bigsqueeze,

The 26 has been around long enough that Nosler's gotten plenty of feedback about barrel life. Most customers report at least 1000 rounds, or a little more, though one said his lasted 1600 rounds before accuracy deteriorated.

Of course, a lot depends on how they're shot. Getting the barrel hot means shorter barrel life, of course.

Mine has been shot more than it probably would have been by somebody else, because most shooting has been done to test loads for articles. Otherwise I might have only shot it half as much, enough to confirm its best load and then get the scope dialed-in--which didn't take much.

“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck