If you just hold a heavy barrel without any sling pressure, you won't notice much. But if you sling up, like for a high power match, you will!
Printable View
If you just hold a heavy barrel without any sling pressure, you won't notice much. But if you sling up, like for a high power match, you will!
Yeah, if you have a rifle that shoots 1" / 100yd you will not notice much difference in general accuracy, except your group-to-group consistency will be usually improved somewhat.
If you have a rifle shooting average less than ½" / 5 shots / 100yd, the difference is huge between free float and non-free float in many ways ;)
If I put it simply : if you want to hit certain size target at given range, thing that matters is the longest distance of bullet hole from the aiming point when firing (for example) 5x 10rd groups. That is where free float really shines.
If you grip tight enough, you get some POI change. My tight gripping causes 2" change at 200 when shooting offhand. If you do not have free float, POI change is lot bigger.
Colorado changed the law so internet sales are apparently taxed now. Even when you buy from a place out of state.
The nice thing about a free float tube is not only will a sling not cause POI changes, but you can put a bipod or almost anything else on without changing it. I think the only AR I have without some sort of freefloat is my .22LR dedicated upper.