Free Float: bed chamber area or float to receiver?

[bobnob]

Ok a question for those that have experimented with a variety of different types of barrel floating:

I just bolted my Zastava 270 Win into a Boyds walnut classic. As at present, the barrel is well clear of the stock, in fact the 5 dollar note test (we don't have 1 dollar notes here!) slides all the way back to contact the receiver.

Now I normally bed the first couple of inches of the barrel, ie the chamber area. Of course I am going to shoot this to see how it goes, but what is the thinking with a floated barrel; Should the chamber area be bedded to give a little support to the barrel and take the stress off the threads, or is a float all the way to the receiver a viable solution?

Thanks.

- Bob

 

[cloverleaf]

You've got the right idea IMHO shoot first. I have bedded under the chamber on my rifles. You could maybe try the "business card" trick an see if it changes things. A pressure point might be wort the experiment too. Some rifles like 'em. What profile Boyds is that? Looks nice. CL

 

[IdahoCTD]

I generally bed the flat but have many with fully floated barrels that shoot just as good so I doubt it makes a difference one way or another.

 

[bobnob]

Thanks CL and Idaho for those posts so far. The rifle will be tested either tomorrow or Thursday so I'll let you know.

CL that stock is the Classic profile inletted for the Mauser 98. I had to make the bolt cut and safety cut, and take some wood out to accommodate the trigger assembly, mag box and floor plate release. Other than that just rubbed it with Tru Oil. Came up pretty good for an amateur!

 

[HeathSexton]

All mine are fully floated. I have never bedded the chamber area, not sure why just never have. I would think bed the action and chamber and if it doesn't shoot just dremel the chamber area out.

 

[bobnob]

It shot pretty good as it was. Fired a couple of three shot groups at 120y (just the distance my range is set up at) then finished with a 1.15 inch group for five shots, just under moa so it seems to show promise. They were far from premium handloads too, so I think I can do better. Of course only more shooting will bear out whether its been a real success but thanks for the help.

Oh I nearly forgot it was bloody windy too so I am very encouraged....

 

[Darkhorse]

I bed tight to 2" from the recoil lug. I just think the barrel needs support in this area. The heavier the barrel the more important I think it is.

 

[bobnob]

Thanks Dark Horse.

It got the better of me and as of now I have the chamber area of the barrel curing in bedding compound. I am also going to take out some of my better loads to see just what it can do when I shoot it later in the week.

Hopefully the wind will be kinder than it was last time out as well.

 

[Darkhorse]

bobnob, check out my posts in "Reloading" about my old "7mm mag and Nosler 150 Ballistic Tips", one of those posts have a series of targets shot after bedding that gun. I am still working on those loads and will soon shoot a couple more combinations.
Some of those groups are pretty good for an older factory rifle/original barrel. Compared to the way it shot years ago I feel bedding tight and floating the barrel really worked well.

 

[bobnob]

I have been tinkering with the rifle. I would have said it was shooting in passable fashion. However....

When I undid the front action screw, the front of the receiver and barrel would start to lift out of the action. No doubt a sign of a receiver under stress.

What did I mess up? Hmm, didn't bed the tang did I?

As of this morning I have bedded the tang and there is now no stress evident as before. Plan to shoot it tomorrow if the weather stays clear.

Thanks for the help; I will let you know how I go.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I bedded under the chamber, but only about 1.5 inches...I was following the plan of shoot it with bedding under the chamber and if it don't shoot good, remove it...

I have not and will not remove it...the rifle pictured above is darn near Benchrest accurate.

Some guns like bedding under the chamber....and some don't....just depends on the barrel and the way it flexes upon firing (somewhat caliber specific I believe, but cannot confirm at this time)...also depends on barrel contour, specifically how much metal is around the chamber...thinner contour at the chamber allows for much more barrel flex (e.g. Winchester Featherweight contour)

Simply put, the only way to know for sure is shoot it and see what it likes...fire at least a 10 round string as fast as you can accurately fire at a 300 yard target...if there is no vertical stringing, the bedding under the chamber can stay....if there is vertical stringing...remove it.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

 

[bobnob]

Thanks RR665.

I shot the rifle again yesterday on my 120y range ( I know an odd distance but that's the way its configured at present) and with the tang bedded the rifle shot better, and the point of impact was also more consistent across 3 different loads.

Even though it was windy and with light rain which upset my shooting the rifle averaged 1.2 moa for 6 x 5 shot groups, with a worst at 1.6 moa and best of 0.8 moa.

I feel with better conditions this thing can be relied on as a solid sub moa shooter for 5 shot groups. And that friends is good enough for me. Its a hunting rifle and I don't intend to burn up excessive amounts of components chasing accuracy rabbits down burrows (speaking of which there were rabbits everywhere around the range yesterday).

If there is any change to the above I will post to share. Thanks for the help everyone.

- Bob

 

[SJB358]

Beautiful stock on that rifle Bob.

I usually bed the first couple inches of the chamber area as well, but as Nathan says, I am not sure it helps but it hasn't hurt anything either.

Great picture RR665.. Looks very nice.

 

[bobnob]

Thanks Scott.

I have shot the rifle a little more. Its showing as a consistent 1.5 moa for 5 shots at worse and with my best handloads its going sub 1 moa for 5.

In fact I went out this afternoon and put a 3 shot one-hole group in at 120y!

You'd have to be happy with that 'eh?

 

[SJB358]

Yeah. That's as good as it gets. Nice work Bob

 

[DrMike]

That'lll do, Bob. Good load and some fine shooting.

 

[truck driver]

Nice looking stick of wood you got there Bob.

 

[longrangehunter]

I bed tight to 2" from the recoil lug. I just think the barrel needs support in this area. The heavier the barrel the more important I think it is.

+1

The US Army builds all their guns w/ a 2" bedding job under the barrel, as well as a lot of gun builders. But Yes, as the weight of the barrel hangs out there it can place stress on the action and flex in the stock.