I was going to add this to another thread but decided to make it a stand alone.

There have been questions about Criterion vs. X Caliber so here is some real world results, for the past 3 years I was shooting a Criterion 243 match barrel in short range BR and my scores were decent and when working up loads was getting anywhere from 0.163 - 0.165 5 shot groups not always but enough to say this particular barrel shot 0.2 on a regular basis. This was with a 105 Berger bullet at 100 yards with 2890 fps. Problem which I knew going in was barrel life and at 1440 the barrel was gone throat eroded to almost nothing and the first 2.5 inches of rifling was smooth.

Knowing this was about to happen I called Apache and made a some what odd request to him, I told Jim make me a 6br 7 twist X Caliber when he had time to do it no hurry as long as I had it for this years season ( ordered 8-18 received some time in Feb ) and all I can say is WOW. workmanship is second to none. This barrel gave me a 5 shot group that was so tight I didn't even bother to measure and this past weekend shot in a BR match 100 yards score was 245 and my 200 yard score in the pouring rain and wind was 243, for a agg. of 488 out of 500, aside from load development this was it's first competition. The next comp. isn't until the end of July and by that time it should be wearing a new Weaver XR 46x instead of the T36.

This also shows that a Savage can compete in BR. matches, because I am not the best shooter out there, but I do enjoy shooting.

So my hat is off to Jim not only for the outstanding workmanship but for recommending this barrel for the type shooting I do.

Now onto a Criterion I have been working on for over a year, 308 Win. 10 twist that to date likes nothing it is being fed( all Sierra), thought I had finally figured it out but not to be so I will try one maybe two more loads if it becomes a no go I will contact Criterion but in the mean time screw on a Douglas select match 308 and start over.

I want this one for 200 yard score matches (bigger hole) because my misses the other day would have been 10's if it was 30 cal instead of 6mm.. This will be on a single shot model 12 that is supposed to go to SSS for a T & T if I ever get the call to send it.
Sorry for the long winded post.