Remington 700 "floating" barrel - Newbie question

[Dobe66]

A friend reintroduced me to the joy of shooting. It's been a long time so what little I knew has seemed to disappear. I picked up a 1997 (per phone call to Remington) 700 varmint with a 26" heavy barrel. I had the impression that the barrel should "float" all the way back to just in front of the receiver where a rectangular "lug" slides into a recess in the stock. I noticed a small buildup (it actually looks like an area that was left intentionally when the stock was cut for the barrel) just above the location of the sling lug and this is where the float, using the old dollar bill trick, ends. Any insight would be much appreciated.

 

[rcmodel]

where a rectangular "lug" slides into a recess in the stock

That is the recoil lug.

At one time, a fully free-floated barrel often had a pressure pad in front of the recoil lug for a couple of inches.

Prior to pillar-bedding, this was necessary to prevent the front guard screw from crushing the stock wood over time.

Later still, free-floating was used as an economy measure, because it was far cheaper to just hog out the barrel channel then to actually fit it to the barrel.

Those rifles often shot better with a pressure pad (like yours) nearer the end of the forearm.

The question you have to ask yourself is:
Does it shoot good or not?

If it does, no problem!
Don't mess with it!

If it doesn't, then you could try fooling with the bedding.

rcmodel

 

[NCsmitty]

Dobe66, are you talking about the bumps that's about 3" or so from the end of the forearm, that's touching the barrel?

NCsmitty

 

[Chawbaccer]

Old Winchesters had a screw to adjust that pressure point. Like Rcmodel says, if you are happy with how it shoots leave it alone. If you want to experiment put some card stock under the receiver untill the bump doesn't touch, if the groups improve yoiu may remove the bump and the cards for a free floating barrel. If you want to get into it deeper, play around with how much contact pressure there is.

 

[Alpine Storm]

I have a 700 VLS which is of course the laminated stock. I had a gun smith bed the whole action and remove all the wood down the barrell. In your case I would go with NCSmitty and try it first. The chances are it is already a tack driver and if so, don't worry about it.

 

[Jim K]

Yes, that "bump" about 3" from the end of the foreend is the pressure pad. I would not mess with it as it is there to help accuracy.

Don't believe everything you read about what a rifle should do or should be or should look like. It is the shooting that counts; everything else is just one person's ideas about one rifle.

Jim

 

[Dobe66]

Thanks everyone for your help. Just had the opportunity to shoot a little and then do a through cleaning and that's when the question came up. Doubt that I will "adjust" anything for awhile as the gun is more accurate than I am.

 

[rcmodel]

Now that you know what is in there, you might do well to not take the action out of the stock every time you clean it.

Once sighted in, you will very likely get a slightly different point of impact every time you take it apart and put it back together.

rcmodel