free-floating barrel

[machete]

why are free foating barrels more accurate?

[Technosavant]

Because they're allowed to vibrate on their own without pressure being exerted from a handguard, sling, bipod, or whatever else. Snugging up a sling, holding the handguard, etc., none of that puts any pressure on a free floated barrel. Therefore, your point of impact doesn't change.

A heavier barrel can minimize the POI shift from using a sling (if not free floated), but if accuracy is king, free floating is a must.

[kozak6]

Right. Since the barrel doesn't contact the stock, handguard, or whatever, it is able to vibrate more consistently from shot to shot. And consistency means accuracy.

[big al hunter]

Free floating a barrel generally allows the barrel to move exactly the same way every shot. However there are exceptions to every rule. Some guns shoot more accurately with slight up pressure at the end of the stock. Some like pressure from the side. These are fairly rare and you will only know after experimenting after you free float the barrel. I have a Remington 700 that shoots 1/2 inch groups at 100 yrds and the barrel touches the stock almost the entire length of the stock. Don't go whittling on the stock until you are sure you have tried several types of ammo or bullets. Every gun has its favorite load that shoots best. When you are sure you have done everything you can to make it accurate free float the barrel and glass bed the stock to the action. If that dose not work try pressure up. The next step is probably a new barrel.

[jgcoastie]

Keep in mind that some rifles don't shoot well free-floated.

I had a SigSauer SHR970 in .270 Win as a young teen. Me nor my father were able to get it to group under 4moa. He ensured the barrel was free-floated, action was bedded evenly (I watched in amazement at the time...) and it still shot like crap...

Then he glass-bedded the barrel in the stock. That 4moa rifle went to a .5moa rifle overnight.... It remains one of the more accurate guns I've ever owned, I regret selling it even though I've long fallen out of love with the .270 Win cartridge.

Moral of the story is; free-floating is not always the answer... Sometimes the opposite is the ticket.

[Rob96]

I wish I could find the online article I read in regards to how Remington has the two "buttons" at the end of the stock that exert slight upward pressure on thebarrel. I have a Remington 700ADl Varmint in 308 with the factory sybtetic stock. With my handloads it is almost at .5moa. I have rad of people that have switched to free floated stocks with aluminum bedding blocksand had a decrease in accuracy. I know this is rare, but it can happen.

[machete]

ok thanks for the info guys

[uncyboo]

I wish I could find the online article I read in regards to how Remington has the two "buttons" at the end of the stock that exert slight upward pressure on thebarrel. I have a Remington 700ADl Varmint in 308 with the factory sybtetic stock. With my handloads it is almost at .5moa. I have rad of people that have switched to free floated stocks with aluminum bedding blocksand had a decrease in accuracy. I know this is rare, but it can happen.

My Alaskan Ti in 280 had these buttons. I was really dissapointed that this $1600 rifle couldn't do better that 2" @ 100 yds first time out. Sanded off these "buttons" and cut groups in half with Fed Fusions. My handloads do a bit better than that.

However, as several have said, sometimes a little forend pressure helps. You won't know till you shoot it.

[tirod]

Free floating and barrel vibration are two distinctly different things that can affect accuracy.

A free float doesn't improve accuracy at all - it minimizes the shooter moving the point of aim. Eliminate the uneven stress that is never applied consistently, and the barrel shoots to it's point of aim. What creates the dispersion as a group is caused by other factors. Given it has the perfect theoretical ammo that has exactly the same grain weight, powder charge, ignition burn, and engagement in the rifling, then barrel vibration is more clear. As the bullet passes down the barrel, the peak powder charge and expansion under diminishing pressure causes the barrel to vibrate - which means the muzzle is moving back and forth at a fairly high rate.

Where it is when the bullet exits can vary a lot. Precision target barrel makers tend to cut their barrels at a node point, where the muzzle isn't moving much at all. Others add dampening weights at precise locations to minimize it.

As said, you could free float a barrel, and the vibrations will actually make things worse. What is important is to have an accurate barrel to begin with, precisely loaded ammo, and the knowhow to make it shoot to it's inherent minimum group. Not just slapping answers onto a gun that hasn't demonstrated the need.

[jmr40]

Almost any rifle will shoot better free floated because of the reasons given above. But many barrels are glass bedded the entire length and shoot just as well. It is about keeping everything exactly the same for each shot.