Why doesn't anyone use Lilja barrels?

[Fast88]

First off I know that is a blanket statement and isn't completely true but if you look at the market now most people are running Bartlein, benchmark, brux, etc and not many Lalja. Have they been passed in technology or did they loose credibility for some reason?

Thanks

 

[snox801]

Someone else may be able to give a more detailed answer but this is what I suspect.i had ordered a rifle from a very well respected smith who has a great reputation for standing behind his work. All his long range rigs would get those barrels. During my build I recieved an email stating that my build would be pushed back as he has a second batch of rifles that went out with those barrels and are now back after loosing acceptable accuracy after a few hundred rounds. According to him th manufacturer was no help and these happened at around 300 rounds. So he was stuck replacing all those barrels with new ones and making sure they shoot. That's a lot of time and money to burn as a business. So if this is true it has more than likely happened to others. If I was a smith I would not take a chance cause it could ruin you. He did prefer those barrels till that point so something happened to the quality be it the raw material or on he production end. Like I said the is just from one smith so and it with a grain of salt and weigh it with what others on his site who actually build with them say.

 

[FEENIX]

First off I know that is a blanket statement and isn't completely true but if you look at the market now most people are running Bartlein, benchmark, brux, etc and not many Lalja. Have they been passed in technology or did they loose credibility for some reason?

Thanks

I currently have two Lilja barrels; a 30" 1:8" 3G #6 on my .270 AI (2013 build) and 27" 1:9" 3G sendero on my .30 Lara (2016 build) and very pleased with them.

Two of my go to gunsmiths use quite a bit of Lilja barrels, the same is true with Kirby Allen >>> http://apsrifles.com/Full_Custom_Rifle_Photos.html

Honestly, I went with what my gunsmith's recommendation based on my intended purpose, not to be mention supporting my local product.

The bottom-line, it's nice to have plenty of choices; I hope this does not turn into anything negative. We all have varying experiences, take it for what it is worth.

BTW, while he does not frequently post, Dan Lilja's son Carson is a member here and I'm sure he'd more than happy to field your questions/concerns. He has been very helpful on my last project build.

 

[bigngreen]

Last Lilja barrel I used smoked it's self in under 200 rounds, started creating stupid dangerous pressures and accuracy blew up, the barrel that came of was an older Lilja with over 2000 rounds in the same chambering. They are not the barrel they once were. They are notoriously difficult to deal with if you do have an issue so it's worth the wait, the Bartlien barrel that replaced it is so much better!!

 

[AZShooter]

I have used six Liljas over the years. Two were 3 groove 257s Weatherbys. One got sold and one got worn out. Bought#6 last year which is another 3 groove 257 Weatherby.

Also have a six groove .338 #3 SS 1 in 10 for a 338 RCM. An ill fated 7mm Rem mag with a 3 groove 1 in 7 twist was rebored/rifled to 338 after it began to cause conventional jacketed target bullets to unravel in flight.

My friends own 5 other 257 Weatherby 3 grooves and they are happy with them.

I have found them to accurate and they clean up as easily as my Bartleins.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I replaced my 30cal Lilja last summer with a 338cal. The thirty lasted 10 years of hard shooting with mid to high 3000fps loads. It was still shoot close to moa with 8" of cooked rifling. The new barrel has a few hundred rounds through it so far and holding sub moa at this point. Snow is finally almost gone and have lots of testing to do. This rifle will get a work out this summer. I'll post my findings.

As of now I have nothing negative to say.

Steve

 

[IdahoCTD]

I use to use a lot of them and still have numerous rifles with Lilja barrels on them. I don't use them anymore because my buddy got two barrels from them that had the bore off about .030" to .040" from center. When you dialed in the bore the OD of the barrel looked like a cam shaft. My buddy called Lilja and Dan's response was......if it left from here it's right. I'm not sure how you supposedly turn on centers and have a egg shaped barrel but they do it. The crazy thing is he got another barrel about 2 years later that was exactly the same way and the barrels didn't shoot very well.

IMO There are way too many other barrel choices out there to put up with attitude or products like that.

Honestly I've used about every button rifled barrel out there and had bad barrels from just about every one of them. The exception being Schneider and Broughton. I've gone to cut rifled barrels pretty much exclusively for my personal stuff. I would use a Schneider again but only if the wait time was short.

 

[BallisticsGuy]

Used to use Lilja and only Lilja but I found polygonal rifling to have certain benefits that really matter to me and now I use barrels that feature it exclusively and Shilen match tubes for anything that I can't get done by my normal barrel vendor. DL didn't offer polygonal last I checked.

 

[snox801]

I currently have two Lilja barrels; a 30" 1:8" 3G #6 on my .270 AI (2013 build) and 27" 1:9" 3G sendero on my .30 Lara (2016 build) and very pleased with them.

Two of my go to gunsmiths use quite a bit of Lilja barrels, the same is true with Kirby Allen >>> Full Custom Rifle Photos

Honestly, I went with what my gunsmith's recommendation based on my intended purpose, not to be mention supporting my local product.

The bottom-line, it's nice to have plenty of choices; I hope this does not turn into anything negative. We all have varying experiences, take it for what it is worth.

BTW, while he does not frequently post, Dan Lilja's son Carson is a member here and I'm sure he'd more than happy to field your questions/concerns. He has been very helpful on my last project build.

I don't think Kirby uses them anymore. For the same reason big and green stated. He had amazing results to a long time but had lots of issues as of late if memory serves me.

 

[snox801]

Whoops looks like he jad. A problem but now offers different barrels.
Edited because screen shot turned to crap when posted. Anyhow if you can read it it says 150-200 rounds and belatedly would go to crap. Kirby is one of the smiths I use and he is not the only one who has issues. If one smith says it probably not problem but when several reputable smith like him and big green say it I don't want to be the one to chance getting a very expensive rifle that needs to be sent back and redone after 200 rounds. Especially for a .375 am which may take two years or more of hunting to get that number of rounds. Michigan doesn't offer much in way of long range.

 

[FEENIX]

I don't think Kirby uses them anymore. For the same reason big and green stated. He had amazing results to a long time but had lots of issues as of late if memory serves me.

I know he no longer use the 3Gs except for his .270 AM based on his J4 bullet tests.

 

[snox801]

Makes sense. I haven't been in touch in months to see what he's using on my .375. He is a very busy man. Hopefully he gets caught up in the next year. I really like his stuff but have had to use others smiths because of he turn around times.

 

[FEENIX]

Makes sense. I haven't been in touch in months to see what he's using on my .375. He is a very busy man. Hopefully he gets caught up in the next year. I really like his stuff but have had to use others smiths because of he turn around times.

That's one of the draw backs in a one man shop that is high demand but I'm sure it's worth your wait and will be a shooter.

Cheers!

Ed