I used to say no, but shooting off a harris bipod with the hot 22 mag loads it did make a difference. I cut a small piece of ruber hose that fits between the barrel lug and the forend that spaces the forend down 1/8" or so, maybe a little more. Now any torque put on the barrel from the bipod is negated as much as possible. The rubber absorbs or cushions the torque instead of twisting the forend which would act on both the barrel and the reciever.
It shrunk the groups on the 22mag a bit. I did it to the 22lr without making a baseline. Shooting off bags, I don't know. And maybe it was something else that improved the groups, who knows, but theoretically it can't hurt.
And, the all important looks, I think it looks better. The gap between the forend and barrel is consistant down the sides and under the barrel. The centerline of the bore and the top of the forend are also parralel, so the rifle has more symetrical lines. I'm a sucker for a nice looking rifle....
later,
scruffy
