I just bought a Bushmaster in the hopes of starting competitively.  Will a 1 in 9 do for a beginner if I have the basics done to the rife e.g. float the barrel, trigger etc.  Or should I just pop for a better barrel?  Thanks for the input.

The barrel should be just fine for now. If you’re just starting out there’ll be a lot for you to learn and your barrel isn’t going to be the weakest link. Save your money and see if you even like competing; it takes a lot of time and dedication. If indeed you do decide you want to follow the competitive path, and you’re shooting so well that the chrome lined 1 in 9 barrel has become a limiting factor, get it changed out.

What part of Oregon are you in? I’m in Corvallis.

Best regards, J

Thanks for the answer!  I am in Portland, and am a member at tcgc in Sherwood.  I have done a lot of small bore stuff so I have a lot of experience, but new to HP.  Maybe we'll cross paths...