16.5" Lightweight Lilja Upper Build Range Report

[LRRPF52]

This thing shot great right off the bat, 4 consecutive sub-MOA groups, witnessed, at 100yds. This is meant for a lightweight hunting upper for deer. It is very pleasant to shoot, handles well, almost no recoil, puts the rounds right where I wanted. It shot the PPU 120gr MPT very well, starting with a .730" group out of the gate.

* Lilja 16.5" Wasp profile, lightweight barrel. Extension blended and polished (it started out as a beautiful extension already, just contoured it to match perfectly with the feed ramps of the M4 upper), Cerakoted FDE H Series. Bedded into upper

* M4 upper, Cerakoted exterior with FDE, carrier tunnel left with dry film lube and normal dims. Receiver face squared with lapping tool.

* Mil-spec M16 8620 carrier with PF 9310 bolt. Bolt, extractor, and ejector have several minor modifications to improve reliability and reduce brass damage.

* Midwest Industries SSM M-LOK 12" handguard, FDE Cerakoted

* Sadlak gas block aligned and sealed

* Gas tube sealed into block

* A2 5/8x24 Compensator/FH precision aligned with zero torque and Red Loc-tited

[danm]

That looks great, seems like an adequate shooter too and love the weight... Did you upgrade the trigger or just mil spec?

[LRRPF52]

I used one of my lowers for the testing, before sending this one off to a friend and forum member.

That lower has a Geissele SSA in it, which makes shooting groups much easier.

[danm]

Best Borat voice "Very Nice"...

[ah1whiskey]

very nice one ya got there!

[1075 tech]

Very nice! Hopefully my 16" AA lite fluted will shoot as well.

[am4966]

I can never get tired of looking at your builds LRR! You do a great job and do the subtle tweaks to ring every bit of accuracy out of them. It always helps you use my favorite color, FDE lol

[Adam Lilja]

Thumbs up!

[MKo]

Thanks LRRPF52 for pimping my AR. Now it's up to me whether or not there will be meat in freezer.

[Hooz]

* Sadlak gas block aligned and sealed

* Gas tube sealed into block

I'm curious how you're sealing the gas block and gas tube. I've been lapping receivers, bedding barrels (Blue Loctite) and Rocksetting gas block screws for quite a while, but I'm always interested in new ideas. Are you using clamp-on gas blocks or set screw?

[TropicalVibe]

[QUOTE]* Lilja 16.5" Wasp profile, lightweight barrel. Extension blended and polished (it started out as a beautiful extension already, just contoured it to match perfectly with the feed ramps of the M4 upper), Cerakoted FDE H Series. Bedded into upper[/

That is a great looking weapon and a fine shooter too!
Can you explain your process of blending to the feedramps?

[LRRPF52]

I'm curious how you're sealing the gas block and gas tube. I've been lapping receivers, bedding barrels (Blue Loctite) and Rocksetting gas block screws for quite a while, but I'm always interested in new ideas. Are you using clamp-on gas blocks or set screw?

Set screw, but I don't use much torque at all on the screws. I bed the block to the barrel with Red Loc tite after checking fit and gas port alignment with calipers before installation. This eliminates chances of gas leakages between the barrel journal and block.

I also Blue Loc tite the gas tube into the block so there is no leakage from around the tube. Once I do the first test-fire for reliability and accuracy, I remove the handguard, degrease, then Cerakote over the gas block to protect it from corrosion, as well as the flash hider. It's tedious work that could never be done in a production set-up, but I wanted it to be right.

I sent the upper to MKo, and he reported .5" groups at 100yds upon zeroing before the hunt. He's a much better shooter than me, and has the trophies to prove it spanning many years now.

[pkee]

I might have to try a few of those tricks on my next build . It's also going to be a light weight hunter .