Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Freefloating Ruger synthetic stocks.

A while ago I bought a new Ruger all weather Model 77 mostly just for something to play at the range with.

It's exhibited surprising accuracy even in stock form with it's heavy trigger. I've been thinking of tricking it out a bit, and my question is, Has anyone ever tried to open up the barrel channel of a Ruger synthetic stock?

Of course, I realize that it can be done, but I'm wondering just how well the synthetic that the stock is made of responds to a barrel channel scraper. Is it possible to get a nice clean job with it?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

I just did it with a Howa sporter and found that it needed forestock pressure to shoot well. I had posted the groups on the gunsmithing forum. I used a Dremel tool cautiously with a sanding drum, but it is a beater gun so not too cautiously.

I've learned enough about rifles to realize when one shoots, don't [email]f@*![/email] with it! Just have the trigger tuned and be happy with it.

The problem with the cheap injection molded stocks is they aren't stiff, so if free float it, you have to provide alot of clearance around the barrel to keep it from unpredictably contacting the stock.

If it shoots well, I'd only bed it if it changed POI when I shot with a tight sling. If you don't use a sling, messing with it is just inviting problems.


Okie John

Sounds like good advice.

I think I'll take it.

How about another approach?
With a bit of bending & grinding, you can make a shim from an old credit card. Even the paper ones they send you in junk mail work. It may take two layers, but what the heck. Be sure they lie on the stock where the angled front action screw pulls the action down. You want to space the action up 15 to 30 thousandths. This should raise the barrel up to where you have no contact with the stock. That'll give you an idea what you may get by free floating the barrel. I've even had one, or two, that I left that way... I was afraid of messing something up! Really, it's something worth trying.

There's a thought.

I had a Weatherby Vangard which shot great then started shooting to right, so I free floated it to find out from Weatherby there are 2 built in pressure points in the molded synthetic stock, I ended up sending it back & Weatherby replaced the gun due to other problems but I wanted to say before you go to free floating would not hurt to call the manufacturer technical folks.

IF it ain't broke don't fix it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I float the barrels on on my rifles. The Ruger shot "OK" before but outstanding afterwards. I have yet to shoot a group larger than 1 1/4" with it and the majority of the time it is less than 1". Even more important is that it puts that first shot in the same place EVERYTIME! Cutting the barrel back even made it better. The stock was easy to work with and has held up well.

i did mine, then had to install a pressure point at the fore end to get it to shoot under 1"