Well after 30 years and 10,000+ rounds down stream my 'factory" MKX barrel can't get me MOA any longer. Over the years I have increased the OAL to get the bullet closer to the receding lands. It is now a single shot. Pervious loads that have worked a a number of new attempts and 1.25-1.5MOA is the best I can do.

So I'm in the market for a new barrel. Since I do at time use this as a carry rifle I don't want to go with a heavy varmint or bull.

CM because I don't use it alone for days long PD trips. So I was thinking something in a simply heavy sporter. Maybe light target. It will remain a 22-250 and I won't be using heavy bullets so don't need a super fast twist.

Thoughts and experience?

I'd think something around a #4 contour. I'd look at Douglas, and Hart. Lilja if money was no object.

Harrt doesn't make a CM�Im not sure about Lilja. My only two non-factory barrels are Hart and Benchmark. Happy with them both, but both are stainless. I have found factory take-off barrels to be just as good, accuracy wise, and a helluva lot cheaper if you don't have a snazzy twist or anything 'custom' in mind.

I'm not married to a CM just that the action is bluing and I'm not big on a mismatch.

I've used Douglas for years. Just wondered what the current buyers felt were good. Since the factory barrel made it 30+ years I think it is due for something new. A few $$ extra every 30 years isn't going to break me.

I haven't heard anything bad about douglas.

if ya go with a Douglas, check out IT&D Gunsmithing in Ohio...

they have Douglas barrels in stock and mega reasonable prices with fairly quick turnaround....

I have two rifles with rebarreled 22.250 barrels on them...

I like them to be mobile, but wanted a little more than just a sporter barrel... so I went with a heavy magnum contour... same size as a 458 would be chambered in...on both..

I've got a Lilja on my 243 and Benchmark barrels on my 204 Ruger and 300 WSM. All three are very accurate and I've been very happy with them. My gunsmith, Kevin Weaver, seems to lean towards the Benchmark barrels as of late.

Seafire,
Yep I've used IT&D for a number of barrel. Hard to beat their prices and service.

Never heard of Benchmark. Might need to check up on them

Check Brux out....

LOL if I start looking at Brux I'll have to get into the cut vs button debate.

I'd go stainless for sure, CM tube offers no advantages. If you go CM you still have to get the whole thing blued if you're worried about everything matching up. Just get the whole thing cerakoted if it concerns you. If it don't, then just blast the barrel and call it good or hit it with a rattle can.

No reason to ever pick a CM barrel

340, We have used several different barrels on out .22's.. My pal is a big fan of Shilen.. I use mostly Douglas in a #5 or 5A.
But I think if I were doing it today, I would opt for a #4.. Unless I wanted a bull, which you don't.. My 22-250AI is my only Packnor, and it is a real shooter..

I have several Lilja's, but not in .22... If I were doing this again, I would probably buy a high end barrel like Hart etc. just because I never owned one..

#3 Douglas Stainless Premium. Finished @ 22" 1" shank. 1-8" twist. Krylon of your choice.





Travis

I prefer stainless barrels too, and the cerakote/dura-coat/Krylon idea is not a bad one. Ive duracoated two stainless barrels matte black and have been completely happy with them

""#3 Douglas Stainless Premium. Finished @ 22" 1" shank. 1-8" twist. Krylon of your choice.""

Travis I think you hit it. I've never had a Douglas I didn't like. Why change now.

Get 'er done.

And please do try the heavies. You only live once and you'll be glad you did.




Travis

Travis I run a lot of heavy stuff through my AR15 with great results. Since the old 22-250 barrel was so slow I started having trouble over 55gr. Looking at my supplies I seem to have 2 for 1 heavy vs light so makes since to be able to shoot both.

My 1-8 bug holes the 40gr Ballistic Tips and just about everything in between.

Just stay away from the thin jacketed stuff, which I'm sure you knew already.




Travis

I have seen the same results as Travis with my 1-8's.....

It doesn't cost any more to have a barrel twisted 1-8 than 1-14 and so much more versatile....

If you got 10,000 rds. out of a .22-250 barrel, I'd say another one just like it. E

If the barrel was a good barrel, it still probably is. Have it shortened a bit at the chamber and re-bored. Lot cheaper than a new barrel!

I'd go stainless just because. I like the two-tone look -- sends a signal that you actually shoot.

The barrel was a simple factory MKX barrel. When new if would give a sub MOA Benn so long the memory is gone but probably around .75" at 100yd. It was my only varmint rifle for YEARS but for the most part jack rabbits, coyotes etc. Wasn't until the last 10 years of its life that it was used for PD and the round count jumped.

The contour is the light taper MKX used setting the barrel back would leave a large gape in the stock. Setting it back would probably only get me to the jump I have now by setting the bullet out. Only gain would be getting to use the mag.

With a factory action it will never be a BR rifle. I just want to get back to the .75 or sub level.

Since I was just told by the inspector yesterday that I had $20000+ hail damage all gun type purchase are on hold until I know what the ins will cover and if I get do some sweat equity to equal the deductible.

Forget the "numbered" contours. Go to Lilja's site and Pac-Nor's site and see if your rifle is listed among the standard factory contours they replicate. It's a lot less hassle to work with a factory contour than some intermediate bastardized size.

Twist ... if you want to stick with 52s or lighter, no reason not to go with a 1-14" twist. If you want to run 55s, I'd go with a 1-12" twist. I've had some .22-250s with nominal 1-14" twists that would handle a 55 and some that wouldn't so ... take the fight out of it with a 1-12".

Tom

Tom
The factory MKX contour is too light in my opinion. Yes it worked for 30 yrs. but I want a touch heavier without going to a target barrel. Since I built the stock there is no issue in expanding the channel. Going smaller would be an issue.

In looking at the supply of bullets I have on hand I have several 1000 in the 60-69 gr range. I "believe" the factory is a 14. I do need to think going with a twist quick enough to shoot the 69s.

I had a Douglas #2 contour CM put on my old Ruger 77V, in place of the heavy barrel it came with. Terrific shooter. Had a #4 Brux SS put on my 260. Also terrific shooter, though heavy. I might go with deflave's suggestion of the #3 contour, if I were the OP.

+1 for Dave and crew. I'd go with them and Douglas for price and turnaround time.

If it was mine, I'd be thinking about a #3 or #4 depending on use, and I'd consider a faster twist for heavier bullets.

DF

Pick the contour you want,but as Steelhead said,there is no reason not to use stainless,and I would make it 1-9".

may I live long enough and have enough opportunity to burn out the barrels on all my varmint rifles.. and then do it once again....

With stainless you save the cost of bluing and that helps even out the cost differential between SS and CM. And, I just like SS better, anyway.

Two tone is cool...

DF

Makes sense. I was hoping to help you avoid a mess I got into once. Sounds like your situation is pretty different.

My mess: I tried to fit a #6 contour barrel into an HS Precision stock with an "african" contour channel. Same .750 muzzle but the contour at the chamber was wildly different. I wound up having to remove too much material to get it to fit and got clear to the cords in the fiberglass.

Thanks Tom
As to your mess been there done that. Had to do a little "GLASS" bedding of my own. Worked for years and only I knew I had to make my own fiberglass liner. LOL

Right now I bounce back and forth CM or SS. Guess it will depend on where the swing is when I get word from my Homeowners as to how much of the hail damage they are going to cover since I just had the same damage last year.

If it is SS then I have a synthetic I will stick it in. CM then it will stay wood.

Thanks for the heads up about removing too much on a fiberglass stock.

Just a thought......rebore to 6mm. I have a 6-250 and really like it for coyotes..

Yep but my 243 and 6mm would get all upset.