Looking for your expertise...
I recently bought a Sako L579 action and I'm planning to build it into a 6.5 Creedmoor. This will be my first rifle build. As a first step, I'm looking for some advice on sending it off to get the action barreled...barrel makers, barrel length, barrel twist, contour....
I plan to build a handy sporter and use it primarily for hunting deer. Plinking, coyotes, groundhogs are always a possibility.
I anticipate using 120 grain bullets and heavier...but it would nice to have a barrel that would allow me to play with lighter bullets down the road.
Thanks.

You have many options when it comes to barreling a rifle. I usually have used Pac Nor for new barrels and spent the money for match grade or super match, accuracy is outstanding.
Last year I sent an action off to McGowens to be barreled for a 6.5x55. They installed a #3 contour 26" stainless barrel for me with the 1-8.5" twist. This barrel so far groups 100 grain, 120 grain and 140 grain bullets in sub 3/4" groups. I am very happy.
If I were building a 6.5 Creedmor I would order the same twist. Any of the major barrel makers offer a great barrel, (Pac Nor, Shilen, McGowen,Brux, Bartlein and many others)some of them offer a installation and chambering service as well, if they don't send it off or take it to a Gunsmith who specializes in that service.
The length and contour you choose are kind of personal choices, if you prefer lightweight/ Featherweight contours (most of my rifles are featherweight contour)or if you like a little weight forward then you want a sporter contour like a #3. Several of my rifles turn out with a 23" barrel length, a few are 20-22" one or 2 are 24" and then the long 26" I mentioned above.
Where I live my mountain hunting rifles spend a lot of time on my back so I like them light, Featherweight contour, 23" is perfect.
If that's not your style then a 22"-24" #3 contour may be what you are after.

Thanks You for the information. 1:8.5" sounds like what I would use. I checked out Pac Nor and their offerings. What should I consider when choosing number of barrel grooves? I've noticed Pac Nor has a "polygonal" groove for 8.5 twist...?

McGowen built me the most accurate rifle I've ever had. That ,however, was in 1963.
You might want to check with Jim Kobe on the AR gunsmith forum. He could, I'm sure, handle the whole job per your desires .Send him a PM. roger

I'd have to go back and check but the barrels I've bought from Pac Nor were all 5 groove.
I think Pac Nor makes a 3 groove in 8.5 twist I would do that or a 9 twist in the 5 groove.
I know nothing about polygonal barrels.

I d ed cide to have the manufacturer barrel my action, should I pay a little more to have the action face trued-up?  Some of the barrel companies automatically do that as part of the installation but others want extra $.  I would think they'd all want to square things up and do whatever they can to give their product the best chance for success?!

Bolt face should be trued, re faced, resurfaced or whatever they call it.

It is called blue-printed.

Thanks for your help.

The bolt face only matters about 4% and is easy to screw up. The locking lugs, and action face are what you are talking about.

Greg Tannel (I am probably going to screw up the quote) says " cyclendrical, parallel and smooth" or something like that.

Big Wyoming is correct on the machine work. Bolt face and fire pin hole truing is a bit excessive for a darn good hunting rifle, and you probably won't see appreciable results in that application. For what it is worth, I had Triple River Gunsmithing re-barrel a M-70 SA to 257; they only use McGowen barrels. For about $650 they re-barreled, bedded the front recoil lug, and reblued the whole thing. That was about two years ago, and the resulting accuracy has been pretty good. About ten shots into 3/4" In the coyote department, it is a very dependable/boring rifle to shoot.

I have used McGowen barrels in the past and have been VERY pleased with the accuracy. If I were building a 6.5 Creedmore now I would assume you are going to compete or at least go for long range small groups. Use the best you can buy [afford] and never look back. You are using a great action and it deserves the best. Good Luck.
Aloha, Mark

Considering the quality of Sako ' s past and present, I wouldn't get too worried about "blueprinting" the action other than maybe to very lightly lap the locking lugs to assure full contact. Where blueprinting really took off and where it seems to be most used today is in correcting sloppy rough Remington actions for folks who still believe they can be match rifles. They get closer, even almost there, but.... anyway your Sako was made to higher standards to start with. It should build into a fine sporter pretty much as is. I'd spend the money on a top notch barrel and have a topnotch smith put a quality chamber job on it. That should be all you need.
And since you're looking at deer and smaller you might want to give a look at the 6 Creedmoor while you're at it. A highly accurate round, at least as good and maybe better than the 6.5, and beginning to show up in the longer range uses as well.

Thanks to everyone for helping me flatten the learning curve a little. Great information and references!

Barrel length and # grooves aside, 8 twist is the way to go for the 6.5 Creedmoor. Some will say manufacturer's don't have clue when it comes to barrel twist. This may be true when it comes to some calibers (22-250 comes to mind). However, in the case of the 6.5 Creedmoor, I have yet to see a rifle offered with anything other than an 8 twist barrel. Food for thought.

My recently completed 6.5 Creedmoor on an Rem 700 action (lugs lapped and action face squared only) w/a Mullerworks, S/S, 24", #4, 3 groove, 8 twist barrel shoots ragged holes @ 100yds with factory 140gr AMax and handloaded 123gr AMax.

It always seemed odd to me that a gunsmith thinks they can true a Sako up, I have had a number of Sakos and they were for all practical purposes well blueprinted by Sako right out of the box..My L-461 Sakp 6x45 with 0 tolerance chamber, will shoot right at .265 almost every time for 10 shots and it only weighs about 5 lbs. won a lot of turkeys with it, its my walk about chuck, and coyote rifle and has accounted for a number of deer, antelope, and Plains game over the last 30 or so years. I custom stocked it in English style, slim and trim. 18 inch Douglas barrel.