It looks like I have tracked down a 22PPC, but I would like to rebarrel it.

After a bit of checking up on law here, I found that I can change the barrel providing I miantain the original length.

What is the preffered brand for a heavy varmint barrel?

There are many good barrel makers, including Krieger, Hart, and Shilen. If you go to Benchrest.com, you can take a look at their advertisers for more suggestions. Any of the three mentioned will hold groups in the .2 moa range, if smithed and shot properly. HTH, Dutch.

There are several quality barrel makers to choose from. Hart, Krieger, Shilen, Lilja, PacNor, Lothar Walther, Even the old Gouglas barrel company still produce fine shooting barrels. As far as true tack drivers that depends on the shooters skill and that certain barrel by any of the top barrel makers. I have Lilja, Hart, Krieger, and a 12 FV 22-250 Savage with a factory barrel that shoots as well as any of those three top barrel makers. You just never know for certain until the rounds hit the target. It is probably safe to say most of those barrels will shoot better than the shooter behind the rifle. Most of the benchrest crowd use these barrels and post five shot groups in the 1s and 2s with occasional group less than 1. Mother nature is in control of of many groups any shooter delivers to the target. My best group to date is a .068 but that is not the norm. Those groups are few and far between and any shooter doing so consitantly would win every match and have the entire group of men surrounding him to find his secret.