Finally joined the rebarrel club

Spent thanksgiving in my uncles shop rebarreling my 10 FCP-HS from .308 to 6.5CM with a Shilen stainless select match 26" bull barrel. Learned a LOT through the process but was pleasantly surprised how easy the process was, and was surprised by the amount of (what appeared to be) steel blast media in the factory threads. Took it to the range with a couple boxes of Prime 130's for break in, a process that I've never performed in the past (i typically just clean a new rifle and then shoot until accuracy drops off before cleaning again), and printed multiple 3 shot groups just above 1/4" in diameter. Right or wrong, I shot 3 shots then cleaned, and repeated the process until I had 40 rounds down the tube. I was impressed to see that level of accuracy with factory ammo, and I'm a mediocre rifleman at best! We reloaded that Prime brass with 43 grains of H4350, primed with Federal 210's, topped with Berger 130 VLD's for a COAL of 2.775" but I haven't been back to the range to try the hand loads yet. I'm looking forward to learning more about reloading and working up a load for this rifle while working on my marksmanship. I suppose I'll put the .308 tube up for sale if there's any interest in it. If anyone has suggestions on a Houston based cerakote shop, I'm all ears! Anyway, here are a couple pictures, constructive criticism is always welcomed. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...3ee4613164.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...14ac9761d0.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a495436ee4.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...eb092422ef.jpg

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Welcome to the addiction. That is a nice looking rifle you have there. I particularly like the looks of the stock. Those groups are great and good luck with the handloads.

Good job and good shooting.

Many of us only get the go-gauge and with a layer of masking/painters tape on the head it becomes a no-go gauge (
masking tape is 0.004" thick and the no-go gauge is 0.004" longer than the go-gauge )

You don't need to do any break in with Shilen barrels because they're hand lapped. Just clean before shooting and have fun.

I have 3 shilens and think they're good for the money. One complaint about the Shilen Pre-fits is that the one's I have came with short freebore.

That's an awesome looking rifle. Good shooting too. Coincidentally, I ordered a 28" Shilen barrel in 6.5 Creedmoor late last month. Shilen has threaded the muzzle for me since I plan to run a suppressor, so there was a bit of delay waiting on that. Tracking shows I am to receive it on Thursday. It will go in a HS Precision stock as well. I have thought about going the Cerakote route perhaps later, and may try a place I know with another rifle first......just to see how it goes. If you do Cerakote it, I would like to hear/see how it went.

This will also be my first barrel install on a Savage.