I'm pretty sure I want to cut down the 26" savage 308 barrel on the my main target rifle. I want this to be a lot handier as i now have other rifles with long barrels. Questions:

1. The barrel and action are cerakoted after some rusting issues. Do i need to get some thing done to the tip after cutting and threading? It will be wearing a brake for mounting a suppressor. Kinda want this to be me primary hunting rifle.

2. Is Morgan at class III still a good place for cutting down and threading a barrel?

3. I'm thinking 18". Any other suggestions on length?

4. Not important, but how good does loaded ammo from before and after work?

1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Yes, if you don't need higher velocities.
4. You will likely have to sight in again; barrel harmonics will be different, so there may significant change in accuracy.

#3, If you're cutting it and it will be wearing a suppressor when you hunt, then cut it to 16.5". If you're going to cut, then cut. If the 1.5" difference makes enough velocity difference on a hunting shot that you'll be taking, then you shouldn't be cutting it to begin with.

Along with the change in harmonics mentioned above you will also be losing approx. 180-200 fps. Most likely you’ll end up developing a new load.

I get 2700fps out of my 16" 308 with factory loaded 155's. That's enough to make most anything in Texas pretty nervous within 400 yards, which is the longer side of how far most folks have any business attempting. If you're going to chop it, chop it all the way.

I’m getting 2675 fps from a 16.5” Ruger Scout with 165 Ballistic Tips over 46 gr of Varget.

My Tikka CTR is cut to 16 and threaded by Morgan at Class 3 in Dallas (can't recommend enough)
I love it.. I run it suppressed and shoot the 178 ELDX. Fantastic hunting setup.

Exciting to hear. sort of what i am going for. Did you do anything to newly exposed steel?

If it necessary to coat the newly machined surface, what are my options?

Btw, the velocity loss done bother me. I assume this will mostly be a fun rifle + hunting deer sized or smaller at no more than about 250yards max.

I've had 2 rifles threaded by Morgan. One is stainless, and the other is a blued rifle. He told me there was no need to treat the new threads with anything.

Agreed...no need to treat or cover threads, I would however periodically clean and oil them like you would any threads.

I'm with the 16" crowd...cut it! It will likely shoot the old ammo decent. It's not the shorter barrel that messes up the tune as much as hanging a suppressor off the barrel. Very likely you'll want to retune it...in my experience.

I had Morgan take my 308 down to 18” and I only stopped there because of how the rifle is fluted.

It will be a totally different experience and far more enjoyable. I never feel like I don’t have enough power taking mine out.

The last blued barrel that I had cut and threaded I just did a cold blue on the newly bare metal. Still holding up fine after 5 or 6 years.

Only thing I did to the rifles that are threaded was put anti-seize on them. The same stuff that is used on screw in chokes for shotguns. A little goes a long way.

Go to 16.5 and as I learned from Judd and the ATF, make sure they measure from the bolt face and not from the end of the barrel but or action.

One of the few times he’s actually listened to me

You should be able to close the bolt and run a dowel or rod down to the bolt face, Mark said rod them measure…has to be 16” or longer to not be considered a pistol or short barreled rifle.

Yes
Yes
My ammo still shot just as accurate.