A couple years back I got to playing with a 700 .243 I've had since 1975 or so. It never shot well in the original ho-hum stock (2.5-3 MOA) and at that time I did not know much about this stuff. In gunsmithing school (78-80) I noticed the stock forearm had a warp in it - so when I came on a cheap, but well figured blank, I built a new one. Bedded reciever and free-floated barrel.
Still 2.5 MOA.. But lots prettier.
Used it for 30 odd years that way, killed lots of stuff - deer, sheep, black bear, moose, caribou.
Having nothing much else to do a couple years ago, I rebedded it, full length - 2.5 MOA.
Free-floating the barrel - 3.0 MOA . Then I started jacking with forend pressure point.
As other posters said above, that SOB needed exactly the right amount of forend pressure point. That is the only rifle I have that is that picky.- most of them have a free-floated barrel, one (the most accurate) has a full-length bed.
The .243 shoots MOA now, with an epoxy pressure point up front, but at one point was half that with the credit card bit.
That'slose enough... and should be stable. Not gonna chase that other .5 in a gun I don't really like.
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"Look for any movement or flexing of the action when you tighten the rear screw. Both screws should go in with ease and come to a quick stop."
This - well half this... Action screws as said .
Big Stick got on the rag and quite abusive when I stated the "flexing of the action" bit. He's an ass, but he was right. As usual...
I wasn't thinking that through.
It isn't the action that flexes, but the stock. If the action is bedded in flat (and most factory rifles are not), both front and rear screws should go from coming snug to fully tight in a half turn. Preferably less. I like a quarter turn. Or less.
Bending (torque stressing) the stock "just so" with a torque wrench to achieve accuracy isn't my cup of tea for a hunting rifle. Certainly not with a wood stock, which can also change with humidity and temperature changes.