to answer some of your questions, its a 30-06, yes i shot from a bench rest, yes i let someone else shoot it and yes i have tried floating the barrel using a washer but it still had the contact point on the barrel up near the reciever. i have heard that bedding that area in combination to floating will make the gun group like a typical bolt action but im not ready to bed/sand/tamper with the gun yet as its a fairly pristine factory engraved model that still carries a store warrenty if i dont tamper with it (i will take advantage of that if i dont get it shooting)