E.Shell
Ultimate Member
...The pressure point at the front of the barrel is there from the factory to provide contact to provide a broad consistency of accuracy over very broad circumstances and conditions...
I'd agree with Doco Overboard's analysis of the reason for the factory bedding with a pressure point. I have removed the pressure point and free-floated several M700s with factory barrels and some of them got worse. I have also swapped them into HS Precision stocks without improvement. While the forend pressure pad MAY hinder precision in some barrels, it helps tame the ugly ones too. I have epoxy bedded and free floated many rifles and have not always been gratified with results. IMHO, unless the POI changes with weather as discussed above, a 100 yard group of 1-1/2" in an older M700 270 *hunting rifle* is the proverbial 'gift horse' and, with the OP's intended use in mind, I would personally leave it alone and run it as is.When you take the action out of the stock, you will notice the "bump" but also take note that there is a ridge running the length of the fore end. That is due to the method used to inlet the stock during mass production. If the barrel contacts the "ridge", it must be sanded out so there is no contact. It can cause accuracy issues. Just another reason why the barrel should be free floated all the way back to the recoil lug.
Nice group, but IME, if you can actually do that time after time, you got very lucky on both your 50/50 draw and on your factory tube performance.The pic is a bit fuzzy but, it is 3 shots at 200 yards with factory ammo and only the modifications I previously mentioned.