Thought I would just jump onto Brownells and buy a barrel band for the CZ 550.... choices, choices, decisions, decisions....

What do you recommend?
Manufacturers: London, Talley, Gentry....
**Long or short? (.4" to .80")
**Pre-blued or white? (if white how does the do it yourself guy blue it?)
**Tapered exteriors or sharp?
**Pretapered interior or Taper it yourself?
**Solder or Accu-Glass attachment?

Ah, ignorance is bliss, should have just taken it to a gunsmith and said "put on a barrel band," unfortunately I'm one of those that likes to do the straight forward work myself....

Any recommendations?

EKM

I have a M70 Stainless Classic in .375 H&H on which I had a gunsmith mount a Gentry barrel band sling swivel. Of course it was stainless. It was held on with Acraglas. As far as a blued rifle goes it may better to get a band already blued. The gunsmith and I measured the diameter of the barrel at the site I wanted to have the band located, and picked the the band that had the closest ID. The smith then slid it to that spot; it was not tapered.

Personally, I would not install a band that was not soldered. Given that, it has to be in the white and th ebarrel must have no finish where it is attached. ANy of the bands are fine. I used a Gentry on a CZ not long ago. As far as I know, all Gentrys are internally tapered. But it does not matter, tapering the ID is no big deal. I prefer the shape of the Gentry band, but it is no better or worse than other bands. Just a personal preference.