Barrel Pressure Points

[Rastus]

I've got a CZ 550 varmint model in 22-250 that's never really performed like I think it should.  So, I finally got around to honing the scope rings properly and I took some off the stock.  It was laying on the front of the forend  a bit.

So, I've looked at the benchrest forums and a few other sources to see what people thought about accuracy and pressure points.  McMillan stocks says 98% of guns do better on free float.  So...I went free float.  Benchrest forums say add some pressure gradually and find out how much pressure your barrel likes.

So later next week I'll find out if free floating did the trick.  If not, I'll gradually add pressure to the barrel to see if it will be a real shooter.  And if that does not work....she's headed to the gun show!

How does your experience stack up on this?

[Timothy]

How does your experience stack up on this?

I don't know shite about such things..  I vote 7!

 

[Rastus]

I actually think the proper answer is 23.   Either that or nanu nanu.

[Timothy]

The key to life is 42...  I read that somewhere.

The hitchhikers guide to the galaxy!

[PegLeg45]

Free float has always been better on rifles I've owned or tuned for friends. I've not had any that shot better with barrel contact, but I've seen a few old guys at the range that used shims (and one with a set-screw through the stock) that claimed they shot better like that.




And, the real answer is eleventy-two. 

[Sponsor]

[billt]

The only experience I have along these lines involves this Marlin X-7 in .223 I picked up a year or so ago. It came out of the box with a butt ugly, black plastic molded stock. So I bought this nice Thumbhole Laminated Model from Boyd's Gunstocks. It came as a 100% finished, drop in stock.

It fit beautifully, and was supposed to be free floating with the stock barrel contour. After I installed it and torqued the action screws, I tried the old dollar bill trick, and found it was hitting at one small area near the forend tip. I was going to pull the stock and relieve where the contact was occurring. Then I read an article that said such contact doesn't always spell shot stringing or grouping trouble.

So I left it alone and headed to the range. This thing just cut ragged one hole groups after the other at 100 yards. It has turned out to be one of the most accurate rifles I own. So obviously I left well enough alone. The first rule with any machine is, "If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it." So that proved to me that a rifle doesn't have to be free floated to be accurate. As always YMMV.

[les snyder]

my only experience with bedding was a 10/22 for the Chevy Sportsman's Team Challenge build...a 5 year evolution from pressure point at tip of stock on year one... then having the opportunity to talk to Mr. Ken Tapp and Mr. David Tubb... ended with a double mounting lugs, full length barrel not receiver bed, with the scope on a cantilevered mount off the .930" fluted Clark barrel...last and most important was the addition of a barrel  harmonic tuner... a piece of 2 1/4" aluminum bar stock bored with a .930 hole, length wise saw slit, and cross pinch bolt...  fitted with a 6-24x44 AO 1/8 min dot and click Tasco, you could watch the groups close and open as you incrementally moved the tuner back and forth on the barrel... when finished it would shoot 10 shot groups under 1" off a sandbag, calm day... unfortunately the STC moved to Texas, and 1998 was the last year I was able to shoot the fun match

[MikeBjerum]

Does anyone have experience or reliable independent information on harmonic barrel stabilizers.

I have never felt the need for one or shot with one, but I have seen them around.  I see them for as little as $10 to over $100 for a gas piston and adjustable.  I think Limbsaver's simple slide on would act like an adjustable pressure point since it can easily be moved up and down the barrel.

[tombogan03884]

Does anyone have experience or reliable independent information on harmonic barrel stabilizers.

I have never felt the need for one or shot with one, but I have seen them around.  I see them for as little as $10 to over $100 for a gas piston and adjustable.  I think Limbsaver's simple slide on would act like an adjustable pressure point since it can easily be moved up and down the barrel.

You can accomplish the same thing with the shims previously mentioned.

[Rastus]

<snip> The first rule with any machine is, "If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it." So that proved to me that a rifle doesn't have to be free floated to be accurate. As always YMMV.

You always have nice looking stocks. 

Back on subject, one of my 308's was from the used rack with maybe 15-20 rounds...maybe 5 on it.  When I shot it (patterned actually) it went from 12 o'clock high 8" and spiraled in clockwise and by shot # 6 or 7 had gotten 10 o'clock and about 2" from center...when it was good and hot it grouped at 12 o'clock an 1-1/2" to 3" high and a sloppy 2" left and right.  I found out why it was sold then I remembered to check for barrel contact. 

It's a Remington 700 in 308 with a beavertail stock.  Once I trimmed the stock lengthwise I decided to leave the pressure point.  The thing easily cloverleafs at 100 yards now.  That was my first real initiation in barrel/stock contact.  I also have a CZ 550 FS (full wood stock) in 270 that shoots 1/2" groups at 100 yards and a CZ 455 FS in 17 HMR that makes a big hole at 50 yards.  So...I'm not 100% sold on free floating. 

That Remington 700 is the most striking example of a bad gun gone good I've ever seen and my initiation into messing with the stock.  I haven't made changes on anything that is a good shooter.  I just also trimmed a plastic barrel on a Ruger Hawkeye All-weather in .223 but left the pressure point on front. 

So, this week some time I'm planning on putting the CZ 550 22-250 and the Ruger Hawkeye .223 downrange for a test.  I figured I take all the stock off the CZ 550 and see how it does and will add back pressure.  The Hawkeye had some self-inflicted scope ring issues so if it shoots well the pressure point stays..if not the pressure point goes.