awesome responses! i ended up punching it out and spreading a metal dowel enough to fit over it in such a way that the dovetail doesnt catch on crap in my truck.

took it out along with a few other items and had so much fun sighting in the scope and putting holes in spent shotgun shells... i dont think ill be buying a barrel anytime soon, works fine as is..... if i ever have some money to waste ill go with my first plan of dumping a bunch of volquartsen parts in it...