# floating the barrel ruger m77



## jakec (Oct 14, 2010)

i have a stainless ruger m77 30/06 with a synthetic stock i want to float the barrel on. can i do it myself? do you just take a dremmel or something and take a little bit off the stock to where it doesnt touch the barrel?


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## Donut slayer (Jan 16, 2009)

I think you'll be disappointed when you float that ruger barrel. But how you do it is get a wooden dowel the same diameter as the barrel, wrap sandpaper around it and use that to remove the stock material. Do slowly and check the fit every so often so you dont remove too much. Power tools and stock work are a no-no as you can mess up quicker than a wink.


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## jakec (Oct 14, 2010)

Donut slayer said:


> I think you'll be disappointed when you float that ruger barrel. But how you do it is get a wooden dowel the same diameter as the barrel, wrap sandpaper around it and use that to remove the stock material. Do slowly and check the fit every so often so you dont remove too much. Power tools and stock work are a no-no as you can mess up quicker than a wink.


 well hell if it aint gonna help ill just leave it be. ive always heard that helps a lot but never tried it. im just gonna hunt with it so its prob accurate enough now. its prob more the shooter (me) than the gun really. i can get it in a 2 inch circle so thatll kill a deer or pig.


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## SAWMAN (May 24, 2010)

*PM's*

You have a PM inbound sir. --- SAWMAN


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

Donut slayer said:


> I think you'll be disappointed when you float that ruger barrel. But how you do it is get a wooden dowel the same diameter as the barrel, wrap sandpaper around it and use that to remove the stock material. Do slowly and check the fit every so often so you dont remove too much. Power tools and stock work are a no-no as you can mess up quicker than a wink.


I've never tried to float a barrel but I have a question. If the barrel is floating why would it matter how much it floats by?:001_huh:


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## Donut slayer (Jan 16, 2009)

lastcast said:


> I've never tried to float a barrel but I have a question. If the barrel is floating why would it matter how much it floats by?:001_huh:


 It dosent. Just dont look as good if its floating by 1/8 in on one side and 1/2 in on the other. And that is usually what happens with a dremel tool.


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## Fig Newton (Oct 4, 2010)

Donut slayer said:


> It dosent. Just dont look as good if its floating by 1/8 in on one side and 1/2 in on the other. And that is usually what happens with a dremel tool.


 
good call


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

Gotcha. Thanks.


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## glassplus (May 6, 2009)

If you will notice most hunting stocks will have small raised area in the barrel channel in the front part, that suppose to put a little pressure on the barrel to help bring it back to the same point when you fire it. Now here is the trickie part, the amount of pressure cant determine the accuracy,alone with how you put pressure on the stock when you shoot it. H/B now is a difference thing. This just part of it. Just my 2 cents jj


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## ATWORK (May 18, 2012)

*OK i must know*

So will someone please tell us why u would want to float a barrel? I have heard this term all my adult life.


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## glassplus (May 6, 2009)

Floating a barrel does not always help it out. Type of stock, type of barrel, size of barrel,cal of the gun, how many rds, you fire at a time. there is a lot of things you have to think about when floating a barrel, the fit of the Rec. in the stock. I have seen barrels that had to have some tension put back on the. I have floated some and had to put some tension back on them. that is why you use H/B fulted ones.. 
Bottom line is most people don't know what they are doing. they are leastin to other peopel that don't know what they are doing. Just like you said, you had heard this all you adult life. Floating can help in some cases on hunting guns, must all H/B are floated. Just my 1 cents jj


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## cbigcarl (May 28, 2009)

I agree with most of what glass had to say. In my experience floating the barrel has helped in all but one rifle. It was a model 70, with a light weight barrel. After shooting at the range, I started to wedge toothpicks between the barrel and front of the stock until it stated grouping well. Then I put a band to hold pressure on the barrel. Another benefit of the space between the stock and barrel is to speed in cooling the light barrels.


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## baldona523 (Mar 2, 2008)

From the little I know, floating a barrel is basically about the harmonics and vibrations of the barrel. You "float" a barrel to separate if from the stock so that it vibrates better basically and this improves accuracy. I don't know the extreme details, but that is basically it.

You should never shoot a gun by holding part of the barrel, always just touching the stock.


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