I'm trying to free float the barrels in my Remington 770 .308 and Remington 700 ADL 30-06 rifles. I thought I had the 770 free floated good but I left the front screw off that goes under the chamber and I think it affected the accuracy. Shots were going all over the place. I put the screw back in and will try again tomorrow. The barrel still is free floated up to the point where the screw goes in.
Free Floating barrels in Bolt Action Rifles
- Thread starter Striper69
- Start date
The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast
Member Benefits:
No ad networks! Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership Discuss anti-gun legislation Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses Discover free outdoor shooting areas View up to date on firearm-related events Share photos & video with other members ...and so much more!
Member Benefits:
Major03
Ultimate Member
Yeah, the action screws are important lol.
I'm not a gunsmith, so take the below with a grain of salt and do your own research...but:
Torque specs vary depending on your source and bedding type. After market steel bottom metal and aluminum bedding blocks or pillar bedding allow you to tighten things down more. I've seen specs ranging from between 10/15 inch/lbs (which seems really really low to me) to 65/70 inch/lbs (which seems really really high to me). I think 45 in/lbs should be a safe and reasonable starting point.
I say starting point, because action screws and their torque generates some discussion. Google it, you'll see a lot of debate. Part of the art/science of tuning a rifle.
Generally, you're probably better off torquing both to the same level, but again, there's some debate out there on this.
I'd probably start with 45 inch/lbs per screw and once you have a load the rifle likes, maybe start experimenting from there. YMMV.
I'm not a gunsmith, so take the below with a grain of salt and do your own research...but:
Torque specs vary depending on your source and bedding type. After market steel bottom metal and aluminum bedding blocks or pillar bedding allow you to tighten things down more. I've seen specs ranging from between 10/15 inch/lbs (which seems really really low to me) to 65/70 inch/lbs (which seems really really high to me). I think 45 in/lbs should be a safe and reasonable starting point.
I say starting point, because action screws and their torque generates some discussion. Google it, you'll see a lot of debate. Part of the art/science of tuning a rifle.
Generally, you're probably better off torquing both to the same level, but again, there's some debate out there on this.
I'd probably start with 45 inch/lbs per screw and once you have a load the rifle likes, maybe start experimenting from there. YMMV.
Major03
Ultimate Member
Also...I'm guessing that you're free floating your barrel to improve accuracy? You should also consider pillar bedding your rifles. It's not too hard to do yourself...although it is a bit scary the first one or two times you do it. The idea that if you mess it up, you could mechanically lock up your rifle and ruin it is a bit nerve racking.
Still, a good bedding job goes a long way to tightening up groups.
Still, a good bedding job goes a long way to tightening up groups.
davsco
Ultimate Member
might learn from my mistake. was playing with my old rem 700 over the winter and noticed it wasn't totally free-floated. everything was but at the end of the forearm. figured it was just sloppy work on their part so i pulled the barreled action and sanded that down so it was free floated. at the range, the rifle shot like total crap, talking 3-4moa. then i did some internet reading, and some hunting rifles (thinner barrels) do better with a 'pressure pad' up front. i applied some bedding compound there and it did shoot better though not back to before my tinkering. so i just applied more but haven't been out to shoot it after that.
alucard0822
For great Justice
free floating isn't the single answer to improving accuracy, removing variables, improving tolerances and aligning parts is. The reason it's so popular is that it can be a bandaid for poorly fitted stocks, or at least removes a poorly fitted forend from the equation, but it may or may not work with that particular barrel's harmonics for a given load, and may increase unwanted flex or movement in a different, poorly fitted area.
Major03
Ultimate Member
Excellent point. There is a reason custom guns that take a Remington 700 receiver cost a lot to produce from a top gunsmith and shoot better than an off the shelf rifle. A lot goes into making an accurate rifle.
Doco Overboard
Ultimate Member
Gunsmiths like m700 receivers because they're round, cheap and easy to machine. Plus there's a ton out there to work on, plenty of tooling is available because they're popular and they work.
F-Stop
Ultimate Member
My experience is limited but have done a few. If you want to see what works best with your rifles after first testing torque, try something temporary. Aluminum tape, inner tube, etc that you can stack and move up and down the barrel channel and possibly shim the recoil lug. Will give you an idea if it's worth going with something perm.
The 770 shot like a dream after I put that screw back in. I was shooting from a shooting stick and still got a very small group. I was shooting 150 gr. Hornady FMJ bullets with Reloder 15 powder (minimum charge). I'm putting a Lead Sled I have but have never used together and will shoot the rifle from that ASAP. Tomorrow I'll just shoot from my portable table and sand bag but I think it'll shoot pretty awesome!
I think I'm gonna have to get a MagPul Hunter 700 stock for the 700 cause it didn't shoot good.
I think I'm gonna have to get a MagPul Hunter 700 stock for the 700 cause it didn't shoot good.
The screw looked like it was on the barrel but I guess it wasn't.
- May 5, 2010
- 6,588
That's basically using pressure to "tune" the barrel harmonics so the bullet is exiting the barrel at a more consistent point. That's pretty much what working up reloads does as well.
Free floating is more important to keep bipods and such from adding inconsistent pressure to the barrel.
Biggfoot44
Ultimate Member
- Aug 2, 2009
- 33,137
That's why bedding of sporter weight bbls is an art, not a science .
The first rule is to test in stock ( oem) form before changing anything . Occasionally the stars will align, and the tolerences mesh in fortuitous manner , and rifle will shoot up to expectations out of the box/ condition in which you aquired it . If so leave it alone .
In theory , even when free floating groups about the same , it would be more consistent- both regarding different environmental conditions, and different loads.
But , with support on only one end of barreled action , if there are inperfection in the action bedding , the effects will be magnified . Conventional wisdom calls for glass bedding at that point .
If still problems persist , then Plan C is to try pressure pad near end of forearm . While not a perment solution , a piece of a business card should tell if you are on the right path before doing a perment pad .
If still problems , then comes a fork in the road : Is it really a bedding problem, or a bad barrel ? At the least , turn the Mark I mod 0 eyeball to crown and throat for any obvious barrel issues .
If you continue down the bedding path Plan D is full length bedding . Sometimes it does the trick , and if not , the problem is the barrel by process of elimination .
The first rule is to test in stock ( oem) form before changing anything . Occasionally the stars will align, and the tolerences mesh in fortuitous manner , and rifle will shoot up to expectations out of the box/ condition in which you aquired it . If so leave it alone .
In theory , even when free floating groups about the same , it would be more consistent- both regarding different environmental conditions, and different loads.
But , with support on only one end of barreled action , if there are inperfection in the action bedding , the effects will be magnified . Conventional wisdom calls for glass bedding at that point .
If still problems persist , then Plan C is to try pressure pad near end of forearm . While not a perment solution , a piece of a business card should tell if you are on the right path before doing a perment pad .
If still problems , then comes a fork in the road : Is it really a bedding problem, or a bad barrel ? At the least , turn the Mark I mod 0 eyeball to crown and throat for any obvious barrel issues .
If you continue down the bedding path Plan D is full length bedding . Sometimes it does the trick , and if not , the problem is the barrel by process of elimination .
Magnumite
Ultimate Member
I have a Ruger M77 which walked shots some in warmer weather. I free floated and was okay until I shot it in cold weather for up coming deer season. It would walk shots about 8” towards the 9:30 direction. Bedding it and sealing the inside of the stock dismissed that issue.
Last edited:
Look, the reason I'm doing this is because I had great shots with each of these rifles and missed them on bucks last fall.
With 30-06 I was stalking a couple of meat does in a cornfield on a levee of a creek and a huge buck was going to cross the creek about 200-250 yards down the levee. I had a bipod on the 30-06 and thought it was a done deal. I shot at it and it stood there for a moment and then ran back where it came from.
I saw a nice buck on the edge of a grass field about 100 yards away and thought I had it with the .308. It ran and it's brother also bounded out of the grass field so I didn't hit that one either.
I want to get both of these rifles down fron 300 yards on down.
With 30-06 I was stalking a couple of meat does in a cornfield on a levee of a creek and a huge buck was going to cross the creek about 200-250 yards down the levee. I had a bipod on the 30-06 and thought it was a done deal. I shot at it and it stood there for a moment and then ran back where it came from.
I saw a nice buck on the edge of a grass field about 100 yards away and thought I had it with the .308. It ran and it's brother also bounded out of the grass field so I didn't hit that one either.
I want to get both of these rifles down fron 300 yards on down.
Last edited:
Magnumite
Ultimate Member
I feel that remorse... Hoping you get them set up.
Major03
Ultimate Member
Whether it's to put an animal in the freezer or to print tiny groups on paper...the rifle doesn't know the desired end objective. It's just a tool. It's the same regardless...the goal is to get it reliably putting the bullet where you expect it to go, consistently, every time you pull the trigger.
Lots of things go into attaining that goal. The point folks here are trying to make is that it isn't just as easy as free floating your stock and calling it a day. That may be all it takes, but ironically that may actually make things worse if other things aren't addressed too.
Add to that, rifles can be finicky. I have a 700 PSS with a 1/9 twist in .223 that will put a 52 SMK into a 1/4 MOA group, and I can't get a 55 gr 193 Ball round into a 4 MOA group with the same rifle. Prints like a shotgun lol.
It may be as simple as trying a new bullet / ammo manufacturer.
Sometimes it takes some experimenting to 1) find a load that the rifle shoots well and 2) tune the other aspects of the rifle once that's done.
Regardless, based on your range report after replacing the action screws in, it sounds like you're back in business.
Lots of things go into attaining that goal. The point folks here are trying to make is that it isn't just as easy as free floating your stock and calling it a day. That may be all it takes, but ironically that may actually make things worse if other things aren't addressed too.
Add to that, rifles can be finicky. I have a 700 PSS with a 1/9 twist in .223 that will put a 52 SMK into a 1/4 MOA group, and I can't get a 55 gr 193 Ball round into a 4 MOA group with the same rifle. Prints like a shotgun lol.
It may be as simple as trying a new bullet / ammo manufacturer.
Sometimes it takes some experimenting to 1) find a load that the rifle shoots well and 2) tune the other aspects of the rifle once that's done.
Regardless, based on your range report after replacing the action screws in, it sounds like you're back in business.
Users who are viewing this thread
Latest posts
Forum statistics
Latest threads
-
-
-
(Duplicate - mods please close) MoCo trans student arrested for threatening school (1 Viewer)- Started by Lafayette
- Replies: 2
-
-
-
-
