book thick cardboard under the action, behind the recoil lug & test a few shots. But for sure, this is NOT a permanent fix, just for test.
FWIW...
...bug
Also, you can experiment with free-floating the barrel by putting a piece of match-book thick cardboard under the action, behind the recoil lug & test a few shots. But for sure, this is NOT a permanent fix, just for test.
FWIW...
...bug
It completely slipped my mind about the ammo. I guess because it came with the rifle. 3 boxes of Rem core lokts 180 grains. Heck I usually know better than that.
I'll try the matchbook thing on the action if some different ammo doesn't work better.
I think I remember reading somewhere Remington 700s sometimes like a pressure point on the barrel. Any truth to this?
I'll try the matchbook thing on the action if some different ammo doesn't work better.
I think I remember reading somewhere Remington 700s sometimes like a pressure point on the barrel. Any truth to this?
Matchbook thick cardboard will compress when you tighten the action screws. Bits of thick paper really tell you nothing.
Anyway, floating a barrel doesn't guarantee anything. Some rifles like it. Some do not. Unfortunately, the only way to find out if yours does is to try it. Fortunately, if accuracy doesn't improve(a Rem 700 with a synthetic stock not being a target rifle), putting the pressure point back in isn't hard. Takes a wee dab of bedding material about an inch or so aft of the end of the forestock. Do not forget the release agent. If you're going to muck about with floating, you might as well glass bed the action at the same time.
However, before you do any of that, try some different ammo. Nothing wrong with Core-Lokts, but try some ammo with Game Kings or Pro Hunters. Mind you, 1.5 to 2 inches ain't exactly ugly for a stock hunting rifle.
Anyway, floating a barrel doesn't guarantee anything. Some rifles like it. Some do not. Unfortunately, the only way to find out if yours does is to try it. Fortunately, if accuracy doesn't improve(a Rem 700 with a synthetic stock not being a target rifle), putting the pressure point back in isn't hard. Takes a wee dab of bedding material about an inch or so aft of the end of the forestock. Do not forget the release agent. If you're going to muck about with floating, you might as well glass bed the action at the same time.
However, before you do any of that, try some different ammo. Nothing wrong with Core-Lokts, but try some ammo with Game Kings or Pro Hunters. Mind you, 1.5 to 2 inches ain't exactly ugly for a stock hunting rifle.
A pressure point near the end of the barrel sometimes will tame things down & make a rifle more accurate. Just like the the action shim test, you can use a thin piece of cardboard to create a barrel pressure point to test. Most people don't like the pressure point set-up & want the free-float because like most things under stress, the pressure begins to weaken or vary over time.bshefa said:
If you have a friend that handloads, I'd start with some Sierra 165gr GK's first, before tinkering with the rifle.
Good Luck!
...bug
I put some credit card shims in my 6mm Model 7, and then went out and shot a .375 group.
Those shims are still there, over 30 years later.
I saw no need to think bedding would make it "better"
Most Remingtons WILL shoot better free floated
If you want shims that won't compress, cut some from a drink can, or a piece of metal flashing
That rifle would be a cinch to help shoot better, that includes pillarbedding and freefloating barrel at least one sixteenth of an inch from start of barrel to end of stock, if your comfortable with the factory trigger than by all means.
Also you might want to try a lighter bullet such as 150 grain corelokts etc.
After these steps you find that maybe a scope mount or bases is loose, I'd check on these first before going to range and wasting time and ammo.
Also you might want to try a lighter bullet such as 150 grain corelokts etc.
After these steps you find that maybe a scope mount or bases is loose, I'd check on these first before going to range and wasting time and ammo.
VERY few rifles shoot better with a pressure point, and most of those have very thin barrel profiles. I've NEVER known of a standard weight barrel shooting worse after being floated. Some don't get any better, but I've never known of it making it worse. I'd float the barrel 1st.
Once one learns the physics of rifle stock fore end bending, they'll never put pad of any type between the fore end tip and the barrel if best accuracy is their most important objective. Such pads transfers part or all of the fore end bending to the barrel. Amount and directions vary with positions the rifle's held at. Barrel whip will no longer be repeatable from shot to shot. And that causes bullets to exit at different angles depending on the magnitude and direction of that force.
That said, poor fit of receiver to stock does cause accuracy problems. Sometimes a pad up front in the fore end barrel channel fixes some of it. If you don't want to fix the complete problem, then put a pad in it. Your zeros will change from one attained shooting from a bench going to unsupported field positions.
That said, poor fit of receiver to stock does cause accuracy problems. Sometimes a pad up front in the fore end barrel channel fixes some of it. If you don't want to fix the complete problem, then put a pad in it. Your zeros will change from one attained shooting from a bench going to unsupported field positions.