Check me on a fix for a shooting problem

[dburkhead]

A couple of weeks ago I tried some different things at the range with my 10/22. One thing I found is that with support (rifle resting on bag, my back supported against the wall of the range stall--the most stable position I could get), I was getting overlapping holes in 8 out of 10 shots (two "flyers" where I twitched at the wrong moment) centered on the point of aim. When I tried to shoot offhand, using the sling to help steady myself, my groups were an inch or so lower than the intended point of aim (as well as being significantly broader). This at 50'.

Today, I did a little more testing. When I used the combination of support and the sling, the groups were still low and also larger than support with no sling.

My guess then is that the pull of the sling on the stock is changing the point of impact.

Questions:
Is that a reasonable interpretation of the described symptoms?

Would I be correct in that case in thinking that the "fix" would be to free float the barrel?

On some gun group I frequent (don't remember which one at the moment), I was told that the support of the action in an unmodified factory stock is insufficient to keep the action/barrel properly stable if free-floated without bedding. Does anybody have any thoughts on that?

[Harry Bonar]

Sir;
It's very difficult to accurately float that barrel - but - I think I have your fix!
The block holding your barrel in the action is secured by two cap screws - carefully tighten them - they get loose as you fire the rifle - you will notice you can go almost a half a turn on one that's never had this done.

Make sure your rifle beds in the stock right and sometimes I put a strip of paper under the stock to hold thar barrel right!
Harry B.

[James K]

Floating the barrel might help accuracy, but that is probably not the problem. Consider three things. The first is that recoil begins when the bullet starts to move, and the rifle is recoiling while the bullet is still in the barrel. The second is that anything that changes the way the rifle recoils will change the point of impact. The third is that the rifle does not recoil straight back, but around its own center of gravity (essentially, it pivots, with the rear moving down and the barrel moving up).

So if you rest the foreend on a sandbag, the POI will be one place. If you rest the barrel on the sandbag, the POI will move. If you rest the toe of the stock on the bench, the POI is different than if you held the stock to your shoulder. And on, and on, for a thousand variables. If going for groups, find the way that seems to work best and use it.

Jim

[Scorch]

It could be your sling affecting your groups, or it could be your technique. 10/22 rifles have a few special quirks.
* As Harry suggested, there are two bolts that hod the barrel retainer, make sure they are tight. Many 10/22s come from the factory with the barrel shank fitting the receiver very loosely, the barrel gets forced into a wedged position by the stock, and sling pressure can affect your point of impact and group size as it relaxes that pressure.
* 10/22s have only 1 action screw, and the receivers kind of teeter-totter inside the stock on that screw if you free-float the barrel. In order to cure this, you can bed the action and 1" of the barrel, then free-float the rest of the barrel (easy to do), or you can cross-drill the receiver and put in screws that hold the back of the receiver to the stock (harder to do), or you can do both (best solution). I cross-drill and bed the 10/22s I build, and they shoot quite well, but the cross-drilling should be done by someone who knows what they are doing.

[T. O'Heir]

Get off the wall.
"...tried to shoot offhand..." It's perfectly normal to have issues shooting off hand. Your in the least stable position. It takes practice and upper body tone.