How much clearance for free floating a .17 hmr barrel?

[tarponhead]

I just opened up the gap between forend and sporter barrel to c.4.5 thou. Is that enough or do I have to shoot it before I can be sure? Grateful for any experts out there giving me an opinion.

 

[Demetrius]

If I need to do this, I use a business card wrapped around the barrel and slid up to touch the receiver.....keep sanding a little at a time until you can achieve this without it jamming..

Probably something like 0.25-0.5mm...

D.

 

[Jagged77]

At least a sheet of paper if not thin card. Most important thing if it’s a wood stock is to make sure it’s sealed properly after sanding.

 

[Smellydog]

Your all wrong!

If you are going to float a barrel off the stock you need at least 1/8" clearance.

The times I've seen witness marks on a so called floating barrel is unreal.
Folk have no idea how much a barrel moves on firing with the exception of rimfires and most are unaware how much a forend can move under certain conditions.

 

[chriswjx]

Your all wrong!

Folk have no idea how much a barrel moves on firing with the exception of rimfires and most are unaware how much a forend can move under certain conditions.

The question is about a 17HMR?

 

[timbrayford]

Conventional wisdom at our rifle club is to slide a £ 5 note between barrel and stock

 

[Smellydog]

The question is about a 17HMR?

I know but my point is that if you are going to do it do it right. WMR and HMR barrels vibrate a lot more than a 22's.

 

[Bowland blades]

You can get anything from full contact bedding ( often done on full stock rifles ) to a gap you might poke your finger in and out the other side !

 

[tarponhead]

Interesting - I did shoot it afterwards yesterday and the groups are massively improved - I nearly binned the remains of a box of v-max on the assumption that I have perfectly adequate shotguns to use if I want a six inch spread! Now I’m wondering if your advice SD, means I need to go further and open it some more. That said, my DIY can be a bit like that, so maybe I should quit whilst I‘m ahead… this on a Sako rifle, so it could be an expensive mistake.

 

[Phil fox man]

same as SD,at least 1/8" also a bigger clearance will help with even cooling of the barrel on fast string shots.
phil.

 

[tarponhead]

I checked the clearance on my Sako P94S - 22lr and it’s about the same - using £20 note. Clearance on my Bergara is significantly more - more like SD’s 1/8th inch. I assume every rifle will be unique but they must be similar between barrel profiles for each calibre depending on bullet weight. Not overthinking it - as long as it shoots consistently, with hunting groups, I’m happy - but it beats wasting ammo if the root cause is elsewhere.

 

[GWP]

Sako quad barell nowhere near the stock