Stock to barreled action fit and accuracy

[rickyw]

I recently had one of my model 70s rebarreled to a 7-08. I am waiting on a custom stock for it, so I threw it in an old plastic model 70 stock and took it to the range. It shot terrible. Three different factory loads were well over 3 MOA. Now, the stock is not bedded and has no aluminum block. The barrel is touching the stock as well. My question is whether or not such poor accuracy can be expected with a low quality stock and bad stock fit like this? It’s only temporary because the new stock that’s coming will be bedded to the rifle. But…I wouldn’t have expected the accuracy to be as bad as it was. Makes me wonder a bit about the barrel. I will try again with some different weight bullets as well. Thoughts and experiences welcome…
Thanks

 

[rugger7]

I wouldn’t worry about it too much just yet. Having the barrel touching the stock is negatively impacting the harmonics of the barrel. Those problems can then be further exacerbated if you’re shooting off a bipod or sandbags and therefore causing variable pressures to not only further impact the harmonics but also potentially adding variable stress to the connection of the barrel and the receiver.

Furthermore, frustration and lack of confidence rarely creates great groups from the shooter themselves. There are lots of other things that could be happening too, especially if it the stock is uncomfortable for you ie parallax issues, cant…

Give it a chance, a good rifle stock and finding the right ammo for your barrel length and twist can do wonders

 

[PRDATR]

Yes. Put a decent stock on it. What is the twist rate?

 

[rickyw]

Yes. Put a decent stock on it. What is the twist rate?

1:9
Stock should arrive any day

 

[The German]

Ok, and make sure that Barrel is Floated, all the way out, and if possible, have a friend Shoot it as well, as long as that friend is competent with Fire-Arms.... and it might-come-to-be, a little-pressure is needed at the very-front off the Stock, time and error will tell all....
The G.....

 

[PRDATR]

1:9
Stock should arrive any day

What lead you to choose that? Did you try shooting any 150gr ammo?

 

[rickyw]

What lead you to choose that? Did you try shooting any 150gr ammo?

The goal is to run 160 grainers, which I just started loading but haven’t shot

 

[PRDATR]

I had a 700 Varmint Special I used mostly for High Power Silhouette and it shot everything from 100gr to 168 gr bullets at way under sub MOA. All handloads using 4064 and one or two other powders. From what I gather it had a 9.5 twist.
The only thing it didn't shoot well were some 140gr PMC bullets which were 1.5" so they got shelved. Years later I loaded some up for practice in a 700 7RM and they shot under MOA.
I guess they just needed to be pushed faster.
When you get the new stock try torquing the two bolts with something like the Fat Wrench.

 

[Bryan27]

I know many people swear by bedding stocks, but my experiences haven't shown drastic results from bedding alone. I am however a believer in free floating the barrel. Take a piece of sand paper and reduce the barrel channel of the stock and try shooting it again. Also have the action screws torqued correctly and probably more important equally.

 

[rickyw]

I know many people swear by bedding stocks, but my experiences haven't shown drastic results from bedding alone. I am however a believer in free floating the barrel. Take a piece of sand paper and reduce the barrel channel of the stock and try shooting it again. Also have the action screws torqued correctly and probably more important equally.

I’ve got the action screws torqued equally to 45 inch pounds. At this point I’ll probably end up pillar and glass bedding and free floating all at once.

 

[PRDATR]

What stock did you get?

 

[rickyw]

What stock did you get?

MPI lightweight. It should be done any day but I think they tend to be a bit slow

 

[PRDATR]

I've never heard of them. Is it coming with a bedding block or pillars?

 

[rickyw]

I've never heard of them. Is it coming with a bedding block or pillars?

No..I’ll have it pillar and glass bedded when I get it

 

[PRDATR]

I'm a big fan of a stock with a bedding block like I had in the H&S Precision stock on my 7-08. I would take the barreled action in and out of it and just snug it up with a T Handle and it never lost zero. Once you get it finished you can play around with the front and rear torques. Sometimes a little less on the front works out better than equal amounts.
Looking forward to seeing the finished rifle.

 

[UrsusMinor]

If, when tightening the action screws, your barrel is making contact with the stock before the action does, it will shoot terrible groups. The flex of the plastic stock doesn’t help at all either. If it were me, I’d wait until I had it bedded into the comp stock to before sending too much money out the barrel.

However, if you’re just curious and want it to shoot halfway decently before you get your MPI (it is a great time to do barrel break-in), hog out the barrel channel of your plastic stock with a dremel, so you can slip a playing card or two between the barrel and stock without friction.