I have a Ruger M77 II with the cheap plastic stock. It wasn't that accurrate so I took it to a gunsmith. On his recommendation, I had him free float the barrel.

Before the stock was free floated, it marryied the barrel at two places. These two places are now rough and jagged looking (though I suppose the barrel is now free floated.) The gunsmith shot it at a range after free floating the barrel and showed me the target. Pathetic. Certainly no better than it was before. I have not shot it yet.

Any recommendations? If an after market synthetic is the answer, are they truly "drop in'" or what I have to have a gunsmith bed it?

Older Rugers (can't tell you an exact date range) had barrels made by the lowest bidder and would not shoot worth a shit unless rebarreled.

I bet yours is one.

I've purchased three Bell&Catlson synthetic stocks from Midway and they are drop in with the exception of one that needed some light cutting with a dremel tool. In all three cases the accuracy of the rifles improved with the new stocks.

I don't know about old inaccurate Rugers but I have one manufactured in 1983 and it's very accurate.