Free float vs full bed

[olegburn]

There’s nothing new under the sun. It’s all been done in the past. Free Floating, no matter how heavy the barrel, is almost 100% the chosen route for shooters. If your rifle is already accurate, going to a floated Action/bedded barrel, or trying to “Tune” vibration with a bit of pressure at a specific point likely won’t affect accuracy for the better.

There is no "stupid" questions on this forum, right?
So, I will go ahead with mine- what is "tuning" or vibration?
Isn't bullet long gone (left the barrel) before anything that can affect it ?
I hear a lot of terms used and "second hand" opinions there that float around.
I want to understand. I'm all ears.

[GrenGuy]

Your question is legitimate. As it relates to You original question, if a stock comes into contact with the barrel unevenly, it upsets the harmonics of the system. If the entire barrel is bedded, it needs to be nearly perfect. So back in the 60’s, as a cost saving measure, they started free floating, which was more accurate anyway. As far as tuning, many things can upset the harmony of the system, which can affect accuracy. Action screw torque, action bedding, warped stock touching the barrel, something attached to the barrel, barrel tuner installed, and on and on. Getting all of this in order, as well as finding a load Your rifle likes, is known as being “in tune”.

[Whynot]

I only have 1 rifle that has the barrel making contact with the stock all the way.... and it flat out shoots. But many more that are free floated that shoot just as good. So either way works..... but floating is much easier (cheaper) to do. It is also more forgiving for cheap flimsy stocks (that many rifles come in now) or warping stocks from moisture... and the way people love to change out barrels these days would also be more of a issue if it wasn't a free floated barrel. I would still hesitate to say that free floating is more accurate vs one that has been done correctly by a very skilled person- but being just as good with no downsides and simpler- really makes it a simple choice.

[Dave Hoback]

There is no "stupid" questions on this forum, right?
So, I will go ahead with mine- what is "tuning" or vibration?
Isn't bullet long gone (left the barrel) before anything that can affect it ?
I hear a lot of terms used and "second hand" opinions there that float around.
I want to understand. I'm all ears.

You misunderstood me. I wasn’t replying in relation to you’re posting. I think it’s a great topic. Relevance & “stupid or not” questioning has nothing to do with my post. Was simply an opinion from posts #6 & #7. Baggin’ what I’m rakin’?

[olegburn]

You misunderstood me. I wasn’t replying in relation to you’re posting. I think it’s a great topic. Relevance & “stupid or not” questioning has nothing to do with my post. Was simply an opinion from posts #6 & #7. Baggin’ what I’m rakin’?

I am Baggin! :)
And hoping to learn. Random questions pop up in my mind and in my quest to learn the subject I just turn to asking bunch of questions.
So far I'm only getting thought out responses from folks who tolerate my curiosity.

[Blue Avenger]

what is "tuning" or vibration?
Isn't bullet long gone (left the barrel) before anything that can affect it ?
.

the barrel starts to vibrate the instant it is fired. up and down ( and other directions) as the bullet travels down the barrel. Harmonic frequency. Changes in bullet weight, powder burn rates, primers, speed and every thing else you can think of all effect the rate of oscillation. One part of tuning is trying to get the bullet to exit the barrel on one of the stops where the barrel quit moving to change directions of its wiggling travel. Hand loading takes advantage of this by allowing you to for instance pick a bullet you like that may not be to great in your gun as a factory load and allow you to change the powder charge to change the vibration frequency and tighten up the group size..

[PhilC]

There is no "stupid" questions on this forum, right?
So, I will go ahead with mine- what is "tuning" or vibration?
Isn't bullet long gone (left the barrel) before anything that can affect it ?
I hear a lot of terms used and "second hand" opinions there that float around.
I want to understand. I'm all ears.

Search for posts by forum member CFJunkie, he's posted a lot about barrel exit time which relates to harmonics. Very good info.

[olegburn]

Search for posts by forum member CFJunkie, he's posted a lot about barrel exit time which relates to harmonics. Very good info.

Will do. Thanks!