I have an XCR II with synthetic stock. I can't slip a piece of paper under the barrel so I suppose that their is up pressure on the barrel. Would I be likely to see an improvement in accuracy if I had the stock and all of the barrel bedded?

That's a definite maybe.

Dave.

Or maybe not

How does it shoot now?

^^^^

I'd float the barrel, and bed the recoil lug area.

And if that didn't work as a last resort, full length bed the entire barreled action.

You guys are so good...

It shoots "okay" now. Three shot groups of 1 1/2". Sometimes, with handloads, 1".

I guess the question should have been, is the design of the 700 action such that bedding it would be likely to improve accuracy?

Second question would be with a setup like this where the barrel isn't free-floated, what to do in that area?

1) Free float

2) Nothing, leave the pressure point and air gap

3) Leave pressure point and fill in the air gap along the barrel with bedding compound.

Simple to put a shim in it to test float the barrel. If it likes it proceed from there.

Personally, I've never seen a sporter weight or mag sporter weight 700 barrel not shoot it's best when they were free floated. At a minimum, they will shoot more consistently.

^^^^^^


This, exactly.

That's the reason I like mine floated, they may be less than perfect but they have repeatability.

Interesting input. It leads to the question why Remington doesn't free-float them since that seems like that would be easier to do.

I think I'll have this one free-floated and full action bedded.

They don't free float them because their QC isn't good enough to catch that stuff before it gets out the door. Or, more accurately, it just isn't cost effective for them to do so.

They'd probably love it if all their barrels went out the door free floated, but the tolerances just aren't that close on the stocks, and they're in the business of cranking them out. Do yourself a favor, float the barrel and bed the action and receiver tang.

That is not the case...at all.

Remington puts 2 pressure points at the end of the stock if it is wood, and a band on the fore end if it is synthetic. They do not free-float on purpose...it is intentional.

^^^^^

Bingo. Furthermore, the reason they don't freefloat them is because it is easier to just put speed bumps in them and send them down the assembly line. Bottom line is the almighty dollar and time is money...

Good question, I have a 700 XCR II, in .270 and it shoots
perfectly well in stock form.

I would not mess with it.

They use the pressure point method because it's easier and cheaper than bedding the action properly at the factory. I doubt a lot of their cheap plastic stocks would take a good pillar bedding job anyway. Take a look at any gunsmith's site who offers a "accuracy package" for 700 rifles. All of them properly bed the action and free float the barrel (on sporter weight and heavier barrels).

Before I retired from Gunsmithing (about 25 years ago) I worked on a lot of 700's. The best results I achieved especially with Magnums (7's and 300's) was full length bedding including recoil lugs. My theory was right or wrong it dampened barrel vibration which increased accuracy. It seemed to work pretty good for me ands my clients. Post 64 Winchesters when they came out were free floated so we normally full bedded them to get good groups especially the 264's which shot all over the place.

yep