The aluminum bedding block makes the stock firm, but it's not the same at all as actually having a stress-free bedding job done. I have eliminated all of the issues you mention by bedding a rifle, and yes that includes bedding several Vanguards and other rifles using McMillans, HS and Bell & Carlson stocks - all with aluminum blocks.The HS precision stock has an aluminum bedding block in it. The grouping as I have said before isn't the best. I shot multiple groups in November at 100 yards, 200 yards and 300 yards and my group at 100 was well over 1 MOA, 200 was almost 3 inches low and one at 6 o'clock and the other shot 8 o'clock. The 300 yard group was around 3 inches low again but it was around 5 o'clock and the second shot not even hitting the steel target which was a 8 inch tall, 12 inch wide buffalo silhouette target. Shooting the groups were following missing a nice 10 point at a shade under 400 yards. I by no means will say that I am olympic caliber marksmen but I have been shooting the majority of my life with bolt actions and I have 4 years of being in the Marines and in the Raider Battalion along with that. I have to this point not been overly pleased with the grouping whether it's factory ammo or hand loaded ammo and I also realize that it is a 700ish rifle brand new, which is why I bought a different stock and put a timney trigger in it. The trigger and I'm sure the stock has helped but it almost seems that the barrel is very picky about what it likes. I also have a .264 win mag in a model 70 sporter with the original wood stock that my dad bought brand new in the 80's with maybe 2-300 round through it and I can group a little more than an inch or under with the cheap pentax scope he has on it even with factory ammo. The trade in value at the gun store I deal with was $750 when I had them take a look the other day. I also don't have much interest in acquiring numerous rifles in different calibers being that I already have a .308, .264, .243, .223 (AR) and a 7mm Rem Mag. My hunting buddy has a 6.5 creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 257 weatherby, 30-06, 300 PRC, .223 (AR) and some other rifles and he has a hard time figuring out which one to use. Here in WV I can take almost anything that lives in the woods with all the calibers I have especially the .243 and up. I would not feel the least bit bad about using the 7mm or .264 for anything in North America which has been a proven thing over the years of being introduced as a caliber.
If you'd rather ever sell it...