Free Floating barrels

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A topic of considerable discussion and disagreement. With rare exception, in cartridge rifles, I found free floated barrels always shot better, and more consistently, than any pressure point mounting. And, I prefer it in air rifles too. But, there is a large variation in the method of attachment of barrels to the action, and some are pretty fragile. In those cases, some support up front may be better. Barrel bands are also somewhat traditional. My Revere came with one, but there was no contact with the barrel shroud, so it offered no support, and was only a source of rattle when the rifle was moved. So, I removed it, it shoots no differently (great), and the nuisance rattle is gone. The Revere mounting at the shank end is relatively robust, so IMO, no further support is needed. And if it were, then a different band system should be used, since a free floating shroud inside the band does nothing, unless you prefer the look. Then there is the other extreme, such as the Taipan Veteran. The barrel screws into the action, just like a Remington 700, and the scope rail towers are attached with 12 large machine screws, all of which hold the barrel. You could drive over the thing and it probably wouldn't change the POI. There are two major differences when comparing air rifles to CF rifles; there is no contact between the barrel and the stock, and there is relatively little heat generated when shooting. So, you don't have the molecular movement to shift the barrel as in many cartridge rifles. It's kind of personal preference.
 
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Airguns with barrel bands don't have accuracy as ultimate goal, they usually have low price in mind when manufactured. Plus many airguns are made for close range hunting or not design nor the need for long range accuracy. Barrel band is usually there to prevent barre bump and resulting POI shift.

YES, true free floating barrels do have bests accuracy which has been proven beyond doubt. On higher end/accurate airguns barrels are always floating. Just look at Redwolf, Crown, RAQ, Steyr or Thomas.
 
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Beersngars said:
Thanks for the replies. I have read people saying they thought this or that rifle should have a barrel band, most of which would attach to the bottle and it made no sense to me.
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In some specific cases the band might help. Frankly, if it does, it's probably a rifle I wouldn't want to own. To the OP, as you will learn, compared to firearms, most air rifles are fragile contraptions, but some have more solid breech support than others. As the high power sport has grown, we see more rifles with long barrels, to which a suppressor is often attached. That creates some risky geometry if it suffers a bump at the muzzle. Maybe we will see more robust designs as a result.
 
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The thing not mentioned that makes bands/clamp supports beneficial is the barrel droop YOU WONT GET when adding a moderator, which some of are the size of soda pop cans.

Most of the time when people complain about shotgun type patterns it’s usually a combination of barrel droop, use of a moderator, which then leads to clipping
 
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Bigragu said:
The thing not mentioned that makes bands/clamp supports beneficial is the barrel droop YOU WONT GET when adding a moderator, which some of are the size of soda pop cans.

Most of the time when people complain about shotgun type patterns it’s usually a combination of barrel droop, use of a moderator, which then leads to clipping
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Any support that impedes free floating is a bandaid. If a moderator is causing that much droop then maybe try a lighter moderator. I would still rather have fully free floating barrel and a bit louder muzzle report or use my own 3D printed moderators that doesn’t weight much. Stronger barrel mounting isn’t usually something most of us can improve without major surgery.
 
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Air rifles only produce a tiny fraction of the power most center fire rifles do so you don't get the heat or the whip effect in the barrel. This is why FX didn't get much out of the .357 impact with it's 800mm drinking straw. You had to keep the power relatively low to get good accuracy.
Just remember a barrel is only free floating if nothing else touches it past where it mounts in the receiver. If it has a shroud attached to the barrel as most are it is not free floating.
 
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floating is prefered 'if' your careful and only on the bench, way i see it .. most guns with a band actual still float the barrel centered in an oring, and the band serves to keep a knock to the barrel from moving anything since theyre usually held in with a couple of set screws .. all that said i think a clamped down barrel wont effect an airgun too much if it stays put, again a knock may tweak it out if it slips ..
 
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