I have been buying take off Savage varmint barrels off of ebay for $150-250 for the past few barrel jobs on my Nucleus actions.
Every single one has been a half inch rifle. By the time they are no longer a half inch rifle, I have another one found.
My smith charges $75 to thread the muzzle and install them. So my cost out the door is usually $300 shipped.
Not sure what you have locally, but it is worth a thought.
I ordered a name barrel last year for a 6mm BR project and could never get better than half an inch out of it on another Nucleus.