I heard that the M21 has to be rebeded after just 1k rounds to keep it tip top shape

I'm no expert by any means, but from reading on the web, I get the idea the bedding material is tough to keep in "match" condition.  The action puts a lot of stress on the bedding material.  They have "extra" lugged models to try to increase the support and add area to the bedding material.  I don't know about the barrels wearing out after 1000 rounds.....probably closer to 3000 rounds where the barrel will start to show signs of throat erosion and I don't think that is a problem exclusive to the M14/M21.  That is just a result of all the heat generated by the powder burning in the barrel of a .308 Winchester rifle.  

I have heard about 5k-10k before accuracy starts to degrade depending on the quality of the bbl

Bedding is in addition to an already very accurate rifle.  I have an extremely accurate M14 type rifle I built myself.  The stock is not bedded, but inletted by myself in certain points.  The lockup is tight as a frogs ass.  I also have a "stock" model, built by myself with only small accuracy modifications (shims, a little inletting here and there, trigger job, handguard filing) which shoots very tight groups.  These rifles arent hard to keep accurate.

Quoted: Bedding is in addition to an already very accurate rifle.  I have an extremely accurate M14 type rifle I built myself.  The stock is not bedded, but inletted by myself in certain points.  The lockup is tight as a frogs ass.  I also have a "stock" model, built by myself with only small accuracy modifications (shims, a little inletting here and there, trigger job, handguard filing) which shoots very tight groups.  These rifles arent hard to keep accurate.

That is not the impression I get from reading forums related to competition shooting anyways.  From a competitive standpoint it is not known to be an easy weapon to maintain at competition level accuracy.  

Quoted: Bedding is in addition to an already very accurate rifle.  I have an extremely accurate M14 type rifle I built myself.  The stock is not bedded, but inletted by myself in certain points.  The lockup is tight as a frogs ass.  I also have a "stock" model, built by myself with only small accuracy modifications (shims, a little inletting here and there, trigger job, handguard filing) which shoots very tight groups.  These rifles arent hard to keep accurate.

Shoot 3000 rds thru it at High Power match's/practice across the course ( 2-3-600yds) with it in a year and report back .

They aren't hard to keep accurate, it's just expensive $$ !

Quoted: Quoted: Bedding is in addition to an already very accurate rifle.  I have an extremely accurate M14 type rifle I built myself.  The stock is not bedded, but inletted by myself in certain points.  The lockup is tight as a frogs ass.  I also have a "stock" model, built by myself with only small accuracy modifications (shims, a little inletting here and there, trigger job, handguard filing) which shoots very tight groups.  These rifles arent hard to keep accurate. Shoot 3000 rds thru it at High Power match's/practice across the course ( 2-3-600yds) with it in a year and report back . They aren't hard to keep accurate, it's just expensive $$ !

Any bullet hose will wear out with 3000 rnds.  The original poster made it sound as though M14' s are more susceptable to lose their accuracy than other rifles.

My understanding is that the AR15 rifle's barrels last longer than the M14s.  I believe it is because there is slower throat erosion from the smaller cartridge.  If I'm not mistaken the barrels last about twice (or more) as long as the .308 ones.  

Quoted: Quoted: Bedding is in addition to an already very accurate rifle.  I have an extremely accurate M14 type rifle I built myself.  The stock is not bedded, but inletted by myself in certain points.  The lockup is tight as a frogs ass.  I also have a "stock" model, built by myself with only small accuracy modifications (shims, a little inletting here and there, trigger job, handguard filing) which shoots very tight groups.  These rifles arent hard to keep accurate. That is not the impression I get from reading forums related to competition shooting anyways.  From a competitive standpoint it is not known to be an easy weapon to maintain at competition level accuracy.

There is a difference between accurate and "competition accurate."  In 1000 yard competetion you need every last bit of accruacy and consistency squeezed out of the rifle, to the point where guys do things like keep their ammo in a cooler to guarantee it is all the same temp.

I seriosuly doubt that any M14 in Iraq/Afghanistan is getting rebedded every 1000 rounds, much less at 10,000 rounds.