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How much flex is too much flex in a forend?


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So I used to have a heavy palma on my FTR and now Im 0.90" straight so some had to come out of the stock (Joe West laminate).

 

I can get the obligatory 5 pound note down the barrel channel and there are no high spots but if I press down on the barrel there is a definite tap as it touches the stock. I don't want to go crazy and take too much meat out of the stock and it start to flex more.

 

Any input o' wise UKV'ers?

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I'd want at least a couple of millimetres clearance on a comp. gun - a decent clearance also benefits cooling. You certainly need more than the 'obligatory 5 pound note' - bedding and stocks do shift a little - particularly fibreglass ones.

 

A Joe West laminate won't move much though.

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Paper thickness clearance is pretty useless especially with lighter barrels. Have proper clearance if that's what you're aiming for.

 

Stock flex is one thing, especially for bipod use, but barrel whip is another aspect rarely mentioned.

Have a look at this relatively short barrel flexing under fire:

 

 

Doesn't take much imagination to see the barrel whacking the forend if you're running a token clearance.

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  • 3 weeks later...

One of mine is around the same diameter and I think I have about 3 or 4mm clearance all round. Wouldn't run less than that on anything lighter but you should be ok using your prifile with 2mm. Personally I would take a bit more out. Providing there's enough stiffness and strength left for a good solid bipod mount, that's all that matters. I know that some folks are worried about what it looks like with a large clearance. I'm not one of them. Flexure/whip depends on several things, including barrel length to profile thickness.

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