Originally Posted by Jim in Idaho
Shimming the barrel only you may (likely) have induced stress the rifle didn't like.

Take that business card and put it under the front of the receiver and the rear tang to lift the action out of the stock a smidge, that brings the barrel with it and doesn't stress the action.

Business cards are kind of a bother to keep in place so a better way is to cut appropriate sized pieces of electrical tape instead, they will stick where you put them. Put one on top of the other until you get the thickness needed. Main thing is to put the same amount under the front and rear of the action to lift it straight up.

Some folks consider a barrel free floated when you can slide a dollar bill along the barrel from forend to action but I like to really free float them so lift the barrel up until two or even three dollar bills slide easily (inflation, you know, it takes three dollars to do what one used to wink ).


+1

I use old credit cards(no number area) instead of paper, and I give them a good freefloat to eliminate barrel slapping the stock.

On rugers, use very light pressure on that center screw, about what it would take to tighten it with your fingernail, and freefoat the magazine. If the magazine is pushing up on the center of the action, you will be introducing all kinds of stresses on the action. You should be able to drop the floor plate, reach up inside and wiggle the mag box easily when the front and rear screws are tightened.

Good luck!