A standard no4 should be good for about 2inch MOA. Ive seen written that a badly sporterised no4 can be as bad as 10~12inch MOA (apparantly, yes that bad). I have a small plan afoot to test this. I bought a "sporterised" no4 "fully floating" (read - can wobble where it wants) barrel with a view to returning it to as issued. (probably not my best decision but anyway). Since then I have got 2 other no4s. Both No4 mk2's full wooded and accurised (I can hear Peter retching now) for target work. In addition at present I have 2 un-issued new forestocks plus these 2 accuriased forestocks plus the "free floating" sportorised stock. At present Im fitting one un-issued stock as per Peter's articles, ie std 3~5lbs front loading for a no4, then Im going to do some testing. So I have the following,

a) Sporterised free float.
b) Std as issued no4.
c) Centre bed, alloy pillar.
d) Centre bed no pillar.
e) bed "everywhere" (5 bedding points all along barrel).
f) Carbon fibre stiffened front end but otherwise std no4 technique.

Later on,
g) Carbon fibre stiffened front end with centre bed (a modified f).
h) Carbon fibre stiffened front end with centre bed and alloy bed plate, (a modified g).
i) Take sporterised stock and centre bed it.

a) v i) should be interesting.

---------- Post added at 01:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:30 PM ----------
Quote Originally Posted by Ridolpho View Post
8><--- think the answer to your original question is that the chopping of forend was done simply to make the old things look like everyones impression of a sporting rifle and not for any other good reason.
8><---

Ridolpho
Yes, a ParkerHale look alike, except ParkerHale fitted their own stiffer barrel?