Free floating barrel

[spudgun]

Putting together a new gun. Have a Boyd's AT-one stock, Savage receiver and a new heavy varmit barrel.

The last step after putting the barrel on was to free float the barrel into the stock. Receiver is bedded and stock is pilered.

After sanding the stock barrel channel I got to where I can slip a $1 note all the way down the barrel. I then loosened the receiver screws and re tighten them and again the $1 bill slides down the barrel.

My question is should I keep going for double the thickness of a $1 bill??

 

[muleman69]

Putting together a new gun. Have a Boyd's AT-one stock, Savage receiver and a new heavy varmit barrel.

The last step after putting the barrel on was to free float the barrel into the stock. Receiver is bedded and stock is pilered.

After sanding the stock barrel channel I got to where I can slip a $1 note all the way down the barrel. I then loosened the receiver screws and re tighten them and again the $1 bill slides down the barrel.

My question is should I keep going for double the thickness of a $1 bill??

You should be golden, shoot it. You can always take more out but it is hard to put back. Enjoy

 

[KMart]

I usually go for at least 1 business card thickness. Try squeezing the end of the forearm and the barrel together. If you feel any bump in there, you need more.

 

[david kieffer]

Putting together a new gun. Have a Boyd's AT-one stock, Savage receiver and a new heavy varmit barrel.

The last step after putting the barrel on was to free float the barrel into the stock. Receiver is bedded and stock is pilered.

After sanding the stock barrel channel I got to where I can slip a $1 note all the way down the barrel. I then loosened the receiver screws and re tighten them and again the $1 bill slides down the barrel.

My question is should I keep going for double the thickness of a $1 bill??

I would keep sanding . A dollar bill is only .004 . I like at least .015 clearance.

 

[spudgun]

I would keep sanding . A dollar bill is only .004 . I like at least .015 clearance.

So your saying about a $4 bill ???

 

[spudgun]

Thanks guys I go 3 dollar bills now and my thumb is getting blistered from the hand sanding.

 

[T-shooter]

Remove more than that. Barrels have harmonic vibrations and move more than you think. A heavy barrel will have less. Watch some slow motion videos of a barrel when firing. They whip around quite a bit. I have about .100" on my rifles. Maybe overkill but they will never contact.

 

[miles13]

I use 4 index cards, never had a problem.

 

[pertnear]

As Kmart suggested, squeeze the forend tip & barrel together & check for pressure points & determine how much pressure it takes for the stock & barrel to touch. The action acts like fulcrum & leverage along the length of the barrel channel increases. All this is to say a dollar bill thickness at the action end is fine but more clearance at the forend is usually better. Just FWIW....

 

[Uthink Uknow]

The answer will be when you shoot the rifle and check the target. And then forearm clearance may only be a possible problem. As the action is a bolt in what’s the problem with taking it apart later? Do those slo-mo-videos show where the bullet is when the rifle bounces around? My money $1.00 to $4.00 is that the bullet is long gone. That’s with no scientific proof that I know what I’m talking about.

 

[STOMP442]

This is the way I do it right wrong or otherwise. I always make sure the action is tight and the barrel is floated before I bed. That way the action can sit square in the stock as it should without the barrel hitting the stock and causing the lug side to be slightly elevated. Also, make sure to check the tang on that savage to ensure it is floated as well. The last couple Boyds stocks I have done have needed quite a bit of sanding for proper clearance around the tang area.

 

[okie]

If you hunt, watch out for pine needles etc.....can cause you to pull your hair out. That is why I like a big gap.

 

[Preacher]

Big enough to toss a cat through works for me !!!!!!!!!!

 

[T-shooter]

3 slow motion videos of barrel whip.

 

[Tommie]

3 slow motion videos of barrel whip.

Just a tad more than .004” to my eyes.

 

[K22]

I use a 3 x 5 card but as others said, I check the flex of the stock to assure that it doesn't contact the barrel.

Some stocks are very stiff and don't flex much at all. The cheap plastic factory stock flex quite a bit - I've gotten them to shoot but the best solution is to junk them and buy a quality after market stock.

 

[338 dude]

Putting together a new gun. Have a Boyd's AT-one stock, Savage receiver and a new heavy varmit barrel.

The last step after putting the barrel on was to free float the barrel into the stock. Receiver is bedded and stock is pilered.

After sanding the stock barrel channel I got to where I can slip a $1 note all the way down the barrel. I then loosened the receiver screws and re tighten them and again the $1 bill slides down the barrel.

My question is should I keep going for double the thickness of a $1 bill??

No

 

[Tommie]

Short of going to the point of weakening the fore end, why not clearance by .10” or even more?

 

[jackson1]

As a rule, I free float all my rifle barrels. Got an old Rem 721 with an after market barrel (don't know the manufacturer), that I can't get to shoot to my satisfaction, despite repeated flying lessons. Have wrapped electrical tape around the barrel roughly 1" from the end of the stock (to supply a bit of tip pressure). When the weather breaks (10 degrees here this morning), I am going to try it again. Tried different bullets, powders, and primers, to get ok but not what I am looking for as far as accuracy. Next step new barrel and it be free floated.

 

[4xforfun]

This is the easiest way I have found to float a bbl. Start with the action screws loose and when it gets easy, simply tighten the action screws some more. If you are worried about scratching you barre l (you won't, unless maybe a blued tube) simply put a layer of tape on the tube before you start. Simply saw your way up the channel.