I've got a Savage 11 FCNS in 243 that sits in the safe and never gets used. It shoots wonderfully small groups with anything I've loaded for it. Problem is, I'm not crazy about it in it's current form. I've decided to start a new project and strip it down, rebarrel to 7-08, replace recoil lug, restock and bed in a new Boyds thumbhole. I'll be doing all the work myself. I've narrowed it down to either a Shilen match grade or a Criterion match grade barrel, leaning Shilen. I'll probably order from Northland who carries both and the lug. Any Aldeer experience with these 2 barrel brands or Savage builds?

Savage 11 FCNS
Boyds Thumbhole
Criterion Barrels
Shilen Barrels
Northland Shooters Supply

I'm running the Criterion Match Grade on multiple rifles and all are .5moa or better. I would order the Criterion.

I built a 308 with a Shilen #7 from midway and shot small groups consistently. No problems on fit and finish or no issues. Also you can rent your hard space gauges from elk ridge rentals instead of buying them, I believe it was $25 round trip.

Good info guys, still undecided on barrel choice, will call both tomorrow. As for the go no go gauges, was gonna buy but will probably rent now.

If you buy your gauges your looking at about 75-100 for a one time deal vs $25. Kind of a no brainer.

I don't think you can really go wrong with either barrel I'm going to order a Criterion next go round just because joshm28 is having good luck with them. I honestly think all the makers seem to have good and then some of the good are just even better barrels... simply just the luck of the draw.

I used sized brass to set the headspace. I size 2 pieces of brass. One piece is used as is for the go gauge and I put a piece of tape on the other piece as a no go. My headspaced rifles are all pretty tight but I handload just about everything so I don't have to worry about store bought ammo not fitting

Well guys, everything is on order. Shilen match grade, Boyds thumbhole, recoil lug, new barrel nut and nut wrench on the way. Still need the go no gos and bedding compound. She'll be put together in 6-8 weeks or so. Thanks for the input.

Let us know how it shoots and try to post some pics also.

I got everything in but the barrel. Figured I'd pull the old barrel and start doing some prep work. Drilled and cut a couple wood blocks, chucked those and the barreled action in a vice. Latched onto the barrel nut, barrel spun in the blocks. Put tape around barrel, barrel still spun. Put rosin around barrel, barrel still spun. By this time, I've had all I could take, ordered a wheeler action wrench. Hopefully she'll break loose easier with it.

no hammer? no plumber's wrench?

I built an action wrench and a vise .

Some of them can be a challenge. You'll be fine once you get it loose. I use a vise on a milling machine. I've had to put a breaker bar on it a time or two. That's tight on another level. Don't get discouraged.

Update. The action wrench arrived a couple weeks ago. Locked it in my vise, put a 20" pipe wrench on the smooth nut, a couple hard shots with a dead blow hammer got it spinning. That thing was ridiculously tight. Since then, on the trigger, I've replaced the accutrigger spring with a varmint spring, polished the bearing surfaces, now she's smooth and breaks at 2 lbs. For the stock, I dremeled out some material and bedded the action to the lug. Still waiting on the barrel. When it comes in, I'll set headspace and do final stock work to make sure she's floated. I want to shoot 140 Accubonds, I hope the barrel likes em.