I'd tinker with that Model 7 first.... They come from the factory with the stock set for tip pressure. Torque the action screws to 35 inch lbs and see how it shoots. Free floating isn't always the best answer for extreme accuracy..... free floating is usually the best answer for consistency. If you want to float the barrel and see how it responds, get a plastic clip from a bag of bread and put it under the action at the front screw and torque it down and shoot it.
I have a new production 700 in .223. It immediately went into a B&C stock with a floated barrel. It shot ok but not impressively, regardless of what I tried. I was going to sell it, so I put it back in the factory plastic stock that has tip pressure, torqued it to 35-inch lbs and took it out to shoot so that I could be honest about it. The first two groups with two different factory loads were just over 1/2" 5 shot groups. So now it sits in the factory stock and it's not for sale.
I have a new production 700 in .223. It immediately went into a B&C stock with a floated barrel. It shot ok but not impressively, regardless of what I tried. I was going to sell it, so I put it back in the factory plastic stock that has tip pressure, torqued it to 35-inch lbs and took it out to shoot so that I could be honest about it. The first two groups with two different factory loads were just over 1/2" 5 shot groups. So now it sits in the factory stock and it's not for sale.
