how to free float a barrel?

28 December 2004, 04:38

I have a rem 700 I just put in a boyd laminate stock. I bedded it with 3 layers of tape under the barrel. Now I can't slide a sheet of papaer between the stock and barrel. I was thinking of opening up the barrel channel by wrapping sandpaper around a dowel rod. Any better or faster ways to do this?
Thanks

28 December 2004, 05:03

vapodog

I use electrical tape around the barrel and still have to remove a little bit of bedding material....you can use the wooden dowel and sandpaper but here's the tool I use.....and it's slick!!
http://www.gunline.com/inletting.html

28 December 2004, 05:06

foxfire

I've used these scrapers to clean out the barrel channel before. They remove material and really don't allow you to take to much at one time.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=6521&title=SCRAPERS

28 December 2004, 08:36

ned

both of the above is what i use. trust me on this one, don't do it anyother way or chances are excellent you will have a mess on your hands.

can you say ... NO DREMEL TOOL for this job

28 December 2004, 10:07

Kory

Quote:

I use electrical tape around the barrel and still have to remove a little bit of bedding material....you can use the wooden dowel and sandpaper but here's the tool I use.....and it's slick!!
http://www.gunline.com/inletting.html

vapodog,

I've always been curious about this tool. Do you need to pick one with a diameter that matches your barrel or use a smaller diameter? I suspect it is the latter since most barrels are tapered.

Thanks,
Kory

28 December 2004, 10:12

vapodog

smaller.....

28 December 2004, 13:29

wildcat junkie

Quote:

I have a rem 700 I just put in a boyd laminate stock. I bedded it with 3 layers of tape under the barrel. Now I can't slide a sheet of papaer between the stock and barrel. I was thinking of opening up the barrel channel by wrapping sandpaper around a dowel rod. Any better or faster ways to do this?
Thanks

Pattern makers that work with sheet metal dies have wax sheets in various thicknesses. Since I formerly worked in a General Motors stamping plant I had occasion to become familiar with some of these tradesmen.

I relieve the barrel channel perhaps 1/16"-3/32" more than needed. (except @ the edge of the barrel channel) I then wrap .020" thick wax sheet on the barrel starting 3" ahead of the receiver ring. The wax has adhesive on one side. I them put one layer of postal packaging tape over the wax to protect it from the heat of the bedding compound as it sets up. A thin coat of the appropriate release agent is then applied and the barreled action is then set into the stock with the bedding compound.

This results in a barrel channel that is sealed with bedding compound (in the case of a wood stock) and a perfect .025" (in this case) clearance between the barrel and stock. I usually pillar bed the receiver and recoil lug as a separate (first) step.

This wax can be had in just about any thickness you want, I have even used .250" for some applications. where I wanted clearance for moving parts.