Clark,
I have a similar amount of experience in shooting and bedding rifles, and perhaps even a little more. I have encountered a number that shot most accurately with some forend contact of the barrel, mostly notably New Ultra Light Arms rifles--which use full "neutral" contact with the barrel. But they use a very stiff synthetic stock, and forend stiffness seems to be a key--as it has in some other rifles.
But I don't usually prefer forend contact with wood-stocked rifles, because of what I alluded to in one of my previous posts. Unless they're very well-sealed, and the wood very well-seasoned, they may shoot the smallest groups with barrel contact, but point-of-impact can also change with weather.
