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.