If you were to do a poll of professional gunsmiths that bed in front of the recoil lug, you would have close to 0% that bed in this way. There are exceptions, and often it is done to try and fix some strange barrel or ultra-light harmonics. If you are happy with 1/2" groups, then it may not matter.
With benchrest competitors, long-range and short-range, the barrels are free-floated up to the recoil lug.
I have Rem 700s with 31" max heavy varmint contours and unturned blanks that are free-floated to the recoil lug which shoot tiny groups. I never believed that these long unturned blanks would shoot well until I got to know some well-respected Benchrest gunsmiths who had a fit when they saw bedding underneath the barrel on some p. dog hunts I took them on.
Years ago(1950s-1970), it was a common practice to bed 4"-6" in front of the lug(mauser actions)but for guns to be more competitive, the first thing they eliminated was the bedding under the barrel. I had a late 50's benchrest rifle that was on a Springfield action that Old Man Douglas built in 22/250 which was a tack driver, full length bedded barrel, 3/8" groups.
I have full length bedded under the barrel on some ultra lights years ago, then found out that when I added some weight to the stock of the Model 7's, and put on a Gengtry muzzle break, those little guns shoot less than 1/2" groups, often much less than 1/2".
When dealing with some strange barrel harmonics, we have cut up credit cards or business cards and placed them under the barrel close to the forearm tip. This kind of thing can drive a guy crazy because humidity does change the pressure as the stock warps. I made an adjustable ramp, milled a slot in the forearm of the barrel, to put pressure on the bottom of the barrel as a tuning device which ended up being a Hail Mary kinda fix. Trying to fix a crazy acting barrel is madness and very expensive in terms of money and time spent.
I have tried to full length bed some barrels with a weight tied on the end of the barrel pulling down on the barrel, with the stock upside down, supported on the edges. After trying this system with 5,10, and 15 lb weights on the barrel in three different bedding jobs, I abandoned the process. Then I got a wild hair to use a silicone putty underneath the barrel, with weights tied on the barrel, so that the silicone would dampen harmonics. It worked on one barrel, but I could not duplicate the results on other barrels.
I bedded underneath the barrel for an inch to 4" for at least two decades, but no more.
