Free floating barrel XT22

Improving and repairing firearms. Rifle bedding, barrel work, stock replacement and other ways to improve your firearms.

Free floating barrel XT22

Post by pete1 » 27 Jun 2017, 6:42 pm

Ok so brought a marlin XT22 a month ago. Used open sights just to fool around, put a scope on it to get a bit more accuracy out of it.
Went to sight it in and couldn't get a good group for the life of me. Cleaned the gun tried again same problem. Tried several types of ammo nope no success.

Noticed the barrel cocked to one side at end of stock. When you remove the barrel and action from the stock you can see the stock is pushing against the barrel rather then just touching it.

I'm convinced by free floating it i will see great improvement, would others agree this would be my problem?
Don't know if glass bedding would be a huge advantage and i don't know huge amount about it think maybe start by free floating it.

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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by rsj223 » 27 Jun 2017, 7:07 pm

Can you move the stock away form the barrel easy?
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by bigfellascott » 27 Jun 2017, 7:19 pm

Yes free floating it will help generally to improve accuracy, also try some diff brands of ammo if you haven't already as rifles can be fussy at times with what shoots best in them.
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by Oldbloke » 27 Jun 2017, 8:02 pm

Have you checked if there are any burs inside the stock? It doesn't take much.
Also just trying loosening the stock screw and see if the barrel can be moved over.
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by pete1 » 27 Jun 2017, 8:27 pm

It feels like its wedge against stock the barrel does move away minimal with a fair bit of force. I tried loosening the action bolts but no win.
I hope to fix it cause the best i could do was a 3 inch group at 25m. Pretty pathetic.
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by rsj223 » 27 Jun 2017, 8:39 pm

pete1 wrote:It feels like its wedge against stock the barrel does move away minimal with a fair bit of force. I tried loosening the action bolts but no win.
I hope to fix it cause the best i could do was a 3 inch group at 25m. Pretty pathetic.

Wow thats not to good, have you tried different ammo?
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by pete1 » 27 Jun 2017, 8:52 pm

rsj223 wrote:
pete1 wrote:It feels like its wedge against stock the barrel does move away minimal with a fair bit of force. I tried loosening the action bolts but no win.
I hope to fix it cause the best i could do was a 3 inch group at 25m. Pretty pathetic.

Wow thats not to good, have you tried different ammo?


Yeh tried two brands, but wanna give a third a go so plan is to grab some tomorrow morning, look further at the stock with better light and see how we go.
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by Oldbloke » 27 Jun 2017, 8:55 pm

pete1 wrote:It feels like its wedge against stock the barrel does move away minimal with a fair bit of force. I tried loosening the action bolts but no win.
I hope to fix it cause the best i could do was a 3 inch group at 25m. Pretty pathetic.


Not good group. Remove the action and have a close look for burs or lumps in the stock that would be forcing the action out of alignment. Just a few thousand of an inch near the action will push the barrel out of alignment by 3 or 4 mm at the forearm tip. And it could be at front or rear of the action.

I wouldn't free float it until you get the barrel aligned/straight as it should be first. Once you get that right try 5 or 6 or more different brands of ammo.
If it still won't group then consider free floating. Some barrels like upwards pressure and some like free floating.

If all barrels liked free floating that's how they would make them.
I have four rifles and all have acceptable accuracy /groups and only one is free floated, the others have upwards pressure on the barrel.
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by Oldbloke » 27 Jun 2017, 9:05 pm

Any pics of the groups?
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by Supaduke » 27 Jun 2017, 9:18 pm

Try every type of ammo you can get your hands on.

And if you haven't already, try some CCI. They have 4 or 5 different varieties and I have found them to be quite good in a wide range of .22's.
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by pete1 » 28 Jun 2017, 3:13 pm

Na no pics of groups.
I took barrel out of stock again today no burs but it looks like at the rear of the action (barrel being the front) is a tight and the front of the action is a tight fit.
I drew a diagram with yellow being action, red being the barrel, black being the stock and blue arrows showing interference.
I feel as if i removed some plastic from front or rear of action this would bring the barrel center. I have few more types of ammo to try before i go messing with it to much including CCI but run out of time today.


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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by Gwion » 28 Jun 2017, 3:31 pm

Relieving the I letting walls in those two areas is where I would start.... but I would then bed the rifle properly!

Be very careful when relieving these areas. Take a little off each area evenly and refit. Repeat if necessary. Take it slow.

Unfortunately these are the pitfalls if new rifles; especially ones in cheap synthetic stocks. Even timber stocks suffer. A friend bought a Zastava 22lr a couple of years ago and the in letting needed a bit of a touch up to improve accuracy.
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by Oldbloke » 28 Jun 2017, 6:12 pm

This looks like the problem. Relieving the letting walls in those two areas is where I would start.... but I would not bed the rifle until this is fixed and a few brands tested first. Once fixed it may not need bedding.
As G said remove small amounts at a time and try and repeat as required. Less is more. G is a bit bedding crazy. True good to bed but if it shoots OK why bother.

I'm not sure what the best method of removal, perhaps fine emery paper or file. Less is more.
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by sungazer » 28 Jun 2017, 6:16 pm

It looks like a synthetic stock if so does it have a V block or any pillars?
I wouldn't waste any ammo until you have it sorted. The barrel definitely looks as if it were made to be a free floating type.
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by Gwion » 28 Jun 2017, 6:54 pm

Oldbloke wrote:This looks like the problem...................Once fixed it may not need bedding...................Less is more. G is a bit bedding crazy.

I'm not sure what the best method of removal, perhaps fine emery paper or file. Less is more.


You said it! :lol:
In my book there's not a bolt action rifle made that wouldn't benefit from a good bedding job! :thumbsup:

If you are handy with hand tools, a PROPERLY sharp chisel will just slice nice little slivers off where you need to relieve. If not, a sharp blade, like a Stanely knife or scalpel, used perpendicular to the plastic surface, will scrape it back nice and gently. Do not use the knife to cut, use it as a side scraper.

All going well, you won't need to bed it but, you know, why not!?! :unknown: :drinks: :lol:

As Sungazer says, the stock definitely looks like it was meant to be floated.
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by duncan61 » 29 Jun 2017, 1:40 am

Mate.If you have just bought this new take it back.I went to the Marlin website and they should make a better firearm.This one has not been assembled correctly
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by Gwion » 29 Jun 2017, 7:59 am

duncan61 wrote:Mate.If you have just bought this new take it back.I went to the Marlin website and they should make a better firearm.This one has not been assembled correctly


You will likely have the same or a different issue with any replacement. Assembly is not the issue, tolerances on QC are! I don't like to rag on different brands because we all have our likes and our budgets but you couldn't pay me to own a Marlin since a mate had his 17hmr basically blow up after a few months. If you read reports there is a lot of complaints about QC at Marlin since it was bought out (from memory by Remington).

Cheap stocks are notorious for finishing tolerances. This is nothing that 15mins of careful attention won't fix.
I'd still bed the bloody thing and be done with it. Done right it will be far superior to any other fix but bedding can also be screwed up. With a bit of handy skills and a patient approach it is not a difficult job. Just a bit nerve wracking. :lol:
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by Wm.Traynor » 29 Jun 2017, 9:19 am

What Gwion said :thumbsup:
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by pete1 » 14 Jul 2017, 5:26 pm

So after some free time, I was able to test some more brands only slight improvement.
I took a little plastic off the stock in a couple of places and we are winning.
I went out today and shot a 13mm group @ 50 metres with out trying too hard.
I can probably get better out of it but I'm happy with that, I brought it as a bunny gun or some entertainment when camping. It was cheap and you get what you pay for in the end.

I appreciate the advice, Cheers.
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Re: Free floating barrel XT22

Post by Oldbloke » 14 Jul 2017, 6:59 pm

Great to hear. Well done.

I won't mention "bedding". ;)
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