Actually, I don't bother bedding any of the barrel except on 98 Mausers. The reason for bedding the rear of the barrel with 98's is that the front sction screw is in the center of the recoil lug, so when it's tightened it tends to bend the action slightly unless the rear of the barrel is bedded as well. Partly this is because a 98 action isn't all that stiff, especially a military 98 with the thumb cut-out.
Wuth just about every other bolt action the front action screw is behind the recoil lug, so they work fine without bedding any of the barrel. In fact the most accurate factory rifle I've ever owned is a Remington 700 with a varmint-weight, 26" .223 barrel, and it's totally free-floated.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
