I will follow this thread as I am in a similar position. Building a rifle from the ground up and have many of the same questions that you do.
Regarding Shilen, I have some comment. I have a Shilen Chrome Moly barrel on a Ruger 22-250. I had a gunsmith order the barrel and paid extra to have it hand lapped at Shilen. Barrel shoots OK but I now own a borescope and I would be if this barrel was hand lapped. Too many reamer marks. A Shilen stainless drop in barrel is high on my list but being stainless, I know it will be hand lapped.
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