Thanks for the insights.
I pack in so far with a packstring (goat) that if I botched a barrel it would be at least 2 days of lost hunting, plus potentially leaving my buddy that flies in for 5 days a year in the backcountry solo. Scratch that, I'm going to again leave an extra rifle stashed near the trucks (started that last year) in case of a busted scope or barrel, then I only lose a day. All day hike there and back.
We also hunt where there is a crazy bunch of deadfall, but nothing like slick wet AK stuff where you slip often.
Are you saying you got the barrel cut down shorter and went the direct thread route? I was about to pull the trigger on a tbac ultra 7 gen 2 6.5 flavor, but I'm going to have to run an adapter with my 1/2" threads. Not sure if this means that I should get the barrel cut shorter and try to step up to 5/8 (after Kampfeld just installed his custom brake, rework $$, ouch) or if I should choose a different can that is direct thread to 1/2". Unless i'm misreading, the tbac in 1/2" (direct thread) is a 223 orifice. Really wanted that weight and performance though...