Free-floating barrel

With conventional rifles, the gun barrel rests in contact with the fore-end of the gunstock, sometimes along the whole length.

If the stock is wooden, environmental conditions or operational use may warp the wood, which may also cause the barrel to shift its alignment slightly over time, altering the projectile's external ballistics and thus the point of impact.

Such vibrations affect the bullet's trajectory, changing the point of impact.

This minimizes possible variance in mechanical pressure distortions of the barrel alignment, and allows vibration to occur at the natural frequency of the barrel consistently and uniformly.

Alternatives include using a stock made from composite materials which do not deform as much under temperature or humidity changes, or a wooden stock with a fiberglass contact area ("glass bedding").