New Criterion Barrel Arrived

[michaelnel]

UPS just dropped off the Criterion 28" .308 Bull barrel I ordered from Jim & Brenda at NSS. I got the barrel lug, nut, wrench, and action vise also from NSS.

It all looks great (that barrel is a BEAST!), although UPS managed to lose it for 3 days. We'll install it after work tonight, maybe shoot it tomorrow night.

Thanks, Jim & Brenda!

[243LPR]

Have had good luck with mine in 6.5.x55,shooting under 1/4 inch at 200 yds at times. Good luck with yours.

[michaelnel]

Wow. I'd be happy with performance like that, for sure!

[hkmp5s]

Just got mine in now I need to figure out how to take the bolt apart.

[michaelnel]

You don't have to take the bolt apart to install the barrel, but if you want to, it's not hard to do. There are articles here on how to do it if you are a paid member. That said, I didn't take mine apart to replace the barrel.

[hkmp5s]

Mine is giving me problems. I head spaced off my go gauge, used the tape method for the the no-go and everything was right. Tightened everything up and rechecked and that was good too. Try it on a piece of spent brass and the bolt won't shut and gets stuck. I get to looking at the go gauge and it says 308 1.600" on the side but when I measure it it comes out too 1.800". I guess the gauge is out of spec.
Can I just head space off a piece of spent brass of get another gauge?

[michaelnel]

Mine is giving me problems. I head spaced off my go gauge, used the tape method for the the no-go and everything was right. Tightened everything up and rechecked and that was good too. Try it on a piece of spent brass and the bolt won't shut and gets stuck.

If that is brass that was fired in a different chamber (most likely), it would not be unusual for it to not fit in your new chamber. What happens if you use a piece of brass that has been fired and then full-length resized? Or a factory round, if you have some?


I get to looking at the go gauge and it says 308 1.600" on the side but when I measure it it comes out too 1.800". I guess the gauge is out of spec.
Can I just head space off a piece of spent brass of get another gauge?

Not sure if this helps, but...

The GO gauge I bought to do the barrel install on my .308 is a Forster, marked "243-308" and "GO" and "1.630". I checked the SAAMI spec and 1.630 is the proper dimension, not sure why yours is 1.600. What brand is your GO gauge?

My barrel worked with the GO and the bolt only closed about 1/3 of the way with light effort when using a single thickness of Scotch transparent tape on the head.

When I measure the overall length of the GO gauge, it is over 1.8. But that isn't the dimension that matters for this. The dimension for the GO gauge is from the surface of the head to the DATUM line on the shoulder. Mine has the shoulder two different colors, and when I measure to the line that divides the two colors, it is smack on 1.630.

http://www.brownells.com/userdocs/skus/p_100010715_3.jpg

Try measuring yours that way.

It chambers Federal Gold Medal Match 175gr factory loads fine. I have not shot it yet, going out to the club range after work this afternoon to do the break-in, will use FGMM 175 to do that.

[hkmp5s]

Your right I don't know why I was thinking OAL it's measured from the shoulder. I still don't know why it was hanging on my spent brass. I don't want to try a loaded round so I might just pull a bullet and use that brass to double check. Thanks.

[michaelnel]

In the savage action you can use the middle position of the safety... that will let you cycle the bolt but not release the firing pin.

I'd still point it in a safe direction, but that was how I checked mine before I put the action and barrel back in the stock.

[michaelnel]

Well, we broke 'er in, and she's a shooter for sure. About 35 rounds down the pipe with lots of cleanings with Sweets. Virtually no copper in the barrel. This was the final five round group with a hot barrel. Five rounds into about .45" at 100 yards. This was with factory Federal Gold Medal Match 175gr stuff. I expect she'll be happier with my handloads once I do the load development.


http://michaelnel.smugmug.com/Firearms/Savage-10FCP-HS-Precision/i-t39vGLH/2/O/criterion-fgmm-1stday.jpg

[FEENIX]

Cool! Looks like a shooter to me ... thanks for sharing!

[Steelhead]

Nice!

NSS are good people.
Their action vice makes short work of a barrel change.

[michaelnel]

Nice!

NSS are good people.
Their action vice makes short work of a barrel change.

Agreed on both counts. The tools were of excellent quality, well worth the money.

[scooterf79]

+1 on the group and the tools from Jim and Brenda! I bought my tools from them and a Criterion in 280AI. I broke my barrel in and worked up some loads last weekend. It shot really well, most of my groups were under .500. Good luck and keep us posted
Scooter

[michaelnel]

I now have a Savage 12 Benchrest on order (6mm BR) and Jim verified yesterday that the tools will work with that large shank target action too. I see another barrel in my future, unless the stock one on that 12BR is a good one (and some are).

[michaelnel]

Incidentally, that Criterion barrel seems to have some kind of copper repellent in it. I have now put maybe 150 rounds through it, and have yet to find a sign of copper in it, even cleaning it with Sweet's. It gets some carbon fouling and powder residue, but no copper sticks in there.

[scooterf79]

I dont have quite 100rds down the pipe on mine but after initial break-in there was very little if any copper in mine after cleaning with sweets. I think the quality of these barrels is top notch, not only my opinion but most everyone on this site seems to feel the same way.
Scooter

[GaCop]

You don't have to take the bolt apart to install the barrel, but if you want to, it's not hard to do. There are articles here on how to do it if you are a paid member. That said, I didn't take mine apart to replace the barrel. +1, leave the bolt alone. Your don't need to remove the ejector either.

[LongRange]

You don't HAVE to but I would recommend you do...if the ejector and extractor are stiff you'll have a hell of a time getting your head space right...I've rebarreled several savages and it just makes it easier to remove both.

[FW Conch]

Just in case your not confused enough yet, I've re barreled more than a few Savages and I never disassemble the bolt. It's your choice.

JMHO :-))......Jim