[ribbonstone2]

Good rifles.
Weren't designed to be free floated, and to try it, will have to glass bed the action and probalby the rear 1-2" of barrel ahead of the reciever. If you don't, freeing the barrel will just put more weight/pressure on the action...need to give that action a good bed before subjecting it to the stress.

Long barrels can work with free floating, but I would try the rifle WITH the pressure point after bedding. Then free float. MAY find that you want toe pressure point...and can add it back in if need be.

MOST rifles will shoot well free floated, but once in awhile (esp. with older guns for some reason...probably action related) one needs that fore end pressure to shoot well.
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I still use some of the old external adjusting target scopes...and that may be one reason for the pressure point. Adding up to 2 pounds of sliding glass and steel to a BARREL does odd things to free flaoted barrels...exp. .22's that don't have a big action for bedding. Have come slowly to the conclusion that the old guys just may have had a reason for the way they bedded their rifles when using target scopes.

 

[ribbonstone2]

Not saying that the rifle wouldn't shoot well glassed bedded and free floated...probably would...but that it would take some action work to get it running right. The action would need two good screws, a good glass bedding job (or pillars or metal "V" blocks), and some experimentation. Even then, would start with the fore end band and screw in place..."teaking" that band screw is part of the tuning process of these old rifles. Makes for a LOT of variables, becasue it's not just each lot of ammo, but the various tensions put on the barrel with that band.

To be honest...the old Winchesters were as good as any in their day...and better than most are today...but there is a reason you won't find them on a national level bench competition. While today's guns may lack the fine design and workmansip of the old ones, the chambers and barrels are better today.

Try Benchrest Central...have a rimfire board that actually does have some of the top shooters posting.

 

[ribbonstone2]

Back "when" I shot Rem. 37's for ROTC...and when i couldg buy arifle for myself, bought a Rem. 513. Not nearly as good, but a good shooting rifle. Bought a Unertl 6X....later got a Lymand targetspot 30X...still have both of those scopes (a good taget scope will out last several rifles).

A 513 isn't going to respond to free floating very well...or at it won't for long. Not enough action to hold that long heavy barrel (esp. with all that scope bolted to the barrel). With a pressure point (I removed the existing one...so had to add a new one) it shot measurably better. In this case, a "dead" point worked better...for me, it was a shamped piece os shoe heel.

Have that old 30X on a rem. 540X...this rifle is about 33 years old. Better action for bedding, but needed to extend the action 'glass for 2 1/2" of the barrel to get it stable ove time. Shoots well (in the high 2's, low 3's) with good ammo even today.

 

[ribbonstone2]

For me it was trips to the local dump...encouaged by the local PD back then...to shoot rats. Kind of nasty, but great fun...plus, no "save the rat" types to complain. that 6X Unertl and the 513 was NOT the best for running rats, but sure was fun...and deadly. When I had the $, would use good ammo...EZX's ring a bell? Still have some "Hi-Power" ammo in it's blue and white box (and in little letters, mentions the "Federal Cart. Co."...was thier first effort).

Sometimes had no car and no ride...but would just put the rifle in a case and get on a bus. No one thought twice about it....DON'T TRY THIS TODAY!
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All is not lost....there are still paper cased shotgun shells to be had...and if you've never enjouyed the SMELL of freash fired paper 12ga., you are missing somthing that will stick with for a plesant smile... like the aroma of Hoppes #9 does for some of us.