Author Topic: free floating a remington 700 (Read 1626 times)

kenscot · « **on:** January 28, 2006, 03:10:36 AM »

I have heard from quite a few remington 700 owners tha one of the first things they do to their rifles other than tuning the trigger is to remove the pressure point at the front of the stock to free float the barrel. I have also from others that say it is very unwise thing to do. Looking for opinions from those who have done this.

Zachary · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2006, 03:16:46 AM »

If you have a synthetic (i.e. junk plastic) stock, then many gunsmiths have told me that it will not greatly benefit you to have the barrel free floated because the cheap plastic stock is flimsy to begin with. As such, if you want to free float the barrel on a synthetic stock, then get an aftermarket stock, like HS Precision or McMillan.

Now, if your remington stock is wood, then you can free float the barrel on the existing wood stock because wood stocks are firmer than the cheap factory plastic stocks.

I have replaced many of my Remington and Winchester factory plastic stocks with McMillan or HS Precision and had them free floated, pillar bedded, trigger job, etc. They are very accurate.

Zachary

Don Fischer · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2006, 03:55:31 AM »

Well that may be good to hear. I own a 700 with that cheap stock and have pulled my hair out trying to get it to shoot. It's the only plastic I've ever owned, a gift. I was told I could bed in some auto push rods in the fore end. Think I'll just opt for a new stock. Then back to wood!

STexhunter · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2006, 07:47:55 AM »

I have a Rem. 600 in 6MM that had a free floating barrel when I bought the thing new, it shoots good. I have a savage 30/06 with a cheap plastic stock that had a pressure point on the right side close to the muzzle. After I lighten the trigger and free floated the barrel it shot better, it brought the groups in a good .5 inches. Now I get MOA with it consisently. Just my experience. I also have a 7 mag Rem. that has a pressure point close to the end of the stock that I have left alone, because it shoots good. Try floating it, the plastic stock that is, leave the Rem. stock alone if it shoots good. My experience is, ever rifle is different, if it shoots good leave it alone. If not try free floating. Then again it may never shoot to your liking. I have found that most will shoot better than I can.

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2006, 08:44:51 AM »

Here's how the 1975 Rem 700 BDL I received for Christmas responded to free floating:

.308 Win, 100 yards
Work-up loads, 0.5g powder charge difference fo each shot

silenttracker · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2006, 04:10:21 PM »

I just got done pillar bedding and glassing the action and free floating the barrel on my new Rem 700 30-06 LSS. Came out nice. Can't wait to try her out tomorrow with some loads I've worked up in 168 grain Barnes Triple X. If my target looks as good as Coyote Hunter's I'll be doing back flips!!

kudzu · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2006, 12:02:12 PM »

kenscot, you can take an old credit card(or one you just want to cut up) and shim under the front lug. Try this and if it helps then you can go to sanding. Sometimes it takes a couple layers.

Good luck, DM

killdeer · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2006, 02:34:34 PM »

Quote from: dancoman

kenscot, you can take an old credit card(or one you just want to cut up) and shim under the front lug. Try this and if it helps then you can go to sanding. Sometimes it takes a couple layers.

Good luck, DM

Dancoman took the words right out of my mouth.
Some rifles shoot better with the pressure point and some do better free floated.
Temporarily floating the barell will tell the tale and is easily reversible.
Here is my recipe on a new rifle.....your mileage may vary.....
Adjust the trigger, completely clean the rifle, give it a good inspection as for inletting etc and reassemble torque the stock screws.
Fire with various loads to find the best ones. This is usually sufficient.
If there is a problem I do the following in this order until it shoots good.
Check scope and mounts.
Temp float barell.
Check the crown and recrown if needed.
Bed the action.
Most benefit from bedding.

KD

beemanbeme · « **Reply #8 on:** February 04, 2006, 05:33:34 AM »

Killdeer and Dancoman got it right. You can take the pressure point out a lot easier than you can put it back.

IMO, when you get a new rifle, after you clean it, shoot it. You need some sort of reference point to compare to. Something to let you know if that tinkering around you're doing is helping or hurting. I have a 700 in 7RM that is approaching 20 years of age. It will consistantly shoot sub MOA 5 shot groups. Other than having the trigger adjusted, it is just as it came out of the box.

cal sibley · « **Reply #9 on:** February 09, 2006, 01:29:09 PM »

This is merely one mans opinion, but I think the first mistake may be in comparing the accuracy of todays rifles with that of the ones from the 70s and 80s. In spite of the glowing advertisements many of todays rifles don't shoot worth a damn. In recent years I've had the action bedded, barrel floated and trigger lightened even before taking a new rifle to the range. Up until now it's enabled me to get groups around .5" from the bench. Now I can't even do that. I see the day approaching when we'll have to have a custom gunsmith make our guns for them to be accurate. As long as the gun manufacturers are struggling with bean counters and the bottom line, guns will continue to be cheaply made, but not cheap to buy. You don't hear the phrase "accurate out of the box" used very often anymore. Just one mans opinion. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal :?

mjbgalt · « **Reply #10 on:** February 09, 2006, 02:31:01 PM »

I think I will have to respectfully disagree Cal. I wasn't shooting in the 70's or 80's since I was born in 1980. So almost all the guns I have bought and shot are newer.

I have had a couple savages, a stevens, a couple remington 700 variants, a browning a-bolt, a ruger number one, a weatherby vanguard, and a few others and all but the number one (of all rifles to NOT be accurate- you'd think that one would be) and one remington would shoot under an inch.

I think the problems people percieve now aren't any more prevalent than any other time. I think less people shoot regularly and the people who do, aren't as experienced as years before. this leads to less shooting, less often. it also leads to people mounting scopes incorrectly, and poorly maintaining their guns. all that leads to less accuracy.

I am not saying that every guy that has a rifle that doesn't shoot one-hole groups has screwed up somewhere along the line.

I just mean that, in my experience with my own guns, when I know they are clean and in good repair, and the scopes are mounted right and loc-tited, and i shoot regularly enough to stay good, i have had basically one (ruger) gun that wouldn't shoot worth a damn. the remington would group under 2" but not a whole lot tighter than that.

my other remington comes close to putting 'em all in one hole, and that one is off the shelf, no modifications, built in 2003 and has the j-lock.

All i am saying is that i am not ready to sign on with the group that says that newer guns in general aren't that good.

-Matt

corelokt308win · « **Reply #11 on:** February 09, 2006, 03:06:47 PM »

If you like wood you might want to check out a company called Accurate Innovations. They make walnut and laminate stocks with an aluminum bedding block. I'm getting a laminate for my 700.

Slamfire · « **Reply #12 on:** February 09, 2006, 03:43:42 PM »

The way to restore a fore end pressure point is to rebed the fore end, putting the action in a vise, upside down, and hangin' a weight the barrel, at the point you want the pressure, then put the rebedded stock on the action. 3 to 5 lbs is probably the range of weight that'll do the most good.