Free float a 20" heavy barrel??

[herkyguy]

I have a Remington 700 .308 tactical with the standard heavy 20" barrel. It has the hogue overmolded stock which is nice, but a bit flimsy up front. i sanded it down to float it, but after putting a bipod on, the forend is up against the barrel.

My question is how much would a new stock that truly is free floated improve accuracy, if at all. With a short heavy barrel, is there even that much flex? The hogue stock is nice, but I'd be willing to invest in a new one if it would be worth it.

 

[sansone]

with a short heavy brrl that stock might be ok. Sure it shouldn't make contact but how hard is it pressing? try sandbagging further back and compare your shots to bipod-fired shots. Might make no difference

 

[R.W.Dale]

I would do as the above poster outlines.

In the past I've shimmed actions up in the stock to provide a temporary and in come instances perminate bbl float for testing. Plastic soft drink bottles, insurance cards or even plastic shell packaging all make good easy to fashion shims

But any way you go about it you won't know till you shoot it both ways

 

[Red Cent]

While Hogue products are great, I would not use that stock to achieve an accurate rifle. Too flexible. Either laminate or carbon/carbon composite for stifness.

 

[Rob96]

I have the 700 ADL Varmingt with the factory stock that a lot of people seem to enjoy bashing. With this rifle I get .59 moa. Hardly a reason to change the stock out.

 

[herkyguy]

I could put an aluminum bedded stiffer stock on it for about $250, but I go back and forth on how much that would improve the gun. The hogue stock is already pillar bedded. I'll try shooting it from the bipod and from a rest to see if there's any difference with the barrel floating or not.

What will full aluminum bedding get me that pillar bedding doesn't?

 

[sansone]

nothing really unless you had a custom made brrl that was lapped by a pro.. The aluminum bedded stock won't bend when using the bipod.
place the sandbag under the pillar of course, when testing

 

[Art Eatman]

Non-uniform pressure against the barrel is the main enemy with a somewhat-flexible stock. For consistency, I'd guess that fully free-floated would be your best bet.

Idle curiosity: Is it at all feasible to drill lengthwise down the forearm and glue in a steel rod or tube as a stiffener? Maybe 3/8"? Just a thought...

 

[Rob96]

Art, I have actually read of that being done on Savages. Read it on the Savage forum.

 

[Art Eatman]

Blind hogs and acorns.

 

[47dodge]

Yep you can get steel rods at the local hardware store // or you can use some arc welding rods once you remove the flux...to remove flux just lay it flat on a hard surface and tap it off with a hammer...You can use fiberglass and resin to secure and stiffen.