Free-floating barrel

Last updated


CheyTac Intervention Thor xm408.jpg
CheyTac Intervention

A free-floating barrel is a firearm design used in precision rifles, particularly match grade benchrest rifles, to accurize the weapon system.

With conventional rifles, the gun barrel rests in contact with the fore-end of the gunstock, sometimes along the whole length. If the stock is wooden, environmental conditions or operational use may warp the wood, which may also cause the barrel to shift its alignment slightly over time, altering the projectile's external ballistics and thus the point of impact. Contact between the barrel and the stock affects the natural frequency of the barrel, which can reduce accuracy especially when the barrel gets hot with repeated firing. The effect of the stock on the barrel can cause the barrel to vibrate inconsistently from shot to shot, depending on the external forces acting upon the stock at the time of the shot. Such vibrations affect the bullet's trajectory, changing the point of impact.

A free-floating barrel is one where the barrel and stock do not touch at any point along the barrel's length. The barrel is attached to its receiver, which is attached to the stock, but the barrel does not touch any other gun parts except perhaps the front sight, which is often mounted on the barrel. This minimizes possible variance in mechanical pressure distortions of the barrel alignment, and allows vibration to occur at the natural frequency of the barrel consistently and uniformly.

Alternatives include using a stock made from composite materials which do not deform as much under temperature or humidity changes, or a wooden stock with a fiberglass contact area ("glass bedding"). Stocks which contact the barrel are still popular for many utility weapons, though most precision rifle designs have adopted free-floating barrels.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carbine</span> Shortened version of a standard firearm

A carbine is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firearm</span> Gun for an individual

A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rifle</span> Common long range firearm

A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting and higher stopping power, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves (rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with both hands and braced firmly against the shooter's shoulder via a buttstock for stability during shooting. Rifles are used extensively in warfare, law enforcement, hunting and target shooting sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SVD (rifle)</span> Soviet semi-automatic marksman rifle

The SVD, GRAU index 6V1, is a semi-automatic designated marksman rifle/sniper rifle chambered in the 7.62×54mmR cartridge, developed in the Soviet Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sniper rifle</span> Type of rifle used for long-range engagements against enemy personnel

A sniper rifle is a high-precision, long-range rifle. Requirements include high accuracy, reliability, and mobility, concealment, and optics, for anti-personnel, anti-materiel and surveillance uses by military snipers. The modern sniper rifle is a portable shoulder-fired rifle with either a bolt action or semi-automatic action, fitted with a telescopic sight for extreme accuracy and chambered for a high-ballistic performance centerfire cartridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M24 Sniper Weapon System</span> Bolt action sniper rifle

The M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) or M24 is the military and police version of the Remington Model 700 rifle, M24 being the model name assigned by the United States Army after adoption as their standard sniper rifle in 1988. The M24 is referred to as a "weapon system" because it consists of not only a rifle, but also a detachable telescopic sight and other accessories.

The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle is a bolt-action sniper rifle designed and manufactured by the British company Accuracy International. It has proved popular as a civilian, police, and military rifle since its introduction in the 1980s. The rifles have some features that improve performance in very cold conditions without impairing operation in less extreme conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron sights</span> Aiming device

Iron sights are a system of physical alignment markers used as a sighting device to assist the accurate aiming of ranged weapons (such as a firearms, airguns, crossbows, and bows, or less commonly as a primitive finder sight for optical telescopes. Iron sights are the earliest type of sighting device, as it relies completely on the viewer's naked eye, and is distinctly different to optical sights such as telescopic sights, reflector sights, holographic sights, and laser sights, which make use of optical manipulation and/or active illumination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEAL Recon Rifle</span> Designated marksman rifle

The SEAL Recon Rifle is an American designated marksman rifle and assault rifle used by the United States Navy SEALs. Essentially a heavily modified M16 rifle, it is intended to provide SEAL snipers and designated marksmen with a versatile, accurate, lightweight, and relatively compact weapon chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bipod</span> A tool used to mount devices, most notably guns

A bipod is a V-shaped portable attachment that helps support and steady a device, usually a weapon such as a long gun or a mortar. The term comes from the Latin prefix bi- and Greek root pod, meaning "two" and "foot" respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Accurizing</span> Process of improving the accuracy and precision of a gun

Accurizing is the process of improving the accuracy and precision of a gun.

A gunstock or often simply stock, the back portion of which is also known as a shoulder stock, a buttstock, or simply a butt, is a part of a long gun that provides structural support, to which the barrel, action, and firing mechanism are attached. The stock also provides a means for the shooter to firmly brace the gun and easily aim with stability by being held against the user's shoulder when shooting the gun, and helps to counter muzzle rise by transmitting recoil straight into the shooter's body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ArmaLite AR-7</span> Survival rifle

The ArmaLite AR-7 Explorer is a semi-automatic firearm in .22 Long Rifle caliber, developed in 1959 from the AR-5 that was adopted by the U.S. Air Force as a pilot and aircrew survival weapon. The AR-7 was adopted and modified by the Israeli Air Force as an aircrew survival weapon in the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine Scout Sniper Rifle</span> Designated marksman rifle

The Marine Scout Sniper Rifle (MSSR) is a Philippine semi-automatic designated marksman rifle developed by the Philippine Marine Corps for their Marine Scout Snipers. Designed in the mid-1990s to replace severely-outdated battle rifles then used as marksman rifles, the MSSR is essentially an M16A1 that has been heavily modified and accurized to serve as a marksman rifle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barrel shroud</span> Firearm covering protective against burns

A barrel shroud is an external covering that envelops the barrel of a firearm, to prevent unwanted direct contact with the barrel. Moving coverings such as pistol slides, fore-end extension of the gunstock/chassis that do not fully encircle the barrel, and the receiver of a firearm itself are generally not described as barrel shrouds, though they can functionally act as such.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rifle bedding</span> Firearm accurizing process

Rifle bedding is a gunsmithing process of providing a rigid and consistent foundation for a rifle’s operational components, by creating a stable and close-fitting bearing surface between the gun's functional parts and its structural support that do not deform with heat, pressure and moisture, or shift under the shear stress of the recoil from firing. The bedding process is often an aftermarket modification, and is done for the goal of accurizing the rifle and prolonging the service life of the stock.

The following are terms related to firearms and ammunition topics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FR F1</span> Sniper rifle

The FR F1 is a French sniper rifle manufactured by the Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne (MAS); one of several government-owned arms factories in France. The FR F1 was France's first purpose-built precision rifle for sharpshooters. Introduced in 1966, the rifle was in use with the French Armed Forces until 1989 when it was replaced by the FR F2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brügger & Thomet APR</span> Sniper rifle

The APR is a bolt-action sniper rifle designed by the Thun-based Brügger & Thomet in 2003 as an evolution of the French PGM Précision.

The Savage 110 BA is a bolt-action sniper/tactical rifle manufactured by Savage Arms. The rifle is designated with an "LE" code; "Law Enforcement". All 110 BA series rifles are configured with AccuTrigger, matte-blued barreled action, fluted heavy free-floating barrel, muzzle brake, oversized bolt handle, external box magazine, magpul adjustable stock, adjustable pistol grip, and three swivel studs for sling and bipod mounting.

References