JP>-> Free-floating the action is done by routing out, and the barrel is
JP>-> either glued in the stock or fitted with blind nuts to allow it to be
JP>-> drawn into the channel with screws.
JP>I dunno.  GLUEING the barrel permanently to the stock sounds kind of
JP>nuts to me . . .
A lot of match rifles are made that way -- the idea is that taking the
barrel and action out of the stock a few times will damage the bedding,
so you're not going to take them out of the stock if you can possibly
help it.
JP>I wonder if anyone still does it the old fashioned way?  With machinists
JP>blue and a scraper?
I've done it -- with both cartridge weapons and muzzle loaders.
Traditionally, the aim is to get as fine a fit as possible -- the
problem is that wood isn't as stable as glass, so you can't really
duplicate a good glass-bedding job -- especially if you're as clumsy as
I am.
But I'm a heretic -- I say "shoot the gun first."  If it shoots well,
leave it alone.
If you're into something like BR 50 competition (bench rest .22 matches)
them really fine accuracy is essential -- but for most other uses, extra
accuracy is wasted.  For example, about 99.9% of my shooting with a .22
is off-hand -- to me, a good .22 is a squirrel hunter's rifle, and I
never managed to lug a bench rest into the woods when I was hunting.
Sometime people get onto me because I shoot "cheap" ammo -- my response
is that from offhand, I can't shoot well enough to tell the difference
between one brand of ammo and another.  When I get to the point where
**I** can shoot a half inch group at 50 yards from offhand, then I'll
worry about finding ammo that can match that. :-)
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