[jeepcreep927]

I have a stock XP-100 in .221 FB. Best reloads are at a shade over and inch and a half at 100. I made cosmetic changes to the stock but know it's touching here there and everywhere on the barrel. Does floating a 10 inch barrel make as much of a difference as doing a longer rifle barrrel? Thanks.
KB

[stalkingbear]

It makes a tremendous difference. The barrel don't vibrate the same as a longer barrel but the bedding has more direct pressure on the barrel. I'd recommend you bed the action & free float the barrel. If you have to you can always reinstall a pressure pad but I seriously doubt you'll need to. It should do better than 1.5" @ 100 yards. I assume you have the wood stocked version?

[hiwall]

I agree with stalkingbear(who seems to know alot), I would try free floating. Not really a down side to trying it. But just like with a rifle sometimes free floating has little or no effect. Often it helps. Sometimes alot, sometimes a little. Good luck.

[jeepcreep927]

It's a 1963 first production year with the nylon stock. I bought a second stock to mess with but there's absolutely no way to bed the action or the barrel on the factory stock aside from filling it with about a gallon of bedding compound and starting over with the inletting.

I'll be in the market for a wooden after market and keeping my eyes open for a McMillan.

[big shrek]

You could fill the voids with paper & then a light layer of clay & then do the bedding...
it'll add a little weight, but not as much as if you filled it with clay or Acraglass.