Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
Bill, have shot a lot of factory rifles that consistently walked their shots after getting hot. All free floated barrels and results were consistent. Actions all properly bedded.
3 or 4 shots in the group (sporter barrels) then shots would move in some direction away from the group and increase in dispersion. Cool the barrel down and shots return to POA. Results were repeatable.
I have owned a few match barrels that maintained their round groups even after the barrel got too hot to touch. Group size did increase a bit but nothing like the factory barrels.
I consider that walking/dispersion of shots as the barrel heats up as warping. What else would you call it?
I tried the slots in stock thing and didn't see any benefit. The amount of air that circulates is not much so really more for looks then function.
Cut away forends though have given me two benefits. The first is more shots in the group before it walks. Eventually, continued shooting heats a barrel up way faster then it can cool and when it hits that 'hot' temp, it moves.
The second is that I can wrap the barrel with cold wet towels to cool it down very quickly. When shooting in 30C plus weather, heavy barrels don't cool down for a very long time.
In a normal stock, cooling one side doesn't sit too well with me. Yes, steel conducts heat and will eventually equalise but....
Simple enough to prove the benefits of a cut away forend but will cost you a stock
.
As to rigidity, some stocks will need to be reinforced after the forend sides are cut away. However, most varmint or target style stocks are wide enough and have enough material that rigidity is retained.
In my lastest project where I built up a 3" wide stock for my 7 Mystic, the cut away foreend is far more rigid then the orig Stevens (not hard to do) and equal to any target stock on the market.
Jerry
3 or 4 shots in the group (sporter barrels) then shots would move in some direction away from the group and increase in dispersion. Cool the barrel down and shots return to POA. Results were repeatable.
I have owned a few match barrels that maintained their round groups even after the barrel got too hot to touch. Group size did increase a bit but nothing like the factory barrels.
I consider that walking/dispersion of shots as the barrel heats up as warping. What else would you call it?
I tried the slots in stock thing and didn't see any benefit. The amount of air that circulates is not much so really more for looks then function.
Cut away forends though have given me two benefits. The first is more shots in the group before it walks. Eventually, continued shooting heats a barrel up way faster then it can cool and when it hits that 'hot' temp, it moves.
The second is that I can wrap the barrel with cold wet towels to cool it down very quickly. When shooting in 30C plus weather, heavy barrels don't cool down for a very long time.
In a normal stock, cooling one side doesn't sit too well with me. Yes, steel conducts heat and will eventually equalise but....
Simple enough to prove the benefits of a cut away forend but will cost you a stock
.As to rigidity, some stocks will need to be reinforced after the forend sides are cut away. However, most varmint or target style stocks are wide enough and have enough material that rigidity is retained.
In my lastest project where I built up a 3" wide stock for my 7 Mystic, the cut away foreend is far more rigid then the orig Stevens (not hard to do) and equal to any target stock on the market.
Jerry
