Thanks for the food for thought. I'll reach out to the smiths and see how it fits my budget. It's one of those things where I'd like to learn, and I always hear "Just pay someone else to do it". I figure I have a lathe, mill, welder, and a lot of free time now to take my time, and near me there aren't really any classes I could take, and funds aren't as loose as they were a few months ago. Turning down the barrel might be a more interesting way to do it, and precludes the need to remove it or blue the new barrel. It's not an SBR barrel, so long as I pin and weld my Cutts to it. Also, is there a reference somewhere to figure out the lineage of mine 1927a1 based on the serial number? Thanks.