New Criterion Barrel / Big Kudos to James @ Northland!

Hi Folks-

Well, I just received my Savage prefit CBI barrel, heavy duty recoil lug and trued barrel nut from James at Northland. Ordered on Monday and James was very patient and helpful with this rookie- explaining and answering questions. It is, to me, a thing of beauty and a call to my local gunsmith verified I can bring the gun over Monday for the barrel swap, head spacing, etc.

Thanks so much James!

Oh, I should mention it's a 26", Varmint profile, 1:10 stainless short shank .308 Winchester, going on my model 111 Hog Hunter. I am so excited to get it on the gun and start working loads for it!

I'll post some pics when she's done; should be about a week.

QUESTION- forgive me if it's dumb: I'm wondering if now might be a good time to get some measurements with the Hornady OAL tool for the bullets I am planning to use? Seems that there shouldn't be a difference whether the barrel is mounted or not? Please comment and as always thanks for the help and support!

Brian

U can check the col no need to wait

I don't think he is talking COAL. I think he is looking for his distance to the lands.

OP, Silver crow, It does not matter if it is screwed on or not. You're going to push the modified case up to the shoulder anyway.

I just shot my new CBI barreled 223 for the second time today. Groups are getting smaller as I develop the loads, but already some of the smallest I've shot to date since the gun was new.

As you did, I got the precision ground recoil lug and barrel nut. Had to bed the stock again, but no big deal.

Before i installed the barrel, I put a inspection camera down the chamber and looked at the leade/lands. Very surprised to see how high the lands appeared against the grooves. Made some OAL checks with re-sized brass and got some real inconsistent readings, and assumed a burr on the lands was the culprit.

After I'd put 50 rounds down the tube, I inspected it again with the camera. The lands looked much more "normal" to me, but then I'm no expert. I again performed checks with the exact same bullet's I'd used before and came up with much different numbers, but they were very consistent so I booked them into my records.

Shot today at 200 yds fine tuning a load based upon IMR8208XBR and 75 g. Hornaday BTHP. Most groups were under 1/2 a minute. One three shot group (out of 5) were holes touching measuring .068 MOA.

Think I'm going to like this new barrel!

Cudos to James at NSS! Got a good product at a good price, and immediate delivery, PLUS action wrench and barrel nut wrench that made the job go simple and easy. Took all of 20 minutes to install and headspace the barrel with my son doing it for the first time. Kinda of anticlimactic.

One thing you might do is ask your Smith to knock the corner off the breech lock (where the bolt lugs lock into the action) so your brass isn't dented as it is ejected. I forgot to do that, and may take it apart again to make that change. For now, I can tell how many times I've reloaded a brass by counting the dents in the case wall.

Congratulations on your purchase and hope you too experience the joys a custom barrel can bring.

Thanks guys! Yes, I did mean distance to lands...not COAL. I thought it would be OK but it wouldn't be the first time I thought something was OK and found later I'd missed an important "point". LOL!

Texas10- isn't that 8208 XBR the..stuff??! My .223 is a 1:14 twist so I can only go 55 Gn. bullets but good Lord that stuff is great- meters well etc. I had pretty much been using W748 in my .223 loads but a LGS owner encouraged me to try the 8208...I love it!

Hijacking my own thread...typical

Also thanks for the dented cases info. I've never had that problem with OEM barrel / bolts. Good to know!

I've only pillar bedded the Boyds for my .308 so far- but intend to do a full bedding.

Did you have to open up the lug slot in the stock? I know the NSS lug is thicker...least seems to be..

Brian

Brian

Yes, the new lug is thicker, and flatter so yes, had to grind out the bedding and start over. The original lug appears to be simply blanked out of sheet steel and tumble de-burred.

For me, the jury's still out on 8208XBR. I find good ol' IMR3031 is better for 50 to 55 gr loads. My son shot several "best loads" this week in his 12FV in 223 using 8208 and 3031 with 53 gr V-max and Sierra flat base hollow point. Both bullets shot best with 3031, but the difference was small.

I have a good load using 69 SMK and 8208 that shoots great out to 750 yds. but I find that when using Varget and Tipped Matchkings I get a much flatter shooting load.

Hope you enjoy your new barrel!

Where you at in Pa? I have the tools if you want to swap the barrel yourself.

I'm in Sellersville Pa- 8 miles south of Quakertown; 21 miles south of Allentown/Bethlehem (Bethlehem=home town). I went to Patton Masonic School in Elizabethtown. You are about 90 miles from me.

I WOULD be interested in doing it myself but admittedly have never attempted anything like this.

Brian