The proper installation of the front sight base is a pain, but I'd have accepted this if the barrels had been correct in other respects - still, best practice would have been installation of the front sight base by the manufacturer. The Criterion barrels were advertised as being fully finished externally (though in the white): threaded, indexed, and with rear sight screw holes located, drilled and threaded and the front sight base dovetail milled: all this is true, but the rear sight holes are of the wrong diameter and not threaded for the original screws. 309": no better than the originals I already have.Ģ. 302" (not of itself a show stopper, and not unusual for button-rifled barrels) - but the groove diameter measured a full. I was immediately disillusioned when I received the barrels:ġ.
When CMP announced the availability of the new barrels, I trusted in the CMP and the reputation of Krieger (who owned and operated Criterion as a subsidiary at the time) to adhere to the correct, nominal, bore and groove dimensions, which are also the industry standards of many years' standing for cal.30 barrels. Whelen, were aware of the dimensional control issues and took considerable care to obtain barrels of proper internal dimension. I know that such correctly-dimensioned original barrels exist, having measured a couple of them, and knowing that knowledgeable riflemen of the Krag era, such as Col. 311", and have performed well with bullets of proper (full groove diameter) size - but not so well with the readily available standard. Those I have kept and shot range between.
I've been shooting Krags for many years, but have never been able to acquire one with both a really good bore and nominal internal dimensions (.308" groove diameter). However, I've posted my question elsewhere and gotten no replies - so. Since these barrels have been offered for some time, and have almost certainly been discussed here previously, I realize I'm coming late to the party.