Should I free-float Rem 700 ADL barrel?

[TexasTea]

I post this on the rifle section. But I thought I would try to get some help here.

I went the range today shooting my Rem 700 ADL with my newly reloaded 30-06 cartridges. This is my first reload so I was nervous and excited. I shoot at 50 yard first with 6x on my scope. I was pretty thrill to see my first reload worked well, nice grouping. I moved out to 100 yard and did pretty well for the first three shots, nice grouping. After that it went wild. I miss the bull eyes my 6 inches, consistently high.

I remembered reading a book indicating if your shots are stringed vertically while not much left to right, you can reasonably suspect that bedding of the rifle is the problem. I did the dollar test under the barrel. It got stuck right the way. I suspect that the inacuracy after half of a dozen shots is due to expansion of the hot barrel, contacting the stock at the fore-end, and push the shots up.

Is the Rem 700 ADL barrel free-floating from the factory? I went and look on Rem website. I did not see anything mention on the Rem 700 ADL. So I assume that it is not free-floating from the factory. If I only shoot couple shots like in hunting, I guess the rifle is fine. But I want to shoot a lot and this really bother me. I enjoy shooting more than hunting.

So what can I do? Is free-floating the barrel something easy that I can do it myself? Or should I take it to a gunsmith to get this done? Thank you for your info.

 

[WHITEY338]

You might be able to find an aftermarket stock that will be pillar bedded and free floating. Then all you would have to do is remove 3 screws throw your old stock away and drop in to your new one. Or you could wrap a 5/8" to 3/4" dowel in some 60 grit sandpaper and sand out the offending stock material. Just take out enough to where you can slide 4 pieces of paper bewteen the barrel and stock. But bear in mind some rifles like to be floated to the end of the barrel channel and have a small amount ( 1-3 lbs.) of forend pressure applied. But for the time money and hassle you could buy a Bell & Carlson for around 150 out of Midway or Brownell's.

 

[dakotasin]

no, the 700 adl's are not free-floating.

there is a pad at the forend tip where your dollar hung up. yes, sand that off. not a big deal, and it will probably float from there.

however, i have found vertical stringing is an indicator you need more velocity - more powder.

start by floating your barrel, then do load development. most of my 700's are floated, a couple aren't.

 

[TexasTea]

Thank you very much for the info. I will take the stock apart from the barrel and see. Is the fore-end a solid piece of plastic? or is it hollow.

 

[TexasTea]

Dakotasin,

I loaded the 30-06 Rem casing with 49.5 grain of IMR 4895, Hornady soft point 150gram bullet, Winchester LR primer. Powder is weighted exactly 49.5 grain on the scale for every round. The Hornady Model M Magnetic Reloading scale is calibrated before reloading. All cartridges are roll crimped.

 

[Zeke/PA]

TexasTea,
When shooting from a bench, rest the forearm and NOT the barrel on the bags.
Elementary I'm sure but very important.
Respectfully, Zeke

 

[TexasTea]

You are exactly right. The bag was about two inches behind the front swivel screw.

 

[Jim Watson]

I recall an old, old article on the subject. The author had a rifle - maybe even an early Remington 700 - that gave small groups but with wandering zero due to variations in foreend pressure against the barrel. So he sanded out the pressure pad and left the barrel free floating. He said that after that, his groups were slightly larger, but they did not move around.

That was before glass bedding and pillar bedding became common. You might have to rebed the action for best accuracy with a floating barrel... or you might not.

 

[snbend]

If you have access to a chronograph you might want to check the velocity of your reloads. Somtimes, vertical stringing is a symptom of irregular pressures. How do approach your brass selection?
snbend

 

[crackerjack]

floating barrel & bedding

"I moved out to 100 yard and did pretty well for the first three shots, nice grouping. After that it went wild. I miss the bull eyes my 6 inches, consistently high."

A few things you may consider before bedding:
How good was the first group before barrel heated up? Did you allow barrel to cool between groups? Would soak and clean barrel. I would check to make sure recoil lug is tight and check rear trigger plate screw, sometimes a overtighten rear trigger screw can give problems (stringing), if tight back off a 1/4 turn and try a group. A overheated barrel will walk, my experience is the barrel weight used on adl & bdl tends to start walking on the third shot but not far. Have free floated a good number of Remingtons 700s with good results, but have found some to be accurate with factory bedding pressure. Have seen Mountain rifle that that would walk 6" and free floating cured. Use your hand near chamber to guage barrel temperature. Most 700's are pretty accurate.
Hope it helps,