bedding novice questions

First - I've never done a bedding job. I've never really thought I needed it, but I do want my groups to be tighter.

I have the model 12 LRP in .260 - very heavy barrel, precision trigger, HSPrecision stock, CDI bottom metal. How necessary / beneficial is bedding for this action/stock? The aluminum bedding in this stock looks just as solid as the aluminum chassis on my 308 - does that mean I don't really need to bed either one, or does it mean I should really bed both of them? Would a barrel swap have any adverse effect on the bedding job?

Thanks!

The HS precision is a good stock. Personally, I'd leave it alone if your getting good groups and the tang/barrel are floated.

It's easy to check and see if bedding would help. Get yourself some transfer dye like Prussian blue and coat the underside of the action and then carefully place into stock and snug up bolts just barely tight and then remove and see how much contact you are getting. If you have a very sturdy gun vise and a dial runout indicator with stand you can place your indicator on the barrel once you have the action torqued to whatever you consider tight and then watch your indicator as you loosen the front bolt. Any more than about two thousandths movement and you can probably benefit from a skim bedding of the aluminum block.

That method is only good for Remingtons. You will always get an indicator movement when loosening the front screw because of the undercut pillar in the rear. It means nothing.

I shot some OCW loads this morning, and found a real keeper. Very happy to learn this stock doesn't need bedding, and even happier to see the proof in the target. :D