Dose anyone own a modle 70 camo Ultimate shadow in Stainless? If so is the Barrel free floated? Whinchester ads, say the new blue barrels are. Just wounding if the sst were floated. If you have one of these rifles, how about let me know. Thanks

After looking at their web site , and not finding mention of either being floated , I would imagine if the blued are floated there wouldn't be any reason that the stainless would not be that I can think of(?).


444fitch

There is two pressure points at the front of the stock,about 1 inch back from the tip. from there back too the action is fully free floated. if you shoot from a bipod in the prone position you are putting some pressure on the front of the stock, so you want those 2 pressure points there.

It's easy to tell. Try using a dollar bill and slide it down the forarm between stock and the barrel. If it goes down to about three inches in front of the barrel it is free floated.

The general rule is a properly bedded bolt action rifle will shoot better if the barrel is free floated and the action glassbedded. You have to realize that some guns are not free floated for a purpose. Some rifles respond to better accuracy if there is some upward pressure near the end of the forarm. Ruger #1's are an example of rifles that come from the factory bedded this way.

Forty plus years of shooting has shown that glass bedding and free floating the barrel has always given me some accuracy gains. Bedding and floating though is not a promise to better accuracy. Proper bullet and load selection helps, Good optics, good shooting techniques and good benchrest equipment help.

Shooting hodgepodge factory ammo off of a rolled up coat placed on top of the hood of a pickup truck with the least expensive chain store optics usually does not lead to good accuracy.