Barrel Pressure Points

[alfsauve]

The only experience I have along these lines involves this Marlin X-7 in .223 I picked up a year or so ago. It came out of the box with a butt ugly, black plastic molded stock. So I bought this nice Thumbhole Laminated Model from Boyd's Gunstocks. It came as a 100% finished, drop in stock.

BEAUTIFUL

[MikeBjerum]

You can accomplish the same thing with the shims previously mentioned.

Have you tried them?  My question is if stabilizers work.  I know you can adjust pressure with shims, but can you fine tune equally as well with the stabilizer?

[Big Frank]

I don't know if this actually works but I saw a magazine article about it ages ago. You take your barrelled action and secure it in a vise with nothing touching the barrel. Place a U-bolt over the barrel behind where the end of the fore-end would be, and hit the action with a mallet. If it works as advertised it will cause vibrations in the barrel that will make the U-bolt move up or down the length of the barrel a bit. Where it settles is one of the harmonic balance points and that's where you should apply pressure with a shim. It could be true but I know little about the harmonic properties of barrels. It's just one of the things I read about in the last 40 years or so.

[Rastus]

I think stabilizers work...from what I've read anyway.  I will shim with a business card if I need it.  Stabilizer may be better but...$$$$...so a piece of plastic business cart will be the ticket for me.

If that doesn't work it's off to the gun show!!!!

[PegLeg45]

If that doesn't work it's off to the gun show!!!!

I'm beginning to detect a pattern here. 

[Sponsor]

[Jim Kennedy-ar154me]

I don't know if this actually works but I saw a magazine article about it ages ago. You take your barrelled action and secure it in a vise with nothing touching the barrel. Place a U-bolt over the barrel behind where the end of the fore-end would be, and hit the action with a mallet. If it works as advertised it will cause vibrations in the barrel that will make the U-bolt move up or down the length of the barrel a bit. Where it settles is one of the harmonic balance points and that's where you should apply pressure with a shim. It could be true but I know little about the harmonic properties of barrels. It's just one of the things I read about in the last 40 years or so.

I am not an expert either but it sounds like it would work. But instead of a mallet, I would use something continuous like a small motor that you have made off balance. Maybe the motor out of a case tumbler? Just hold it against the action until the u-bolt centers and doesn't move anymore!I have a Midway case tumbler that it is easy to remove the motor out of. It is just a motor with a fan with 3 of the 4 blades taken off.

[PegLeg45]

I am not an expert either but it sounds like it would work. But instead of a mallet, I would use something continuous like a small motor that you have made off balance. Maybe the motor out of a case tumbler? Just hold it against the action until the u-bolt centers and doesn't move anymore!I have a Midway case tumbler that it is easy to remove the motor out of. It is just a motor with a fan with 3 of the 4 blades taken off.

Try a vibrating palm sander with no sandpaper attached..... hold the foam pad to the receiver with the barrel leveled (if the barrel ain't close to level, the u-bolt will slide off regardless of the implement used).

[Rastus]

I'm beginning to detect a pattern here. 

Now...why would you say that?   

[robert69]

Years ago (1969) I had a remington 700 bdl heavy barrel 22-250 varmint rifle.  I had similar problems as mentioned here, so I got out my trusty round rasp and opened up the barrel channel.  That really improved the rifle to 1/2" groups @ 100.  I then placed stacked brass shims at the fore arm, back about 4-5" and removed/added shims to check groups  at the range.  I found that with THAT rifle free floating worked fine, with its heavy barrel.
After many years shooting, the groups began to open up to 3/4-1". The barrel was toast after over 5000 rounds with 53 grain at 3500 fps.  The cost to replace the barrel was actually within $50.00 of a new Savage 12bvss, (26 inch barrel fluted heavy barrel) and this rifle out of the box easily equaled the remington's groups. The 12BVSS did not require any tuning except to break in the barrel.  I was so happy, I bought a 2nd 12BVSS and it shoots just fine. The cost was higher for the 2nd rifle.
So, I guess it all depends on the rifles, your ammo, and patience.

[Rastus]

That's a good story.  My patience is about where it's going to end up...I might try shimming the front because it's easy but if it's not a shooter it goes to the gun show!!!