Lilja 3-groove 6mm Barrels

[mbianchini]

S1 & others who have experience with Lilja 3-groove .243 barrels what kind of barrel life are you getting from the 243 Imp using the 3-groove Liljas? What is the advantage of the three groove?

I have two Lilja barrel's that I started to shoot last season. These barrels were on my BAT action and were chambered for 6ppc 263NK. I put 432 rounds through the one and the second barrel had 671 rounds. Both throats are gone. The barrels shot great until the throats burned out. I was told that Lilja uses very soft steel.
Shilen and Krieger's I get about 1500 to 1900 rounds out of those barrels in 6ppc.

View My project Pictures: http://images.andale.com/f2/129/124/6198627/1039287952032_farley500_2.JPG http://images.andale.com/f2/129/124/6198627/1039287953218_farley500_1.JPG

[ 12-13-2002: Message edited by: mbianchini ]

 

[Guest]

[ 07-11-2003: Message edited by: S1 ]

 

[mbianchini]

S1
I talked to a few friends at the IBS Nationals this year they said that they had the same problems as I did with some lilja's. I ask one big name shooter what he thought of Lilja barrels. He said "look at the equipment list before you buy a barrel". That was at the IBS Nationals.
I had my smith look at the two lilja's through the borescope. He said looks like u got lotta rounds through these pipes. Lotta cracking in the throats. I told him the exact rounds through the barrels he just said that's a shame. I was thinking that the lot of stainless might have been bad. I think the matter is the steel that Lilja is using. Like I said before the shot great when they had low rounds.

Cleaning Procedure:
I use Lucas bore guides and Dewey rods in all my guns. Newer any moly bullets or abrasive cleaners.

Solvents:
Blue goop which is activated with hydrogen peroxide.

I shoot like a "runner" trying to get five shots off before the condition is lost..

My 6ppc load consists of:
Lupua Brass
Fed 205s
28.0gr 8208 or 28.4gr 133
Fowler 68 FB or 66 FB

[ 12-13-2002: Message edited by: mbianchini ]

 

[Guest]

[ 07-11-2003: Message edited by: S1 ]

 

[Brent]

I just read in the Precision Shooting Reloading Guide the 243 was a barrel burner, well they were comparing it to the 308win.

I really wouldn't have thought it to be too bad though.

Interesting to know what Dan says.

Don't sound right to me.

 

[mbianchini]

S1
I called lilja they said send them back.. I will do so this week. Will keep you all posted..

 

[mindcrime]

By all means please keep us posted! I just built a tight necked 6mm Ackley sporting a Lilja 3 groove with a 1-7 twist. I am currently in the process of fireforming 100 weight-sorted pieces of Win brass, I'll keep an eye on my tube also. The 1-7 Ackley should "shoot out" way before your 1-13 twist in your PPC would.

 

[jjhall]

S1. I'm pretty new to this but it's clear that you are a veteran. What is the "Black Star craze". I had a 243 rebarrelled by Black Star a number of years ago. It never shot up to par and I finally sold it. Does Black Star still exist? What was their problem? Thanks for all your help!!

 

[mbianchini]

"Black Star craze"

Black Star was using what they called a super stainless which was S 700. Actually Lothar Walther was making the barrels to BlackStar specifications. I'm not sure what the hardness was on the Rockwell C scale of the stainless is.
I don't believe that Black Star was hand lapping the barrels instead they use some sort of electro-chemical bore polishing technique. Which to this day they have it patented.

Back during the "Black Star craze" I bought two of there barrels in 6mm 1-14" twist HV taper. I got them chambered for my Panda HV in 6PPC .262NK. I though that the barrels shot ok newer good enough to shoot big match. They were a bitch to clean. To this day I still have both of the barrels "low rounds" i'm going to use them for ground hog hunting some day.

Black Star still sell barrels: http://blackstar-barrels.com/

[ 12-17-2002: Message edited by: mbianchini ]

 

[Guest]

[ 07-11-2003: Message edited by: S1 ]

 

[mbianchini]

S1

Did the 30 cal barrels foul bad?
The 6 barrels did and they were a bitch to clean even with the BLUE GOOP..

Did you do the chamber work on you Black Stars. I heard they are hard on reamers.

I found this warning at: http://www.reamerrentals.com/policypage.htm

Do not use rental reamers on "super-alloy" steels, Black Star barrels, Do not use rental reamers on "super-alloy" steels, Black Star barrels

 

[Guest]

[ 07-11-2003: Message edited by: S1 ]