Stock Fit and Rifle Accuracy
I have several different rifles, from multiple makers, and each manufacturer has a slightly different "take" on off-the-shelf accuracy. Currently, of course, just about everyone in the business is putting increased emphasis (and advertising money) on accuracy. But my experience is that stock fitting makes a difference, and sometimes it is a big difference.
I have a tang safety Ruger 77 in .257 Bob, that was NOT good as a new rifle. At a point, I realized that the fore end was putting pressure on the barrel at about 8 o'clock (seen from the shooter's position), halfway between the action and the tip. I relieved the pressure, and the rifle suddenly turned in 5-shot groups of 1/2moa or better.
After 32 years, the above rifle was not shooting as well - groups were 1-1/2 to 2 moa. I again checked the former problem spot, and there was no contact. I decided to try free-floating the barrel, but it didn't do much for the groups. I read about a specific early Ruger problem, where the action screws can put a stress on the action itself. Either pillar bedding or a shim under the tang will correct the situation, so I tried a shim. Better, but I still wasn't getting the accuracy the rifle originally had. So I went away from the free-floated barrel, and put a shim under the fore end tip, at 6 o'clock. At about 8-9lbs. of weight hung from the forward sling swivel, the barrel free-floats. The idea here was to control barrel resonance, and it definitely worked. The gun is back to shooting better than 1/2 moa groups on any day that my old eyes can do it.
I have had similar experiences with some of my other rifles, so I believe that there is room for improvement on many factory rifles, and stocks/bedding can make a difference. Will it make a really lousy shooter into a precision rifle? -Not likely, but it can make a 2-3 moa rifle into one that will shoot 1 moa or better, consistently.