Go with the one that is accurate, moving the tailstock by hand is not accurate, it's high and it may be left or right, that is why they have the lockdown. Use your dial indicator on the top of the tailstock, zero it and then lock it down, you may see twenty thousands of an inch +/-.
Expanding foaming glue with fill the voids created I guess but why not drill accurately in the first place?
Lock it down and take the time drilling 3 inches at a time and see if there is a difference.
Hats off to those who posted about their setup using the carriage, it's accurate when done right and those who posted did it right, great job.
John, if I can give one real important piece of advice, hang a bungee above your chuck, then attach your chuck key to it. The day you understand to never never never never leave it in your chuck is the day you can remove the bungee. I can see the lathe is not on but that is not the point, you don't aim an unloaded gun in the wrong direction for any reason, same with the key, never do it. Some are designed to fall out if turned on, that is why they are so loose, they are supposed to fall out before hitting the lathe bed but you can't count on it.
Great job on the last cue you posted, it looked great.