I only get 2 inch groups with my reloads, I took of the stock and saw a riff in the barrel channel, looks like a pressure point and another one further up the barrel channel. Should I remove some of the wood, It seems the left side is touching the side of the barrel, while the right side have a big gap. Should I try and make it free floating. Any idees pleas tell me

Flip,

You obviously have a stock that is moving on you a bit. You will have to relieve the wood from that side. The stock may continue to move in the same direction. I have only had one that ever did that and fortunately it was on my rifle. The best way to do it is with a barrel channel tool but I doubt if you have one or can get one in a timely manner. The other alternative is a peice of dowel somewhat smaller than the barrel channel with sandpaper wrapped around it. You will have to sand away the wood on that side until it is not touching. If it continues to move you have to do some more drastic measures.

What I have seen that works involves routing out a channel under the barrel, holding the stock by the butt in a good vice, installing the barreled action and then putting pressure on the forend to bend it to one side, then removing the barreled action, putting a piece of redibolt (threaded rod) in the slot and filling it with epoxy or JB weld. Let it harden with the pressure holding the fore end in the right place for several days, a week is even better. The rod will act as a rebar in concrete and help hold the stock in position. If you have trouble with the stock moving and holding it in place, you might be able to use a dial indicator to index where you have to have it. I don't know what tools or equipment you have or what is available locally. I have more dial indicators than any reasonably sane person but then that just tells you something about me.

When you reassamble it the fore end may bend back just a bit and you may have to relieve a bit of wood on that side again.

I have tried stock bending but have never had much success with it. It involves heat and oils. There are people who move stocks and even create more or less drop in butt stocks with it.

Chic Worthing

[This message has been edited by Customstox (edited 03-02-2002).]

Flip,

I would try to free-float the barrel and bed the action before I spent a lot of money on ammo. If you don't bed it you will have a hard time keeping the zero from shifting with temperature and humidity.

If you don't want to add much weight, and the stock keeps moving on you, you could use Chic's trick with a carbon arrow (or two very thin ones along the sides) rather than a piece of steel in the center.

Don

Hey Flip, Looks like Don G beat me to my own thoughts on this.

To expand on his excellent recommendation a bit, you can do a "temporary Free Float" by shimming both ends of the action up slightly. I just did this a week ago with a different brand of rifle using small pieces of an old plastic Credit Card placed under each end. You need to take the action straight up(same amount of spacers under each end) so as not to skew the recoil lug.

It took 3 pieces on each end with the rifle I was using, but you may only need 2 pieces. I got them to "sit still" while I tightened the action back down by using a small dab of grease on them.

By doing this, I found out there was noting wrong with the factory bedding on the rifle I had, but it sure made a HUGE difference when I changed bullet weights.

I'm not a fan of wooden rifle stocks. If in fact your wood stock is warping, I'd recommend you consider getting one of the excellent synthetics and totally eliminate the problem.

------------------
Good hunting and clean 1-shot kills, Hot Core