cajungeo
05-03-2004, 18:41
Page 1
Free Float the Mini-14/30 Barrel For Improved Accuracy
Many people know that free floating a rifle barrel will improve accuracy. The degree of accuracy gained can be small to large. Now how are we going to free float the barrel with the gas block clamped around it? We do this by floating the barrel at the gas block. It is important for accuracy sake to insure that your Stock, Stock Cap Assembly, and gas block doesn't pre-load ( bind ) the barrel. Mine did, and yours probably does to. The force binding the barrel will change your harmonics, and as the barrel heats up your POI may drift. In some cases by a bunch. Weather you have bedded your stock or not it should be free floated for best accuracy.
Note: If you are going to bed your stock, I would recommend free-floating the barrel first. This will ensure your barrel isn't pre-loaded when you bed. Otherwise you may have to rebed. I lucked out on mine. I bedded first then free floated the barrel 1 year later. It wasn't off a whole lot so I didn't have to re-bed.
Check your stock's fit by:
1. Unloading rifle, remove trigger group, barrel/receiver, slide assy and spring, hand guard, gas block with gas piston, and gas port bushing.
2. Next re-install barrel/receiver and trigger group into stock. Then place "lower" gas block in place with the gas piston, and the gas port bushing. Press and release the gas block (acting with the stock) and note if it springs back leaving a gap between barrel, and gas block, or if barrel is applying downward force onto lower gas block. If it springs back, this is the force acting on your barrel. A net fit is as close to free floating the mini's barrel as we can get.
Note: We are checking gas block to barrel fit, but adjusting the fit by re-forming the Forearm Liner & stock Cap Assembly. Dont worry about a gap to your Stock or Stock cap. See Pic. Also it may work better to hold rifle by the barrel with lower gas block up. (So it won't fall off). Don't loose the little bushing! And no don't bore out the barrel hole in the gas block!
3. Small gap - may be taken out by:
A. Carefully re-form Forearm Liner & stock Cap Assembly (The part that fits in the gas block).
B. A small amount can be carefully taken off the stock that mates with the Stock cap assy. I took of about .020" from mine. This brings the stock cap and lower gas block up to meet the barrel.
4. Larger gaps - will be taken out by bedding or re-bedding your stock, especially under the receiver on top of the stock. This will control the barrel to stock fit in the vertical direction. Note while bedding that is why Mike Knifong in his video does not latch the trigger group all the way, as it will lift the barrel up, and the bedding will then bind the barrel.
Note for Hogue stock owners. Bedding under the receiver is not practical as the bedding will not bond well to the rubber coating. The Rubber is near 1/8" thick at this point. Before bedding you can use a feeler gauge to see where the stock is pushing on the receiver on both sides. Mark with tape, and use a razor blade to carefully trim to fit. I removed some from both sides, checking with a feeler gauge. Go slow, and be careful.
5. Huge gap esp. side to side - You may have a warped stock. Replace it.
6. Reassemble, and check it out at the Range.
Free floating your barrel isn't a hard job to do. Just look and think about what you are doing. The resulting improvement will make you :D :D :D
Free Float the Mini-14/30 Barrel For Improved Accuracy
Many people know that free floating a rifle barrel will improve accuracy. The degree of accuracy gained can be small to large. Now how are we going to free float the barrel with the gas block clamped around it? We do this by floating the barrel at the gas block. It is important for accuracy sake to insure that your Stock, Stock Cap Assembly, and gas block doesn't pre-load ( bind ) the barrel. Mine did, and yours probably does to. The force binding the barrel will change your harmonics, and as the barrel heats up your POI may drift. In some cases by a bunch. Weather you have bedded your stock or not it should be free floated for best accuracy.
Note: If you are going to bed your stock, I would recommend free-floating the barrel first. This will ensure your barrel isn't pre-loaded when you bed. Otherwise you may have to rebed. I lucked out on mine. I bedded first then free floated the barrel 1 year later. It wasn't off a whole lot so I didn't have to re-bed.
Check your stock's fit by:
1. Unloading rifle, remove trigger group, barrel/receiver, slide assy and spring, hand guard, gas block with gas piston, and gas port bushing.
2. Next re-install barrel/receiver and trigger group into stock. Then place "lower" gas block in place with the gas piston, and the gas port bushing. Press and release the gas block (acting with the stock) and note if it springs back leaving a gap between barrel, and gas block, or if barrel is applying downward force onto lower gas block. If it springs back, this is the force acting on your barrel. A net fit is as close to free floating the mini's barrel as we can get.
Note: We are checking gas block to barrel fit, but adjusting the fit by re-forming the Forearm Liner & stock Cap Assembly. Dont worry about a gap to your Stock or Stock cap. See Pic. Also it may work better to hold rifle by the barrel with lower gas block up. (So it won't fall off). Don't loose the little bushing! And no don't bore out the barrel hole in the gas block!
3. Small gap - may be taken out by:
A. Carefully re-form Forearm Liner & stock Cap Assembly (The part that fits in the gas block).
B. A small amount can be carefully taken off the stock that mates with the Stock cap assy. I took of about .020" from mine. This brings the stock cap and lower gas block up to meet the barrel.
4. Larger gaps - will be taken out by bedding or re-bedding your stock, especially under the receiver on top of the stock. This will control the barrel to stock fit in the vertical direction. Note while bedding that is why Mike Knifong in his video does not latch the trigger group all the way, as it will lift the barrel up, and the bedding will then bind the barrel.
Note for Hogue stock owners. Bedding under the receiver is not practical as the bedding will not bond well to the rubber coating. The Rubber is near 1/8" thick at this point. Before bedding you can use a feeler gauge to see where the stock is pushing on the receiver on both sides. Mark with tape, and use a razor blade to carefully trim to fit. I removed some from both sides, checking with a feeler gauge. Go slow, and be careful.
5. Huge gap esp. side to side - You may have a warped stock. Replace it.
6. Reassemble, and check it out at the Range.
Free floating your barrel isn't a hard job to do. Just look and think about what you are doing. The resulting improvement will make you :D :D :D