Rifle stocks

[Beekeeper]

Saw this question over on Surplus Rifle forum and thought it was a good one.
Unfortunately there were no answers there.

A Military stock normally binds the barrel to the stock in at least 2 places.
When you sporter the rifle and use the Military profile barrel should the barrel be bedded completely to accomplish the same thing?

The poster over there stated the books from a long time ago said yes but the new books state to free float it.
I thought it was a good question as I have several rifles that have original Milsurp barrels on them that the accuracy isn't that great on>

Any one have any ideas or data?


beekeeper

[wv109323]

I think today's protocol would be to free float the barrel first and try that.( The action could be glass bedded) If the rifle would not shoot to satisfaction,the next alternative would be to try a pressure point near the end of the stock. The last alternative would be bed the whole barrel.
There are very few new rifles that use a barrel band today. That ought to say volumes.
As far as military rifles in general, most were made in a time of war. Quantity was more important than quality. Surplus rifles in general do not have tight tolerances on bore diameters and can vary .005.

[flounderman]

a really good barrel will forgive bedding errors and a poor barrel won't shoot no matter how you bed it. A floated barrel won't change point of impact when the weather changes like a pressure bedded one, might. You can float it to start with and shim it to see if it improves it any. some rifles will shoot better with a lighter or heavier bullet. The crown and rifling in the last couple of inches is a good place to start looking if something is seriously wrong

[Wolfer]

I free float to start with and if accuracy isn't to suit me I put a pressure point in. With military barrels I've always ended up with a pressure point. My observation is if the muzzle mics .550 it will probably need a pressure point. If it mics .650 it'll work better free floated.
A 223 that mics .550 usually doesn't need a pressure point so it may have more to do with barrel thickness than diameter.
With pressure pointed barrels you can only get about three shots before heat starts to move POI
On my hunting rifles I'm only interested in where the first shot lands at the first crack of dawn on a frosty morning.

[DCM]

I free float to start with and if accuracy isn't to suit me I put a pressure point in. With military barrels I've always ended up with a pressure point. My observation is if the muzzle mics .550 it will probably need a pressure point. If it mics .650 it'll work better free floated.
A 223 that mics .550 usually doesn't need a pressure point so it may have more to do with barrel thickness than diameter.
With pressure pointed barrels you can only get about three shots before heat starts to move POI
On my hunting rifles I'm only interested in where the first shot lands at the first crack of dawn on a frosty morning.

Big +1 the only exception being a PREMIUM aftermarket copy barrel of TOP quality.