Accuracy improvement from free floating barrel?

omster

omster

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I've searched this site and many others for something definitive to warrant modifying my MOE FDE to a 'free floating' barrel... does anyone have any experience or pictures to show that the mod by itself improves grouping accuracy? Remember, this is for the mod only - I already am aware the shooter, type of ammo, wind & temperature, wife's mood, moon position, etc. affects the accuracy!

TIA!
 
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I did some calculations which show that even a few pounds of force exerted on the barrel can result in a couple inches of movement of point of impact at 100 yards. But it's the force /variation/ that makes the difference, since if it were constant, you'd just adjust the sight for it. Since I sometimes use a bipod, I figured the force would vary enough to make a difference. Plus, you're preventing or influencing the natural vibration harmonics of the barrel, which can make a real difference.

I won't try to convince you, but it convinced me enough to remove the muzzle brake and the end cap, and open up the end cap to give me about 1/16" clearance to the barrel all around. I won't guarantee it will make me shoot better, but it's one less think to think (or worry) about. ;)
 
Free float only really applys if your shooting in a way that puts pressure on the foregrip in any shot 1" higher @ 50 yards using ky bipod. I removed the foregrip end cap and dremeled out the hole the barrel sits threw, bipod shooting is now the same poi as shootong offhand..
If you ise the sling for support or bipod ornrest on a bench/ stand none freenfloat will hit higer duebto upwards pressure way.. i my self
 
There are a few other things that can help also. One is to swap the polymer quad rail for an alloy modular one. This anchors the barrel nut to a long rigid metal structure. Bolting the receiver and the quad rail together with a 6" long 1/2" riser will improve the rigidity, but not as much as swapping the handguard out. Putting on and tuning a Limbsaver Barrel De-resonator will greatly improve the groups size of bulk ammo. But you have to tune its location for one brand of ammo to get the most out of it.
I use the Nordic AR22 13" alloy modular handguard on my PC model, mainly to get the length for shooting speed events with the proper grip. But it has improved long range accuracy, too. Still not near my Rem 597 with its VQ CF bull barrel but I don't expect it to.
 
Evening omster

I have shot many groups with my 15-22 using a few different brand .22 ammo's using back to back (same sitting) free float the barrel then snap the close-out back in for comparison.

So far free floating the barrel (no front close-out in place) has opened my groups up.

This is shooting off of both custom formed sand bags & a micrometer type rest.

To me it seems the front of the plastic lower receiver is so compliant & soft that the barrel moves easier with the front close-out removed than with it in place & having the fore-grip adding some added structure.
 
Thanks Wolverine & everyone for their insight so far - sounds like the jury may still be out on this case after reading your post :(

I suppose it's easy enough to remove the end cap at the range and try my own comparison, just hoping someone's already had a ruling on this matter. (would leaving the cap dangling on the barrel tamper with the test in any way? e.g. affect harmonic resonance, etc.)

I was hoping to get to the range in the next couple of days and compare CCI Tactical vs. Winchester M-22, and site in my green laser, so this would just add another justification for the wifey - nothing wrong with that! :D

Still would love to hear opinions on how free floating this barrel affected accuracy though...
 
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i read a lot that was in favor for removing the end cap so i opened mine up. then i added a shroud so i just complete removed it.
 
Yea... With a shroud that would be considered free floating... so has that afected grouping for shooters with shrouds???
 
i havent shot a long enough distance to really compare the 2, sorry. for my 15yd indoor range, it still shoots pretty well.
 
The 15/22 will never compete with a bolt gun like a BRNO or such. It will shoot minute of bad guy out far enough to be a good tool.

I doubt there will be any appreciable difference with the end cap on or off.

KBK
 
tacticool22 said:
I have run a few different free float hand guards and I will never go back to quad rail jail.
What's this "Free Float" project?
Click to expand...

Project for lack of a better word. If you go back to the time of this original post,some people were playing with different ideas on free floating the barrel on the 15-22. Had a hard time finding this one and there were quite a few (at the time) and I just wondered if anyone had "built the better mouse trap" or gave up and hoped it wasn't anything they couldn't fix. Some were doing simple things like inlarging the hole on the snap on piece around the barrel (811030 SKU) so it didn't touch the barrel...Some just changing handguards. Then the thread just went by the way side. Never really heard if it was worth the time and effort and just a waist of time for a small gain.
 
I free-floated the barrel on my MOE by simply loosening the end cap, and letting it ride an inch outside the quad rail. Later, I removed the flash hider and Dremeled out the end cap. Done. ;-)
 
rraisley said:
I free-floated the barrel on my MOE by simply loosening the end cap, and letting it ride an inch outside the quad rail. Later, I removed the flash hider and Dremeled out the end cap. Done. ;-)
Click to expand...

Did you notice any particular difference? I did that before I put the muzzle brake on mine but didn't notice any particular increase in accuracy. SIght was a 3-9x32 scope completely on the upper - nothing on the quad rail.
 
rraisley said:
I free-floated the barrel on my MOE by simply loosening the end cap, and letting it ride an inch outside the quad rail. Later, I removed the flash hider and Dremeled out the end cap. Done. ;-)
Click to expand...

Dremeled out as in how much ? 1/8th" work or a bit larger ? My 811030 doesn't have a flash hider,so the inlarged hole would be an easy job with my Dremel. Did it show improvement in your groups and range ? Thanks.
 
Maddmax said:
Dremeled out as in how much ? 1/8th" work or a bit larger ? My 811030 doesn't have a flash hider,so the inlarged hole would be an easy job with my Dremel. Did it show improvement in your groups and range ? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Problem is the hole has to be close to 1/8" larger in diameter than the barrel (about 0.67" diameter), and I couldn't find any step or taper drills that would do that, so used a Dremel sanding cylinder, and just worked at it slowly. I opened it up about 0.10" I believe, and it appears to now clear under all conditions. I just didn't want to get into the holes in the end of the end cap, and wanted to keep it pretty round.

As to accuracy, I don't know that I saw an improvement, but I use a bipod at the end of the quad rail, and did calculations that if it contacted with any force, or if I would pull down on the receiver/main portion of the gun, the force could easily change POI by several inches. That was enough to convince me that it shouldn't touch. But I doubt the difference will be noticed under most conditions. I honestly feel simply moving the end cap forward was just as good, accuracy-wise, but of course didn't look as good. Anyhow, it was worth clamping the barrel between 2x4's to remove the flash hider to do, IMHO. It may not really help, but that's one less variable I don't have to worry about. And in my experience, eliminating variables can actually help a lot. ;)
 
rraisley said:
Problem is the hole has to be close to 1/8" larger in diameter than the barrel (about 0.67" diameter), and I couldn't find any step or taper drills that would do that, so used a Dremel sanding cylinder, and just worked at it slowly. I opened it up about 0.10" I believe, and it appears to now clear under all conditions. I just didn't want to get into the holes in the end of the end cap, and wanted to keep it pretty round.

As to accuracy, I don't know that I saw an improvement, but I use a bipod at the end of the quad rail, and did calculations that if it contacted with any force, or if I would pull down on the receiver/main portion of the gun, the force could easily change POI by several inches. That was enough to convince me that it shouldn't touch. But I doubt the difference will be noticed under most conditions. I honestly feel simply moving the end cap forward was just as good, accuracy-wise, but of course didn't look as good. Anyhow, it was worth clamping the barrel between 2x4's to remove the flash hider to do, IMHO. It may not really help, but that's one less variable I don't have to worry about. And in my experience, eliminating variables can actually help a lot. ;)
Click to expand...

Gottcha.:o) That's what I'm looking for. I can sand a good hole with a Dremel. Hint: Next time put the piece in the freezer and it will sand easier and better. Takes time and a bit more time being you are also reheating the polimer. Buffs out nicer too.

Sounds crazy,but have you tried moving your bipod back and as close to the mag as you can get it ? That would take the "stress" back to it's closest "hard" point. Shouldn't be much if any movement at that point,on the barrel end at all. Not to mention also a ballence point where you could hold onto the bipod for control as your aiming.

I keep reminding myself it's "plastic" not metal and WILL act differently.

Thanks
 
rraisley said:
I free-floated the barrel on my MOE by simply loosening the end cap, and letting it ride an inch outside the quad rail. Later, I removed the flash hider and Dremeled out the end cap. Done. ;-)
Click to expand...

Just an after thought (new trick ?). I also plan on breaking in this 15-22 "gently". Not getting the barrel too hot and seasoning it slowly to let everything seat/season/temper, being it's all polymer (except the barrel an BC) that are embedded in the polymer. I think these have the potential to be better shooters if broken in right and not shot too hot. A friend broke his in hard and it's not the best shooter. Not that I expect a tack driver at 100 yards,but that's what I'm shooting for.
 
Maddmax said:
Just an after thought (new trick ?). I also plan on breaking in this 15-22 "gently". Not getting the barrel too hot and seasoning it slowly to let everything seat/season/temper, being it's all polymer (except the barrel an BC) that are embedded in the polymer. I think these have the potential to be better shooters if broken in right and not shot too hot. A friend broke his in hard and it's not the best shooter. Not that I expect a tack driver at 100 yards,but that's what I'm shooting for.
Click to expand...

Just like a good horse - can't ride 'em hard and then put 'em away wet and expect top performance later on. :D
 
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