# modifying synthetic stocks



## Last Man Standing (Dec 7, 2011)

So I've got a cheaper rifle with a synthetic stock that actually shoots very straight. I've never thought about doing any mods on it because for the money it performs great. Well, just for kicks yesterday I tried to slide a dollar bill between the barrel and stock to check clearance and found that it had none. I popped the stock off and used a little hand chisel to try to make some clearance with much success. It was slow, inconsistent work, plastic is not fun like wood. I'm curious if any has had experience free floating a barrel on a plastic stock and if any tools or techniques worked well for you. Otherwise a hand chisel is going to take me weeks :?


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## stimmie78 (Dec 8, 2007)

I've never done it.. but a dremel comes to mind... Could get messy though..


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

I used sand paper just like you would with wood.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm with Stimmie - dremel.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

stimmie78 said:


> I've never done it.. but a dremel comes to mind... Could get messy though..


Yup, dremal works fine with the right bit! Make sure you don't grind any holes through it if its a hollow stock (if you do, use JBweld to fill it back in). Also keep in mind some stocks need a certain thickness in the barrel channel for rigidity for the front rifle sling.

-DallanC


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

Last Man Standing said:


> So I've got a cheaper rifle with a synthetic stock that actually shoots very straight. I've never thought about doing any mods on it because for the money it performs great. Well, just for kicks yesterday I tried to slide a dollar bill between the barrel and stock to check clearance and found that it had none. I popped the stock off and used a little hand chisel to try to make some clearance with much success. It was slow, inconsistent work, plastic is not fun like wood. I'm curious if any has had experience free floating a barrel on a plastic stock and if any tools or techniques worked well for you. Otherwise a hand chisel is going to take me weeks :?


If it shoots well I might leave it alone. Not all guns do better free floated.


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## Last Man Standing (Dec 7, 2011)

I wish I had a dremel, but being a poor student, I'm not in a good place to buy one right now  I might have to go the sandpaper route like Al mentioned. 


Cooky said:


> If it shoots well I might leave it alone. Not all guns do better free floated.


Cooky, even if it didn't help it, do you think it could have a large negative impact? Cause it's kinda too late...


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Remington specifically puts a bump up in the forearm of their stocks for the barrel to rest on... that said, I always found they shot better without it ... /shrug


-DallanC


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

You probably didn’t hurt it. If you did you can put in a pressure pad with some glue and cardboard.
My experience is that floated barrels work well if the action is bedded well (either from the factory or I glassed it) and the barrel is fairly stiff. This probably explains DallanC’s experience with Remingtons, their action shape enables them to fit nicely into a factory stock. That, and I have seen more than one with a poorly shaped or positioned pressure pad.
Lighter barrels like a little upward tension.
Action screws torqued evenly and firmly can do as much as screwing with the barrel channel or bedding the action.
Here’s a picture of the correct tools for opening a barrel channel. I don’t remember how much they cost, I imagine they went on my account at Brownells years ago.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

One more thing to point out... BEFORE you start modifying your stock, insert some thin plastic shims between the action and the stock. This should lift the barrel enough to give it some room. Now go test shoot it, if it shoots better then fine, go float it. If not, then there is no point to floating it.


-DallanC


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

Dremal is the only way to go. If thats out of the question, go with a cheap rotary tool like this.

http://www.harborfreight.com/80-piece-r ... 97626.html


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## MKP (Mar 7, 2010)

Bo0YaA said:


> Dremal is the only way to go. If thats out of the question, go with a cheap rotary tool like this.
> 
> http://www.harborfreight.com/80-piece-r ... 97626.html


I actually have one of those Harbor Freight jobs and it works pretty well for the price. Mine's pretty loud now because the bearings have worn out, but it still works. It's no Dremal, but it gets the job done.


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## Last Man Standing (Dec 7, 2011)

Well there's no harbor freight near me, so a $5 wood chisel and some sand paper and an insomnia filled night got the job done. I successful floated the entire barrel and took it out today to see what kind of damage I'd done. Well, it was good news, what was accurate at 100 yard was deadly accurate at 200 today. No repercussions as far as I can tell and the performance was awesome. So far so good!


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

:O||:


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

Good deal! I really hope my wife dosen't find out these projects can be done without buying a bunch of nifty new tools each time.


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## mtnrunner260 (Feb 15, 2010)

If your going to school around Ogden I've got a dremmel we could use.
Been thinking of doing it to one of my guns as well.


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## Last Man Standing (Dec 7, 2011)

Cooky said:


> Good deal! I really hope my wife dosen't find out these projects can be done without buying a bunch of nifty new tools each time.


I'm right there with ya man.


mtnrunner260 said:


> If your going to school around Ogden I've got a dremmel we could use.
> Been thinking of doing it to one of my guns as well.


I'm down in cedar city, thanks for the offer though. If you have any questions I'm happy to try to answer them for you.


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