Gee, I wish I had the action! When I was a youngster, I got my first rifle, a Sako Mosin Nagant (a rebarreled 91/30). My father and mother were hard workers, and I worked a paper route to supply myself with ammo! What we weren't was wealthy... and I'd see the guys at the range with their Model 70's and Sako Super Deluxes. I always wanted a rifle like that, but never could afford one. So I just concentrated on what I could afford, and now that I have grown up and have the means, I just kept on collecting Nagants and Enfields. I don't hunt with a centerfire rifle; I live in a shotgun/muzzleloading state. I stopped enjoying deer hunting with shotgun after a few seasons.. the part of the state I live in is OVERRUN with deer, and it was more like "waiting" that it was hunting. So I got into archery and muzzleloading.
My friend, Frank, is a lot more knowledgeable about barrels, twist rates and gunsmithing is general than I am, came over this evening and examined it. I must have made a mistake with the twist rate because he got a different result that supports the 1:9 twist. He couldn't ID it as a 700 or a 40X, but knows someone who could. I'm following up on it.
I try to learn something new.. and today I did. And I thank you all for the help. Now if I can just find a good home for this barrel, I'd love to swap for anything I could use for my own hobby :Enfields and Mosin-Nagants and their respective accoutrements.
Gentlemen, I hope you have a great holiday!