I got this gun 30 years ago and love it dearly. It has over 15,000 rounds through it as of this past weekend. With my handloads in 3031 and H380 I was able to consistently get .37" accuracy at 100 yards until a couple of years ago when the groups started getting wider. Now I can get .44" consistently at 100 yards.

My objective is to kill as many woodchucks as I can before the Lord takes me away. So accuracy is the objective!

Would you get a new barrel for this?
Or should I put the ole girl down?

.44" doesn't sound too bad to me, especially for chucks. I would keep shooting the rifle until it opens up a little more. At that point I would re-barrel with Pac-Nor or Douglas and shoot some more.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

quote:

It has over 15,000 rounds through it

That's only 80+ pounds of powder burned in it, should be shooting a LOT better than that!!!! Burning that amount of powder I would imagine you have lost atleast a couple thou inch of throat, and I KNOW you keep exact records of rounds fired. GAWD

Have you had the muzzle cut back an inch and re crowned ....That may be all you need to shrink the groups back down ,,,,,,,.. I myself would prefer a Shilen barrel to a Douglas , or Pac Nor .... Not that those arn,t very good barrels .... But accuracy is Shilen,s forte' .....