Floated or Bedded?

[Rossignol]

I've been trying to get a better understanding of what each of these things do for a rifle, and I'm just not getting to anything satisfactory.

I mean, I really wanna know what they do. I understand the principal of a floated barrel, and the only thing I find on bedding is a definition or folks saying pillar bedding or whatever is only worth having on a carbine.

Is there truth to this? Why or why not? I know if a barrel is bedded its there and stuck there in place. Many or most rifles built for long range accuracy are free floated, and many AR/M4's have floated forends and delta rings or are like an MRPbut the barrel is still free floated from the upper out.

Reason I ask, I am and have been lookin alot lately for my first rifle and I really want to understand this stuff. I dont ever plan on making a 1000 yard shot, and at the range, my longest shot will be 200 yards. I dont want to spend money on something that is way more than I'll ever need.

I have looked at the Remington 700. It priced pretty reasonably I think. I have heard some complaint about the Hogue pillar bedded stock, which on its own is costs $200 or so I believe. Is the complaint because its bedded and the rifle really shouldnt be?

Anyway, educate me PLEASE! I'm all over learnin new stuff!

Thanks!

 

[nkeegstra]

Actions are bedded, the barrels are floated. The actions are bed to keep them uniformly in contact with the stock. The barrels are floated to keep them from contacting the stock....all together its supposed to create consistant and repeatable point of impact. Important for long distance, I'm not so sure I would worry if my gun was strictly SD/HD

 

[Rossignol]

It wont be for HD/SD really. I'm lookin for hunting and maybe competition.

What I really want is a SA M1A Scout with wood furniture, or if it can ever be found, and M14. Also I like bolt guns in .30-06 and .308

 

[SHOOTER13]

Neil nailed it in four sentences...