Floating or clamped, pro's and con's

[darran77]

Out the other night with the TDR and as routine i have a check on zero, and found the poi had shifted a good 6" to one side?? so i grabbed the appropriate allen key and slackened off the barrel clamp, them locked it back up and retried and it awas back on zero.
So what are the benefits of having the clamp in the first place and would it be better without??.
daz

[tonyc]

The barrel band is providing some protection against knocks. I've seen opinions posted saying it serves no purpose but I don't agree. A hard knock will bend the barrel with or without the support but it does reduce the length of the lever, so the force required to strain the barrel is greater with the band in place. If you happen to catch the end of the barrel any load at the block is reduced, which I'd suggest is the most vulnerable point when the barrel is unsupported.

[Archer50]

I agree with Tonyc about the protection, so I use the barrel band, but I use an oversize one from Rowan so the barrel floats, but can only move a fraction if it does get a knock - not enough to take a bend (hopefully ).

Alan

[Blackbaronfish]

You could remove the o’ring in the figure of eight to allow free floating with maximum protection

BBF

[RichieRich612]

I've tested floating fully and using the barrel band on my mpr and I'd say the grouping is a little tighter free floating but have to be very careful not to knock the barrel as with all free floating barrels.
Rich
P.s free floating does change the point of impact significantly so a re-zero goes without saying.

[poguemahone]

not sure of tdr rifles, but on the 400/410's leave the barrel band on and just float the cylinder. did my 400 in 2005 and never looked back

[RichieRich612]

not sure of tdr rifles, but on the 400/410's leave the barrel band on and just float the cylinder. did my 400 in 2005 and never looked back

That's a good idea, always thought to float the barrel not the cylinder. Mind you it's nearly the same but with barrel protection.
Rich

[poguemahone]

That's a good idea, always thought to float the barrel not the cylinder. Mind you it's nearly the same but with barrel protection.
Rich

dont know if you've seen this Rich, so i'll put a link to it mate.
dave brayford at staffs custom rifles floats the cylinder on aa guns he works on, and he's a bit of a wizard with em
i did mine in 2005, but in 2010 i did it how he does it, amazing mate
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=632

[RichieRich612]

I've read it and they do float the cylinder sometimes by adding those 2 black pieces of thick tape found inside some stocks.
It's food for thought but I still think floating the barrel is better.
Never floated both barrel and cylinder yet though but will give it a try.
As for increasing the sweet spot it's impossible as floating either will not help the power curve when un regulated due to the physics of the hammer and valve working at different pressures within the fill pressure.
Can't beat using a chrono and finding that sweet spot between 150 and 120 bar for me.
Rich

[poguemahone]

I've read it and they do float the cylinder sometimes by adding those 2 black pieces of thick tape found inside some stocks.
It's food for thought but I still think floating the barrel is better.
Never floated both barrel and cylinder yet though but will give it a try.
As for increasing the sweet spot it's impossible as floating either will not help the power curve when un regulated due to the physics of the hammer and valve working at different pressures within the fill pressure.
Can't beat using a chrono and finding that sweet spot between 150 and 120 bar for me.
Rich

aye up Rich, them black bits of tape that airarms put at the front of the stock defeat the object of floating the cylinder. it must be floated from the butt end mate your gun cant pass the £5 note test with them pads in
i never mentioned anything about increasing the sweet spot by floating the cylinder , its purely for maximum accuracy, and nowt else
people still cant see the benefits of floating the aa cylinder, even though that dave fella from staffs custom rifles floats em as standard to maximise accuracy and his reputation