This is also posted in gunsmithing and reloading. Sorry for the duplication, but want to reach as many as possible.

I have a .257 Weatherby Magnum in a Mark V Deluxe that I have tried and tried to get to shoot consistently. Just when I think I have things looking promising...it goes to frustration in a hurry. I went shooting last week and a load that showed promise (more than once) went to hell. A load that had been a pretty good load in the past shot like crap. I blamed it on the fouling in the gun (less than 20 rounds) and decided I was done playing this game...the gun was going up for sale to be replaced by something more accurate.

Well, I got to thinking today about the barrel and the barrel channel. From what I understand the Mark V's in wood stocks, the barrel should be free of touching the barrel channel except for the pressure pad towards the end of the forearm. I decided to see what I had going and got a dollar bill and tested for float in front of the pressure pad...looked and felt fine. As expected I was stopped at the pressure pad. I couldn't get anything to go through the gap behind the pressure pad so I unscrewed the barreled action from the stock, inserted my dollar bill and put things back together. I couldn't even wiggle the dollar bill. On top of that I noticed that the bluing is worn on both sides of the barrel from apparently "riding" the stock.

I am guessing that I need to relieve this pressure if I expect things to get better. I have no intention of removing the pressure pad...at least at this point. Am I thinking correctly? If I am, how far back towards the action do I relieve this pressure? Do I go clear back to where the barrel meets the action, or do I stop short (front of the chamber)?

Any ideas and help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

float it and bed it!

i would float the whole barrel right back to the action. others like to bed it under the chamber but that is a highly debatable topic between one method and the other. IMO it should either be bedded or floating. id make the gap between the barrel and the stock a good 5-10mm. i have had smaller gaps but things seem to get jammed in there and the only rifle i have used where debris doesnt get stuck between the barrel and stock has a fairly large gap so leaves etc can fall out.

ive heard that if that stock is touching on the sides of the barrel that that is the worst thing. personally id take the pressure point out

The above sounds like good sound advice. Thats what I would do. And then would have immediate confidence in the rifle ,as it will have a possitive new potential.
It can be argued perhaphs, but it's the root I take every time ,often just with a new rifle.
Let us know what you do , and best of luck.
Keith