Being a kitchen table gunsmith, I love these threads to learn more. One of my sources of information is our own Mule Deer. John B has a few good books out there that I reference often. No fluff, just his opinions and his gunsmith friends opinions.
In RIFLE TROUBLE-SHOOTING and HANDLOADING, John explains that pillar-bedding originated in thin synthetic stocks to keep the plastic from collapsing.
Pillar bedded rifles tended to shoot better, so it was broadly used with that assumption, but it was probably due to the gunsmiths who built the stock / rifle. So, he goes on to say that pillar bedding does not help all that much with stocks made of hard walnut or a solid synthetic material AS LONG AS THE STOCK IS CORRECTLY BEDDED.
JB, if you read this correct me if I mis quoted you.
