Who would you get a barrel from?

Are you 100% sure you need the barrel maker to install it? What about a competent smith? There are many.

I voted bartlein but kreiger would work just as well, k&p, proof research, and many, many others will also work.

I think now it’s just a matter of who had what you want and who can Do the work for a price and timeframe that you want

Criterion Prefit, from Northland Shooters, and a nut, wrench, and maybe a recoil lug. No gunschmidt required.

It depends on whether you want a cut or button rifled barrel, do you want a shouldered barrel or still use the barrel nut system, and last - How much you're willing to spend.
You can get a Pre-fit barrel from several places as low as $200 or you spend up to $800+ on a custom cut rifled shouldered barrel plus installation cost.

I've got or had almost every brand of barrel that you listed from $200 E.R. Shaw barrels to high dollar custom cut rifled shouldered barrel's. I can't say that I've ever had any brand of custom barrel for a bolt action that didn't shoot well.
If you don't load your own ammo, then you are wasting your money, IMO. The ammo will need to be fine tuned to the barrel in order to achieve the greatest accuracy.

For what a gunsmith will charge you to install a pre-fit barrel, you can save probably 50% or more by just getting a Wheeler action wrench and a set of Go / No Go gauges, and do it yourself. I've got 6 or 7 Savage action rifles and 4 custom action rifles that all have the Savage small shank barrel threads. All but 2 of the Savage's have custom barrels on them that I installed myself. It only takes 15 - 30 minutes to do it.

Hart will match your profile and meet your requirements on length and threads.
That would be more expensive than a prefit, but it would check all the boxes.

I voted Shilen because it’s the only one I’ve installed on my Savage 10. It would literally shoot 5 rounds through the same hole at 100 yards, not talking about a clover leaf hole either I also had some nice 5 shot groups at just over an inch at 330 yards. It was the SS select match from northland shooters in 308

All good options but I'm not sure how many, if any, barrel manufacturers would install your barrel. A pre-fit from McGowan or NSS would be your best bet and a 'smith probably wouldn't charge you 100 bones to install it.

How will you use this rifle? Hunting and Target work require two very different barrels.

I would recommend Shaw. They have done several bolt actions for me that I use for hunting. Very happy with their products. I was also pleased with the Douglas barrels I have used.

Kevin

OP you should build your own rifle if at all possible.

Building rifles builds character.

Those barrels you listed are all good.

Ive usually used Shaw barrels, both shouldered and nutted. Ive been happy with the Shilens ive had, as well as the X-caliber thats on my current 6.5 .

If you need the wrenches to swap the barrels i can loan you mine.

I wanna try Bartliens new barrel steel with a carbon wrap.....so i voted that lol.

The only one of the list with whom I've done business is McGowen. Did a good job and put it all together correctly. Not what I'd call inexpensive, but getting a decent barrel should not be a bargain basement sort of thought process.

My rules for barrels is if the maker starts with a B then its a good barrel. Bartlein, Broughton, Brux.

Now for prefits for AR's I've used a X-Caliber and McGowan. And the McGowen is a laser with 4 different bullets and 3 different powders.

I like Krieger and have several of them. I'll stay with them until I get a bad one. But all of the ones listed are good.

edwardware said:

Criterion Prefit, from Northland Shooters, and a nut, wrench, and maybe a recoil lug. No gunschmidt required.

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Works for me

horsemen61 said:

thanks for the replies guys!

First I Reload have for years I’m a huge fan and proponent of it I reload for Accuracy First and Foremost

Second This Rifle is mainly for target work but I’d use it for hunting some if I so chose I am fine with the savage nut system so I’ll stick with it accuracy is paramount for this barrel I’d like cut rifling but it’s not a must

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I ran a Criterion 6 br barrel to a 6 target agg -10 shot groups average 3.3 inches and 93ish points over three months at 600 yards, that doesn’t sound like much but the nbrsa world record is 2.75 by one fella and 96 point average is a world record set by another guy.
Not bad for a farm boy and a pre fit savage barrel

CarJunkieLS1 said:

My rules for barrels is if the maker starts with a B then its a good barrel. Bartlein, Broughton, Brux.

Now for prefits for AR's I've used a X-Caliber and McGowan. And the McGowen is a laser with 4 different bullets and 3 different powders.

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The only B barrel I’ve had was 2 Bergara’s back before they started making rifles and they were both disappointing. I guess there is an exception to every rule.

edwardware said:

Criterion Prefit, from Northland Shooters, and a nut, wrench, and maybe a recoil lug. No gunschmidt required.

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The lead time on these barrels can be surprisingly long. I'm at 40 weeks and still waiting.

P89DCSS said:

The lead time on these barrels can be surprisingly long. I'm at 40 weeks and still waiting.

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I waited right at 6 months for my last Krieger barrel. But I ordered it with some custom specs.

StrawHat said:

How will you use this rifle? Hunting and Target work require two very different barrels.

I would recommend Shaw. They have done several bolt actions for me that I use for hunting. Very happy with their products. I was also pleased with the Douglas barrels I have used.

Kevin

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This, need more info on use of rifle.

I second ER Shaw. I have several custom rifles with their barrels and they shoot very well. Most of my use if for hunting deer, pigs, turkey, varmints on the Texas plains.

horsemen61 said:

READ Post 15 again

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You mean I have to read every post? Maybe make the comment on the perceived use bold and in red letters or something

Thanks, missed that one. So a heavier contour wouldn't be out of the question.

I would suggest Proof Research whether their all steel or carbon wrapped barrels.

I haven't checked whether they offer barrels for your action, but to date I've only purchased custom barrels from PacNor and MGM. I've ordered cataloged prefit barrels from Criterion (short chambered), ER Shaw and Green Mountain (drop in). No complaints about any of these makers.