Testing a rifle without the pressure point

[NYDAN]

I have a Remington Model 700 North American Custom, http://www.remingtoncustom.com/HunterGr ... ustom.aspx
rifle in 270 Win. It was built with a forearm pressure point on the barrel. It shoots well and I can frequently shoot sub-MOA groups with it.

However, I have often wondered how it would shoot if I free floated the barrel. But, I am afraid I might ruin a good thing by removing the pressure point. Is there a way to safely shim the action to get the barrel to clear the pressure point and safely shoot it to see what kind of accuracy I might get if I free floated barrel?

Or, would I need to remove the pressure point and then replace it if I didn't like the results?

Dan

 

[PJGunner]

I follow Murphy's second law.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."Simple way to check is cut up an old credit card to fit right behind the recoil lud and another under the rear of the receiver. That should pretty much clear the pressure point thus free floating the barrel. Test it out and then make a decision. I've done it quite a few times and it des give one a clue on which way to go.
Paul B.

 

[OU812]

PJGunner gave a good option to try. I myself free float all my Remington 700's and have never shot one with the bump in place so i have no before and after to compare. I will say all the rifles have shoot sub moa free floated but they may have done it with the bump.

 

[rodell]

You can shim the action out of the stock with small strips of ptfe or some other non-compressible plastic. It will look funny, but it works.

 

[bigedp51]

Remington designed the 700 to have 3 to 9 pounds of up pressure at the fore end tip.
Meaning the up pressure gave the best accuracy with factory ammunition.

There are two basic ways to make a rifle shoot better.

1. Tune the rifle to shoot the ammo you are using.

2. Tune the ammo in the rifle you are using.

Both methods will control how the barrel vibrates and shoots.

Example the British No.4 Enfield rifle is to have 2 to 7 pounds of up pressure at the fore end tip.
And the armourers would vary the up pressure to tune the rifle using issued ammunition.

 

[Darkhorse]

I bought my M700 7Mag. in 1982 and the rifle shot from 3/4 MOA just over MOA with almost any load I tried.
A couple of years ago, due to severe forend warpage I free floated the barrel, bedded the action and barrel channel, and worked up some good concentric loads. The result was repeatable sub 1/2 MOA with certain loads.
My eventual hunting load shot .630 at the maximum load with IMR4350.
I found that between nodes the groups opened up considerably so a lot of shooting and testing was required.
Honestly, I really don't know what the rifle was capable of before the pressure points were removed if I had tested my newer, improved loads. I do know the rifle never consistantly grouped much under MOA in the early days.

 

[NYDAN]

Everyone,

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate all of your comments and thoughts. I don't know if, or when, I will ever get to try it but at least I have an understanding of what to do.

Dan

 

[BretN]

The plastic shims are a good idea to allow you to free float the barrel temporarily w/o modifying your stock. My M70 featherweight had fore end pressure with the original stock. I think it also had some side pressure once the stock and barrel heated up. Could never get three consistent shots. It was always 2 together and one flyer, even with my best hand loads. Installed a B/C medalist stock with a fully floated barrel channel and that thin barreled gun shoots much better free floated than how it was originally designed.

 

[preacher]

I believe pressure points, etc, are a dated methodology. I find it best to free float the barrel, bed the action and the first 3" of the barrel chamber. I prefer pillar bedding also. Never found a rifle that would not shoot well after doing this...and I've been doing that over 20 yrs. But hey, I have had stock, factory rifles that shot very well, but usually with one bullet weight. I have seen forearms warp frequently. I have also seen the barrel rust right at the pressure point on Remington's due to rain water/melted snow being unnoticed there. Just my experience...