To free-float or not? Rem 700 CDL

[eldon519]

I've got a Remington 700 CDL in .35 Whelen. I have shot sub-moa groups with it before, but I would like to start taking it to the range for longer sessions, and I think a free-floated barrel would be more consistent once it warms up some.

Two questions:
1) Should I free-float it or leave it alone?
2) Possibly more important, it I sand down the pressure pad and find it doesn't shoot well, how hard would it be to build a pressure pad back up?

 

[R.W.Dale]

I've got a Remington 700 CDL in .35 Whelen. I have shot sub-moa groups with it before, but I would like to start taking it to the range for longer sessions, and I think a free-floated barrel would be more consistent once it warms up some.

Two questions:
1) Should I free-float it or leave it alone?
2) Possibly more important, it I sand down the pressure pad and find it doesn't shoot well, how hard would it be to build a pressure pad back up?

<RANT MODE ON>


I'd leave it alone you could just as easily harm your accuracy as help. With regards to a hunting weight rifle with a sporter weight barrel in my opinion the benefits of free floating the bbl are massively overstated.

Folks like to talk up free floating as though it's some kind of cure all accuracy panacea and your rifle is messed up if it's not free floated.

HOGWASH.!

If Had a rifle that shot around MOA chambered for a caliber that's not known for it's super accurate bullets the last thing I would do would be to start screwing with things. Besides how much of an extended shooting session do you expect to have with a 35whelen? How much punishment does your shoulder need?

<RAND MODE STANDBY>

so yeah put me in the "or not" category

 

[ArmedBear]

Free-floating that CDL will just let rainwater soak into the walnut more easily, if you intend to use it for hunting.

The CDL is a sporter, not a target rifle.

If you shoot it hot, you'll just wreck your barrel anyway. There are more reasons to let that barrel cool down, than just because POI shifts a bit. There are also reasons that target or serious varmint rifles have heavy, and sometimes fluted, barrels.

Something I learned from someone who builds his own rifles for everything from African plains game to 600 yard prairie dog shooting...

Now when you say it's shot sub-MOA, is that with factory or handloaded ammo?

I have a Weatherby Vanguard Sporter, bone stock, very similar in construction to the CDL, even though the two guns look different. I've never done anything to it but turn the trigger adjustment screw, mount the scope, and shoot it. It will shoot sub-MOA with handloads (.30-06 hunting loads). The CDL is capable of that, also. I don't think you will do much better by free-floating it; "accurizing" a rifle involves other things, like truing the bolt face and tightening up tolerances everywhere, and probably glass-bedding.

 

[mljdeckard]

I concur with both of the above entirely.

If you WANT it to be a target gun, you might consider re-barreling it, and if you did.....would you want it to be in .35 Whelen?

If you are already shooting sub-moa, you have little to gain. You do more by handloading and tweaking than you will by bedding it.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

I wouldn't, maybe...

But if you do, and want to re create the pressure pad, pick up a silcone washer from the hardware store and place it under the barrel where the pad was. It should work nearly as well.

However, if you are getting sub MOA groups with it, I wouldn't mess with it. If you want to pursue accuracy, get an HS stock or Bell Carlson, with a full bed. Keep in mind you may only squeak another 1/4 inch out of doing that, but if it is your goal, go for it.

The 35 Whelen at sub MOA is great, especially for a hunting rifle/round. I have rifles that shoot more or less at MOA and realistically that's just fine.

 

[eldon519]

Thanks for the advice. I figured it was the best idea, and honestly, I haven't even taken it to an extended range session, so maybe it will do just fine. Pretty much krochus nailed it, it's all the hogwash/hype that tempts me.

Krochus raised a good point, it'll beat the crap out of you. I'm planning to practice with it more utilizing light pistol-bullet loads, maybe 158gr around 2000fps. And I always, always let my barrels cool off.

The best group I ever shot with it was .65" with factory 200-gr Remington Core-Lokts at 100 yds. I have handloaded for it, but I don't shoot it often and haven't really done any extensive load development for it. Just cooked up some generic loads since factory ammo is expensive and hard to find locally. It came with a ridiculous trigger pull, probably around 7 lbs, but I tinkered with it and got it down to a safe and reliable 4lbs or so.

 

[DRYHUMOR]

You might consider an aftermarket trigger, something around 2 lbs, it would help shrink the groups as well.

 

[Uncle Mike]

I'd leave it alone you could just as easily harm your accuracy as help. With regards to a hunting weight rifle with a sporter weight barrel in my opinion the benefits of free floating the bbl are massively overstated.

Folks like to talk up free floating as though it's some kind of cure all accuracy panacea and your rifle is messed up if it's not free floated.

HOGWASH.!

If Had a rifle that shot around MOA chambered for a caliber that's not known for it's super accurate bullets the last thing I would do would be to start screwing with things. Besides how much of an extended shooting session do you expect to have with a 35whelen? How much punishment does your shoulder need?

Well, this pretty much hit the primer dead center...!

You'd be doing good to take his advice!

Also, why do you think Remington puts that pressure point in the end of the barrel channel...?
Do you reckon Remington WANTS to degrade their accuracy...I don't think so! I think maybe it's there to....dare I say it...HELP with accuracy!

Krochus is right...if you don't have a free floated barrel, might as well throw that thing in the creek because only rifles that posses a floated tube will be accurate...! lol hehehehe

 

[Sunray]

"...have shot sub-moa groups with it..." Changing ammo brands and bullet weights a lot? You need consistent groups before you do anything to any rifle.
A .35 anything is a hunting rifle. You may want to think about selling it and buying a .308. You'll still be able to hunt any game and punch paper.
"...utilizing light pistol-bullet loads..." Don't waste your time. If you want a light load, use lighter rifle bullets. 200's vs 250's.
Free floating most assuredly is not a guarantee of improved accuracy. Some rifles like it, some don't. Rem 700's tend to like it, but not always. Rifles being very much individuals. The only way to find out if your's does is to try it. If accuracy is better you're done. If not, putting the pressure point back in is no big deal. A wee dab of bedding material, an inch or so aft of the end of the forestock, will do it. However,
However, floating the barrel alone doesn't mean much. It's something you do when glass bedding the rifle. Doesn't always make any difference then either.
"...consider an aftermarket trigger..." Rem 700 triggers are adjustable.

 

[blackops]

IMO I wouldn't mess with it. Floating it isn't going to make the rifle more accurate over longer periods of time or even shorter for that matter. Sounds like you have a sporter barrel. They just aren't designed to shoot round after round. You need a target/varmint contour barrel if you want to maintain accuracy at the range for longer periods of time. Leave that gun alone. It's already accurate. If you want a range rifle do what I'm doing. Finding parts that I particularly like and slowly building a custom rifle for the range. I've been through exactly what you are going through right now. My hunting rifle is sub-moa with my hand loads, but after 20 rounds heat starts to affect its accuracy and sometimes before that. I need something for the range that I can shoot all I want. I'm going with a Krieger #9. Also I would suggest changing your caliber.

 

[Rob96]

Here is my take. I bought a Remington 700 ADL Varmint rifle in 308. The new varmint rifles come with the "crappy" synthetic stock. I got it at a great price that even with buying a stock from HS Precision or McMillan would still put me under a 700P. I have had it to the range once so far for 40 rounds of Remington 150gr Core Lokt. Once I settled in I was getting .69 moa with the very low end Bushnell scope it came with. I am foregoing the stock and using the money towards better glass.

 

[Welding Rod]

I would try floating it.

Being a CDL I assume it has a wood stock.

Good accuracy on a given day is one thing, and of course a good thing, but shooting to the same point of aim on a different day is another seperate issue.

I would happily give up a small degree of accuracy on a specific day for a reliably consistant point of aim day after day.

Floating is particularly helpful for consistant results if you change the way you hold the rifle... especially if you sometimes shoot slung up.