To Float or NOT to Float?

[warbirdlover]

Okay, I understand what you're saying roklok, but I shoot with the gun resting on my hand and that hand could be resting on something else. The Remington is shooting cloverleaf groups. I let the range "ace" shoot it and he fired almost a one hole 3-shot group at 100 yards. Twice. Same POI on a different target. And I don't shoot with a tight sling. I always find something to brace my hand or arm on to steady me.

 

[sc928porsche]

Ruger M77 actions are not "robust" ??????????? Definately news to me.

 

[Picher]

Re: Ruger action flex.

I once had a Ruger Mod 77 clamped in my heavy vise and happened to hit the barrel lightly with my hand as I was reaching for something. I couldn't believe how much flex there was in the action as the barrel vibrated. Having had other actions in a similar setting many times and checking them the same way, I've never seen any such movement in them.

That doesn't mean that they're not strong, just that, to limit barrel vibration, Ruger 77 rifles may need to have a longer portion of the barrel supported by bedding than other rifles with rounded or otherwise stiffer actions.

The stiffness factor of the action behind the bolt locking area doesn't apply to pressure resistance, since that occurs in the front part of the action and it's very strong in that area. Flex comes into play due to the rather thin rails in the action's magazine and ejection cuts. The flat sections in those areas don't dampen barrel vibrations as much as rounded receivers found in Remington, Savage, Weatherby, and similar designs. Winchester and Mauser actions are flat-bottomed but are stiffer than the Ruger 77. The newer Ruger actions are probably stiffer than the first ones, but I haven't worked on any of the more recent rifles.

 

[warbirdlover]

Not disagreeing with you but IMHO the important area is the barrel (locking lug area) on forward. If this recoil lug is bedded properly what happens behind the bolt/barrel lockup area shouldn't much matter. My gut feeling anyway.

 

[FrankenMauser]

I'm kind of surprised the subject hasn't come up yet, but there is a single, basic concept that we're using here:

All we care about is consistency.

Whether the rifle is free-floated, pillar bedded, fully bedded, partially bedded, pressure bedded, or anything else... the goal is the same. As long as we find a way to make the rifle consistent, we win.

For me, that came with pressure points on the fore-end. But, many people think the whole pressure-bedding concept is a bunch of BS. Do what you like, but keep the rifle in mind. Work with the rifle. Don't force it to do something it doesn't want to.

 

[warbirdlover]

Exactly.

 

[warbirdlover]

Just got back from the range. This is a five shot group using factory Remington CoreLok 150 gr. I am pleased. I dialed this to center and then 1-1/4" high at 100 which puts me dead on at 200. My one shot at 200 yards was dead center. I had fired 1-1/2 boxes through the .300 Win Mag and I was about done shooting. So no floating necessary. Good as is.

And my Nikon BDC reticle now gives me holds for 300, 400, 500 and 600 yards. Like I'll ever use them in Wisconsin!

 

[Slamfire]

My FN Deluxe shot awful and I found the barrel was completed bedded in the channel. Not sure if the recoil lug was bedded or not.

Rebedded the action and removed most of the barrel channel compound and the rifle is shooting better. About 2 MOA, not spectacular, but better.

Old bedding:

 

[homesick]

Warbird very nice that thing really shoots/ I call those keepers!!!

 

[warbirdlover]

Thanks. I have been shooting TERRIBLE lately. Not flinching but just not "burning" the crosshairs into the bull while I squeeze like I know how to. If the range "ace" was there today I would have let him shoot it. I'm betting he would get almost one hole. He is GOOD. I haven't been shooting nearly as much in the last couple years as I used to so I'm going to become a member of this range and shoot all summer long like I used to years ago. Then I could match the range "ace". But not now...

 

[Picher]

Not disagreeing with you but IMHO the important area is the barrel (locking lug area) on forward. If this recoil lug is bedded properly what happens behind the bolt/barrel lockup area shouldn't much matter. My gut feeling anyway.

I disagree. The receiver must be stiff enough and be bedded adequately to make vibrations of the barrel repeatable. If there is inconsistent bearing or slight movement of either end of an action, accuracy suffers. A flexible action may best be tamed using bedding block stocks, even glued-in actions.

A test to determine whether a pressure point is contributing to overall accuracy, involves moving the rest point and soft/hard rests that may be encountered in practical use. A pressure point system may group better, but may not print the group in the same place every time. Holding from a seated position, offhand, a bipod, a hard sandbag placed at various points on the forend, placing the hand under the forend, even using a hasty sling may cause POI to shift considerably.

If none of those forend pressure/rest changes produce groups that are outside your desired POI tolerance and produce groups that you're happy with, you've done well. Flexible forends are often not going to be satisfactory when so tested, but expect at least some POI displacement with free-floated barrels because there are more forces at work than barrel vibrations.

Fortunately, fast centerfire cartridge rifles don't move much in recoil prior to the bullet leaving the muzzle. Such is not the case with rimfires, since velocity is much lower; that's why follow-through and consistent hold is so important when firing them.

 

[homesick]

I have the same problem with focus as I get older. In years past I could just go out and every day was the same, I could punch holes and I knew most every shot was right on the bull. Now there are days it seems I have to really work on holding my sight picture. In fact when I work up loads I always take my 700 VLS with (223) so if the test rifle loads don't seem to be consistant, I will pop off a 3 shot group with my 223 as that thing is sub 1/2 MOA.
You said you had a couple 700XCRs I just ordered a XCR 2 25-06 should be here next week Wed. or Thur. Kinda fired up about that.