Barrel Free Float Question

[mohawk_j_99]

I have recently purchased a Vanguard varmint special. I love the gun except that the barrel isnt free floated, its got a preasure point. I understand that these work most of the time but it takes a lot of trial and error to get one just right, each gun is different. Should i go ahead and free float the barrel? Right now its shooting between 1.25 and .60 groups on average, depending on shooter (i need practice) and ammo. I think if i open up the barrel channel it will help but any advice would be appreciated.

[joshua]

I have a thin barrel on my Interarms Mark X in 270 Win, when I had the barreled action bedded in a B&C Carbelite stock I opted sans the pressure point. When I try to shoot a quick 3 shot group my results are sometimes disappointing, but it shoots great when I let the barrel cool down in between shots, have done .5 moa with 110 grain bullets. I tried a pressure point at the end of the forearm and I can actually shoot a 3 shot group under a minute and get 1.5" at 100 yards. That is very good according to my standards. Sad to say that the barrel is too hot after 3 rounds. josh

[MTMilitiaman]

If the rifle shoots good, there is no need to screw with it.

Unless you just get the itch, as I have been guilty of, and then you takes your chances.

Price a new stock before you start screwing with things. If it is a price you can swallow, then free floating is not a difficult operation, and if things go bad, you can always have the rifle bedded and see if that helps.

My M700 shot decent with the pressure tabs from factory, but I noticed a change in POI with the Harris bipod mounted. I free floated the barrel. Groups stayed about the same, maybe a little better, but not appreciably so for the rifle's intended purpose. It did however eliminate the difference in POI between the rifle with and without the bipod.

[44 AMP]

Is NOT a guarentee of improved accuracy. It often does, but not always. Sometimes, accuracy even gets worse. All free floating does is make sure that pressure from the stock will not affect the barrel. Nothing else.

Back on the old days, it was customary to fit the stocks with a certain number of pounds of upward pressure on the barrel at the forend tip. It was also customary to fit the wood to the barrel tightely along its whole length.

Rifles stocked in this manner can shoot very well. And as long as nothing affects the wood, they will generally continue to do so.

BUT, not only does this take time and careful fitting by someone who knows their business, it is not permanent. Environmental conditions affecting an imperfectly sealed stock can have an effect of the point of impact and accuracy of the rifle. AND, it costs more than the market will bear to fit stocks like that today.

Free floating has become the accepted manner for stocking a bolt gun, and is the least suseptable to changes from environmental factors. But it is not a magic wand. If your gun is shooting acceptably well the way it is, I would leave it alone, because, once you free float the barrel, you have a real hard time getting it back to the way it was before you floated it.

[Martyn4802]

All of my rifles shoot very well with free floated barrels.

[FirstFreedom]

+1 on not screwing with it, if it turns in .60 groups!

[Scorch]

Particularly with light sporter barrels, it is common for accuracy to get worse if you relieve the pressure point. The reason is vibrations along the barrel can increase tremendously if you remove the pressure point.