A friend was trying to offload a Rem 700 VTR in .308. He said it was a great shooter - that is always relative. I looked at it as maybe a hunting rifle that when I got the money together, I could cabbage the action and make into something more interesting. Well - off to the range. Strapped it into the PIG saddle, and got the Nikon scope and barrel pointed at the same place. I slowed down, and shot a 5-shot group with 168 gr BH. All one big ragged hole. It was a little spread out, but about 3/4 MOA. A second 5 shot group was 4 rounds in one small ragged hole, with one flyer "opening" it up to about 2/3 moa. WTF? This thing with the triangle barrel and stupid muzzle break can shoot. I looked - and the barrel isn't free-floated at all.
So - how can a non-free-floating production gun with a weird barrel shape (obviously a gimmick) in a crappy stock shoot so well? I thought a barrel had to be free-floated or it was going to cause problems. If it's a sub-MOA rifle as-is, will it be better if I drop it into an HS stock that floats the barrel? Or - will I anger the rifle gods if I mess with it? I honestly thought these rifles didn't have a particularly great rep. I also think the barrel looks kinda cool.
So - what gives? Does a pressure point actually help some rifles? Should I screw with it, or leave it alone? Change stocks, or just put a nicer scope on it and shoot the piss out of it?
So - how can a non-free-floating production gun with a weird barrel shape (obviously a gimmick) in a crappy stock shoot so well? I thought a barrel had to be free-floated or it was going to cause problems. If it's a sub-MOA rifle as-is, will it be better if I drop it into an HS stock that floats the barrel? Or - will I anger the rifle gods if I mess with it? I honestly thought these rifles didn't have a particularly great rep. I also think the barrel looks kinda cool.
So - what gives? Does a pressure point actually help some rifles? Should I screw with it, or leave it alone? Change stocks, or just put a nicer scope on it and shoot the piss out of it?