fRee floating a Weatherby Vanguard Synthetic stock question

[p5200]

I just got this rifle 30-06 and it seems to have full contact between barrel and synthetic stock (someone correct me if wrong). I got it for Deer hunting but, will be using from bench sometimes so, would I be better off to free float the barrel and bed the rear of the recoil lug for better bench accuracy? Thanks for opinions!

 

[earl39]

I just got this rifle 30-06 and it seems to have full contact between barrel and synthetic stock (someone correct me if wrong). I got it for Deer hunting but, will be using from bench sometimes so, would I be better off to free float the barrel and bed the rear of the recoil lug for better bench accuracy? Thanks for opinions!

i belive the normal answer will be yes BUT shoot it now and see how it does before u change stuff. the vanguard is built by howa and they are very good right out of the box. you can always float the barrel and bed the action if the gun will not shoot and it shouldn't hurt it any even if you don't get any gain from it.

gary

 

[p5200]

Thanks earl39 I have got pretty much the same advice on a couple other forums so, I won't touch a thing other than replace the trigger with a Timney. I've got it adjusted good enough for now. Thanks again!

 

[Twud]

Bedding

I dont even shoot a new rifle anymore until they've been bedded and free floated.

 

[p5200]

Now, what do I do lol!

 

[Stephen B Moore]

p5200 -

Grin and "Bare" it! [the bbl., that is]

Bed the whole action, not just behind the recoil lug.
Of course you could or should shoot it first.

Glad I could help. Steve

 

[p5200]

Well, I shot it today started about 25yds that wasn't too bad. then I moved out to about 75yds. and shot like crap just all over the target! I don't know if it was me or what I haven't shot a larger caliber than my .22 CZ rifles for a few years. I know I wasn't flinching now, like a dumb ass I forgot to clean the barrel before first shooting I checked to make sure every thing stayed tight on scope, bases, etc. now I did remove the barrel from the stock to adjust the trigger for pull and creep the best I could and still keep safety operable. As far as the scope well, it is a cheap Bushnell Banner 6x18x50 so I don't know if it can handle the recoil without changing the POI. the only other scope I have right now is aSimmons Whitetail Classic 6.5x20x50 well, I do have a Nikon 3x9x40 Prostaff but, I would have to reset the parallex from 50 back to 100yds. again. I may also have to practice my technich more. when shooting my CZ .22 rifles I use my ATV rack with a couple cheap shooting bags for a rest and always shoot free recoil and usually manage 1/4" to 3/4" 5 shot groups at 50yds. should I try the free recoil method also, with the 30-06? I shot one round the last round, since the small tree I was using for targets fell over so I just left after that. any advice would be appreaciated when I replaced the barrel in the stock, I torqued the action screws to 20"lbs. front and rear. Steve

 

[p5200]

Hello! before I trade this gun, are centerfire unbeded rifles as sensitive to action screw torqe as rimfires? Thanks!

 

[Bnhpr]

Whoaa.....shooter.

Slow down and work through this.

OK, you've shot the rifle and it's not shooting good for you. So, here's what you do.

Get someone to help you bed the action in with epoxy, and free float the barrel...it's a fundemental tune up on a bolt action factory rifle.

Clean the barrel with a copper solvent,like Barnes CR-10. see how much blue you get on your patches...follow instructions on bottle. There are lots of opinions on barrel cleaning, but I like the strong copper cleaners.

Don't worry about the scope, your fine with a 6-18 bushnell scope for this piece.

Get some decent ammunition if you don't load.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=819284

Get settled in with some decent sandbags/rest and hold the rifle in fairly firm to your shoulder, not free recoil. It is a hunting rifle.

See what kind of 100 yard groups you get....let us know.

Ben

 

[p5200]

Well, From what I've found out the rifle groups 1 1/2 to 2 1/2" and point of impact seems to change shooting three shot groups at 100yds. some have said a freefloat made theirs a tack driver, and some have said it made groups/performance worse. so, I really don't know what to try. thought about getting one of these deluxe kits, and maybe a Timney trigger.

http://www.scorehi.com/main.htm Thanks!

 

[Bnhpr]

Well, From what I've found out the rifle groups 1 1/2 to 2 1/2" and point of impact seems to change shooting three shot groups at 100yds. some have said a freefloat made theirs a tack driver, and some have said it made groups/performance worse. so, I really don't know what to try. thought about getting one of these deluxe kits, and maybe a Timney trigger.

http://www.scorehi.com/main.htm Thanks!

I'm not sure if your doing it yet, but the first step-improvement for accuracy for most people is handloading/tuning for that rifle.

Are you handloading? if so, what are your loads?

 

[p5200]

No I don't handload but, have thought about starting later on. I thought about putting a little money in the gun a little at a time as funds allow, Timney trigger, and maybe even a Bell and Carlson Gold Medalist stock but, on another forum a fella posted that the Vanguard barrels aren't seasoned (cheap?) and that's why they have to compensate and have full contact between stock and barrel all the way around as well as the pressure points in the tip of the stock? I have no, idea what he is talking about when he says the barrels are cheap because they don't season them For sure I don't want to waiste hard to come by funds on a barrel that is crap so I put things on hold, till I can maybe, find out more about the quality of the average barrels on the Vanguards. Any ideas on the quality of the barrels would be of big help in making my decision whether or not it's worth investing in a new trigger and stock. Thanks!

 

[Bnhpr]

No I don't handload but, have thought about starting later on. I thought about putting a little money in the gun a little at a time as funds allow, Timney trigger, and maybe even a Bell and Carlson Gold Medalist stock but, on another forum a fella posted that the Vanguard barrels aren't seasoned (cheap?) and that's why they have to compensate and have full contact between stock and barrel all the way around as well as the pressure points in the tip of the stock? I have no, idea what he is talking about when he says the barrels are cheap because they don't season them For sure I don't want to waiste hard to come by funds on a barrel that is crap so I put things on hold, till I can maybe, find out more about the quality of the average barrels on the Vanguards. Any ideas on the quality of the barrels would be of big help in making my decision whether or not it's worth investing in a new trigger and stock. Thanks!

Hand lapping (polishing) maybe he is referring to?

Clean the barrel with barnes CR-10 or equivalent agressive copper remover...(ammonia type) and see how much copper you get out (blue color). If the barrel fouls bad, that is a handicap, but not the end of the world. Once a barrel is "broken in" usually, this tapers off. breaking in is sometimes called "seasoned"

Anyway, on a budget, the pillar bedding kit with instructions, is a good idea and a fun project.

http://www.6mmbr.com/pillarbedding.html


But.....at the end of all this, you may still have a poor shooting rifle. There is a old saying.....you can't make a silk purse from a sows ear....

For the cost conscious shooter, it's hard to beat Savage target rifles. I have had some great shooting factory 700 target rifles also.

Ben

 

[p5200]

Hi and thanks for your advice. The test target that came with this gun measured 5/8" 3 shot group whether or not that means much or not I don't know. I was loking at a couple of savages in the gun shop used, the 111 model with accutrigger and the 110 without. thinking of maybe a trade in? but gosh both of them felt so light! would one of those be a better choice to trade in for in your opinion? Thanks!