Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Any do testing on how much barrel free floating clearance whould be ideal?

I think I need a really think clearance compression strip.

It would be cool to see if the stock / barrel touch during firing, but how could you check it.
I may paint the stock white and put some thin coat of something that will transfer on the barrel.

Wonder if John's done an article on that aleady.

Plastic stock, or wood? End use? Barrel dynamics? IMO too many variables for a standard answer.

More is better

+1 on that

I still think checking for transference or touching during a real fired round it the best litmus test to apply.

You could use a small bit of clay rolled into a "string", placed between the forearm and barrel, and see/measure how much deformation there is after firing.

You could also use a plastigauge for a more precise measurment. I'd do multiple shots to ensure that the plastic had fully compressed before taking a reading.

http://www.plastigaugeusa.com/how.html

Provide .050" clearance, paint barrel with Dykem mostly near the stock tip, shoot, dismantle and observe any contact. Keep doing this while providing clearance in small increments until barrel is free of contact.

Particularly plastic stocks flex towards the tip. I had a stainless barrel that was shot peened. I tore my hair out with accuracy issues just after I built the gun and was using a Tupperware M70 stock to test fire, that was way hogged out. When I pulled the gun apart I saw the shine from contact. Turned out I had to provide almost a quarter inch of clearance to eliminate contact. The flex was in the area around the recoil lug and behind and no way to strengthen. Wood won't do that as much. When it was stocked with a MacMillan, all was well. Too much clearance isn't aesthetically pleasing but eliminates problems.

remember the first post '64 new Winchester model 70 rifles with the hogged out barrel channel? maybe they were on the right track? Mel

+1

Check out a Sako TRG. Big Time clearance.

I agree more is better I was working on a guys 700 this week in the typical sps stock. It was floated some but not stiffened. I shot 3 shots with the factory gun right at MOA with a bipod. I then put the stock under some side pressure where the stock was touching the barrel and got a variation of about 2+ inches in the shot. I have since floated the barrel more and stiffened it with bedding compound in the fore end. It made it a little heavier but I know if the hunter is in a quick hunting situation that he can not tweak the stock to touch the barrel.