Criterion 22lr barrels

[stagpanther]

I have bought Criterion barrels over the years and have recently discovered they have (finally) entered the rimfire market. Their AR and centerfire bolt action barrels have steadily improved over the years IMO (not that they were bad to begin with, just getting even better) and they now offer heavy blanks through NSS and finished CZ prefits (what I'm interested in) through Whidden Gun works. Whidden also offers CZ prefits for Bartlein, Lothar and Muller but those appear to be out of stock at the moment. I have a 26" Criterion prefit on the way and will hopefully be able to test and review sometime soon. Whidden is also a test center for Eley and Lapua (have their own indoor test range) and offer ammo matching service for barrel purchases (I did not elect to do that, but could save you a lot of time and money potentially). In the meantime, I have readied my two CZ 457's for summer fun--though premium ammo is about as hard to find as I have ever seen.

[JJMarsh]

Originally Posted by stagpanther

I have bought Criterion barrels over the years and have recently discovered they have (finally) entered the rimfire market. Their AR and centerfire bolt action barrels have steadily improved over the years IMO (not that they were bad to begin with, just getting even better) and they now offer heavy blanks through NSS and finished CZ prefits (what I'm interested in) through Whidden Gun works. Whidden also offers CZ prefits for Bartlein, Lothar and Muller but those appear to be out of stock at the moment. I have a 26" Criterion prefit on the way and will hopefully be able to test and review sometime soon. Whidden is also a test center for Eley and Lapua (have their own indoor test range) and offer ammo matching service for barrel purchases (I did not elect to do that, but could save you a lot of time and money potentially). In the meantime, I have readied my two CZ 457's for summer fun--though premium ammo is about as hard to find as I have ever seen.

Interesting insights on aftermarket CZ barrels - good to hear the quality is improving. For premium .22LR ammo, try checking AmmoSeek or TargetSportsUSA; they occasionally restock SK Long Range Match. Looking forward to your review of the new barrel!

[stagpanther]

The Criterion barrel was in stock when I ordered it last week--but there's been no update on packing/shipping since and I don't know when it will arrive. I'm really interested in what happens with L3i's new action; if they come up with a relatively easy way to headspace a barrel to their action (adjustable for different types of ammo) and also have a simple and reliable way to feed from a magazine it might be a breakthrough for the 22lr market. I'm rooting for them to succeed. I do check those sites for ammo availability--but you have to move very fast to buy the good stuff when it becomes available.