Okay, I just finished up free floating my Remington 700 .270 barrel and i was just wondering how that should effect it while very hot? the stock was pretty tight on the barrel, and i would shoot it a lot so that the barrel would be burning hot. Will floating increase accuracy a good bit and help it shoot better and more consisten while hot? thanks.

Every barrel is different. You'll have to shoot to see what effect the floating will have.

Aside from floating, avoid overheating your barrel and you will have more consistant groups, not to mention longer barrel life.


Regards,

Dan

quote:

Originally posted by beretta9289:
Okay, I just finished up free floating my Remington 700 .270 barrel and i was just wondering how that should effect it while very hot? the stock was pretty tight on the barrel, and i would shoot it a lot so that the barrel would be burning hot. Will floating increase accuracy a good bit and help it shoot better and more consisten while hot? thanks.

If you're purposely allowing your barrel to get that hot from shooting, then from an accuracy standpoint, free floating your barrel should be the least of your concern...

But, since you asked, the barrel will have a tendency to bend when it gets hot. Under normal shooting conditions, free floating the barrel will help keep uneven pressure off the barrel when it heats up, which can hurt accuracy.

I don't purposely shoot to make the barrel get as hot as possible. Sometimes if I am in a hurry, I don't have time to wait a few minutes in btw shots or groups. I normally only shoot 20-30 rounds per range session, but it still has a tendency to get pretty hot. So, i'll have to see for myself in a few days what effect free-floating will have on it.

quote:

Originally posted by beretta9289:
I don't purposely shoot to make the barrel get as hot as possible. Sometimes if I am in a hurry, I don't have time to wait a few minutes in btw shots or groups. I normally only shoot 20-30 rounds per range session, but it still has a tendency to get pretty hot. So, i'll have to see for myself in a few days what effect free-floating will have on it.

The way you described it seemed pretty clear that it gets REAL hot. Anyway, free float the barrel. Take it to the range and bring it up to operating temperature and then immediately recheck the float and see which way the barrel moved and by how much. It should still be well clear of the stock.

I'm going to try to take it to the range on friday. I haven't worked up a load to my likings yet, but I have one load that i know shoots 1in. at 100yrds. I'll take a few rounds of that and shoot them in quick succession and see how it does. one group over 30 minutes, the other in 3 minutes or so.

I believe it was Gale McMillian that said he had never seen a rifle that did not respond well to having the barrel free floated.

those are very reassuring words coming from Gale. I trust anything and everything he says, at least almost. He is very knowledgable, and he even stated that the barrel break-in procedures don't do any good at all. just wear barrels out quicker. very true IMHO. thanks Rick.

To "break in" my barrels, I didn't use ANY extra shots, so over a life of perhaps quite a few thousand rounds, I don't know what Mr.gale is on about.

quote:

Originally posted by Rick 0311:
I believe it was Gale McMillian that said he had never seen a rifle that did not respond well to having the barrel free floated.

I'm sure I'm not the only guy that agrees with this.

Premium high-power cartridged barrels generaly tend to start dropping accuracy fast after about 2000 rounds, IN GENERAL. 100 break-in rounds or so is 5% of barrel life. If every one breaks in there barrels with those shoot-clean shots, then it wears it down that much faster...that's what mr. gale is on to.