I just picked up a Ruger 10/22 carbine with the walnut stock and I am interested in free floating the barrel. Before I alter my stock, or more likely buy another factory stock to alter ( I like keeping my stuff original if possible, or at least the ability to change it back to original) Anyways, I digress, as I understand it free floating a barrel improves barrel harmonics which in turn improves accuracy. Seems simple, so simple I wonder why they don't do it at the factory. Why do they put a barrel band on the carbine model? (and a junky plastic one at that) Are there any negatives to free floating a barrel?
The barrel band is a cheap, aesthetically pleasing way of adding a sling point; that's my best guess as to why they do it. I can't think of any negatives to a free floating aside from the time and effort it takes to do it. Here's a little more info on a 10/22 bedding http://www.varminthunters.com/tech/1022bedding.html
True, it's a simple concept. However, in my experience it takes quite a bit of time /patience to free float a barrel, so I would surmise that most manuf. don't want that added cost in time or $$ to do it at the factory. Each stock is different and doesn't come out the machine that makes it exactly the same, so the amount of material that needs to be shaved off is different for each rifle. If the factory tried to do this for all of them, it would be too expensive. I'm sure there are manufacturers out there that do this at the factory. BUt for Ruger, it's probably a cost thing. It's not a bad thing to do. I've done it on my Marlin 781 Bolt .22 and just did it with my MOsin Nagant 91/30 when i dropped it into an ATI stock. If you like keeping your stuff "original", I would go with the extra factory stock to futz around with. YMMV, D
I'm sure it is a cost thing or else they would do it. But that answer could be said about most anything. I know it's doable, I worked for a company that used CNC routers to route out wooden propellers for airplanes. The tolerances on the router were +- .001. But by no means was it production process. I ended up buying an extra walnut stock on EBay for $25 shipped. Still waiting for it in the mail. I'm thinking about doing some carving on the stock as well, maybe at Celtic knot pattern for grip.
