Barrel even in the channel?

I just picked up a 116 with DBM and the old synthetic stock, pre-accutrigger. I floated the tang and barrel today and when finished I noticed the barrel is very uneven in the channel. I floated everything with sandpaper and a socket to keep things even. I can get a piece of paper folded 4 times down the channel, but it bothers me that there is a 1/4" gap on the right side and a 1/8" gap on the left. Is it anything to worry with? How could I fix it


Thanks

I had a similar problem with a new synthetic stock and I filled in the channel with a light layer of fiberglass, sanded the channel for equal spaces around the barrel and spray painted it. It look great.

My stevens 200 and 111 aren't perfectly centered either, maybe a 16th difference between each side. I used a file to make my channels wider before I stiffened the forends, mainly so I wouldn't have to worry about it touching the barrel while hunting. I wouldn't worry about it. Both of mine shoot MOA or better and looks don't matter too much to me.

If you take the stock off and reassemble with a much different gap measurement then I would be worried. That would mean that your mounting of the barreled action is in consistently mating to the stock and you may want to bed it to prevent any inconsistencies in accuracy or shifting during recoil or transport.

I read somewhere that if you wrap the barrel with enough electrical tape to center it in the stock when you glass bed it that it will fix this problem. That's what I plan on doing with mine if/when I ever get around to bedding it (I'm kinda skeered).

You can fix that when you bed it.
Wont hurt anything, but like you that drives me nuts too.

Tape in the barrel is the way to go. It will make sure the barrel us centered and help keep it floating. Don't use so much that your action is angled upwards. Best video on bedding is the one on the 6mm BR site.

Thanks guys, I will get it worked out later on, it is aggravating though. :)

I went in and replaced my trigger spring today with a smaller one, HUGE difference, and I noticed something with the rear screw. The front when tightening it down locks down solid, I mean from one turn to the next it just stops. The rear action screw is always mushy feeling, is that normal? If not what would cause it?


Thanks

bearcat74 Hi! What you are describing could be perfectly natural. You could be lifting the weight of the bbl. off the fore end when tightening the rear screw. Thats assuming the stock is below the action of course. However, after the "mushyness" the rear screw should come to an abrupt stop similar to the front screw. I'd suggest you shoot the rifle and see if groups shrink. If it shoots the same as before you haven't lost anything. Bedding doesn't always improve accuracy. If it shoots better, well ;D The 6mmbr video on "stress free" bedding mentioned above, done by Richard, is excellent. ----------- How do you secure the action to the stock after applying mud? Dale

bearcat74, OOPS! video no longer available @ 6mmBR. ( Richard is now SELLING a DVD.) However, listed under the articles archive is a step- by-step. Look for: Pillar bedding stress free method by R. Franklin. Lotsa good info. Dale

Make sure that when you tighten the screw it is not deforming the cheap plastic synthetic trigger guard

Bedding the action will take care of the original issue easily

smokey262, according to my magnet the trigger guard is metal.


gotcha, thanks for the info.


I just went out and reshot the rifle. I had everything floated out nicely, or so I thought. I got a 1.34" group at 130yds using 180NBT's, WW brass and 56grs IMR4350 with 25mph wind gusts.

I got back and the tang was bound back up, no idea how because I could get 2 pieces of paper around the tang. I lit back into it with the dremel and now it is floated out gooooood.