A brief update on this.

When I originally posed the question, my rifle was in Empire Rifles' shop and I thought I had a "new barrel" project underway 12 months after it was supposed to be started. I'll spare everyone the details, but Empire wasn't in a position to complete my project and after expending more effort than should have been necessary, the rifle was returned to me this June.

Now it has been cut to 20-inches and is headed to Danny Pedersen's shop in Arizona for re-boring & rechambering (what I should have done in the first place). Instead of Talley bases the local 'smith is fitting a Ruger #1 rib on the barrel so we can mount the Scout scope. H&H-style flip-up night sight will sit in an NECG banded front sight base.

Once everything is assembled & Cerakoted I think it will actually turn out better than if Empire had done it.