"Why would you swap a barrel for one that was shooting .5? Were you changing calibers?"

Simply because it wore out. For the first 3,000 rounds that .22-250 barrel shot .5 inchthree shot groups at 100 yards. Thenaccuracy started to gosouth. Had the Lilja barrel installed by a very good gunsmith, big mistake. The Lilja barrel came off, went back to Lilja andRemingtonre-barreled the rifle. Viola!!! Instant .5 inch groups again.

Toquote the old lady who survived the Jonestown mass suicide: "i ain't drinking the Kool Aid."