I agree 100% with you on bedding, but I would use a pillar also as that will keep the torque perfect. I know from experience the stock material, be it wood, synthetic, or carbon fiber has a degree of give. A pillar will eliminate that completely since the action and floor metal tighten the pillar and not the bedding. Just our observation from building walnut stocks with aluminum chassis.
Accurate Innovations Just something to consider.
Headspacing, boy are you ever correct on that and especially when dealing with rimfires. The companies that build rimfires, there is an exception, Cooper would be one, are not to picky on the headspacing of a rimfire. If the barrel is pinned or pulled in like Ruger's, the headspacing will vary a lot. Get a "no go" head space gauge and stick in you bolt action rifle that has the barrel pinned. Most of the time the bolt will close on the "no go" gauge. I found that out the hard way. Had a nice Rem. 541 T completely factory stock blow a round which took out the extractor spring, the extractor, and the magazine. The round was a standard velocity round. I called Brian Voelker who has done a lot of work for me and whined to him about it. He laughed and then told me about factory rimfire rifles have head space all over the place. I checked mine before I sent it off to him and sure enough, the bolt would close completely without resistance on a "no go" gauge.
Several of my rimfire rifles will allow the bolt to close on the "no go" gauge, but I haven't had any issues yet.
In a bolt gun, have the barrel rechambered to a tighter and shorter chamber, recrowned, and then have the barrel and receiver threaded and watch that rifle come alive.
Recutting/resurfacing the bolt face on a semi auto/10/22 would an enormous set in the right direction in the accuracy department as you said. Polishing the bolt and the receiver would help also and I think you mentioned that. Boy, if you could thread the receiver and barrel on the 10/22 I can only see leaps and bounds in the accuracy department.
