ORIGINAL: Dave at Work
How could the POI move or shift if the scope is attached to the barrel? I could see if the scope was removed and then replaced on the barrel. In theory, you should be able to put the barrel on at any angle and still have it dead on. The bullet only touches the barrel and the scope is attached to the barrel. Why would the stock affect anything? Am I missing something here?
Unfortunately theory has nothing to do with reality. Heck-many times no two people even shoot the same rifle to the same POI. I have witnessed this too many times.
Whenever a person has a rifle that is inaccurate, the first thing people ask them is: Is the barrel floated?? A floated barrel is not affected by the stock. Now when you remove the barreled action from the stock and then replace it-you are changing the barrel contact, and the action contact. This is why returning to the same point is imperative. By returning to the same point you are limiting the variables of stock contact-and that is always a good thing.
This is also why people bed the action also. Bedding the action makes the stock more rigid, and ensures that the barreled action returns to the same place every time. After you bed the action all you need to worry about is stock screw torque.
Personally for MZ's I am not a believer in free floating the barrel. I prefer a bedded barrel. But I prefer the bedding to be consistent along the length of the barrel. Personally I believe that is why my Knight LRH shoots so well. The entire barrel is bedded in a very heavy laminated stock. So there is no variance in barrel pressure.
As stated by another poster. He is also saying the synthetic Omega is worse. This IMO is due to the flimsiness of the stock vs. the stability of the laminated stock. Just my opinion. Tom.