-> Well, I finally ordered a heavy barrel for my 10/22 from Midway.  I'm
-> sitting here looking at it, wondering how to get the most out of it.
-> I appreciate any input, whether heresay or firsthand experience!
-> Thanks!
OK.  This is from an article called OPTIMIZING YOUR ACCURACY by Craig
Boddington.  It appeared in a recent Petersons Rifle Shooter.
"The simple purpose for barrel bedding is stability.  The barrel
vibrates like a firehose while the bullet travels its length.  Bedding -
marrying the barrel and action to the stock - damps vibration somewhat,
but the real benefit is to ensure the barrel vibrates the same way each
time.  There are several ways to do this.  You can bed the action and
free-float the barrel.  You can glass-bed the whole works - action and
barrel channel.  You can free-float most of the barrel and have just a
slight bit of upward pressure on the fore-end tip.  You can pillar-bed
with aluminum blocks.  And there are other techniques.  None are
necessarily better than others (although free-floating is generally best
suited to heavier barrels).
Keep in mind that many production factory rifles aren't really bedded at
all, just fitted into the stock.  If you can't get the accuracy you want
- and especially if your groups string vertically or horizontally -
bedding is often the culprit.  A bit of pressure along the barrel
channel can do dramatic things.  You can bed, or you can rebed or you
can change the bedding method.  Again, as long as they are done
properly, all the standard techniques work."
-> What I was thinking of doing is locking the barrel down to the stock
-> with several set screws.
I've never heard of anything like this, John.
I believe the bench-rest fanatics free-float their barrels.
Regards
John
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