finegunmaker,

...i appreciate your most informative post, especially the history behind the development of the dakota 97 action...

...some say that a round-body action (c.f., carmichael) is the primary reason why the rem 700 is so accurate, at least insofar as the world of production rifles are concerned...

...in terms of the action bedding integrity of the 97 over time, imho, a properly bedded recoil lug - as in the case of the beretta mato deluxes - should alleviate the possibility of action shifting/gaps down the line...

...i currently have a ruger rsm in .416 rigby, but was thinking of later replacing with a dakota african, heym express or johannsen in the future...