1000yd Results with Lilja 17.6" Barrel

[bwaites]

I concur with all you guys- this weapon should have been in the hands of all of our operators years ago... At the very least all DMs and snipers. I know I would have been a more effective Sniper. Unfortunately, those who hold decision making authority/ purse strings have never fired a shot in anger or ever will. Just my 2 cents based on multiple combat tours in OEF. I apologize for the rant- it's something that has always got under my skin.

Not a rant in my view, only a valid opinion from someone who's been there and done that! Thank you for your service!

[newb]

I concur with all you guys- this weapon should have been in the hands of all of our operators years ago... At the very least all DMs and snipers. I know I would have been a more effective Sniper. Unfortunately, those who hold decision making authority/ purse strings have never fired a shot in anger or ever will. Just my 2 cents based on multiple combat tours in OIF. I apologize for the rant- it's something that has always got under my skin.

Telling it how it is with a little flare isn't a rant. It's the needed "how the cow eats the cabbage."

I feel your pain. Seems no matter where you go, those in high places making decisions don't have a clue about what it's like in the trenches are never the ones who have to live with, deal with, and suffer from the consequences of their bad decisions. As long as they can make it look good on paper.....

[NugginFutz]

We civilians and ex-grunts aren't the only ones to feel this way. Even some of the upper level army brass has begun to sound off in opposition to the government's present (and archaic) selection process. Here is a story which quotes Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley on his views of the XM17 MHS competition and the associated selection process.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/03/12/arm...oices.html

I especially enjoyed reading where he offered to take the $17M being spent on MHS, and calling Cabelas to buy Glocks for every serviceman while getting a discount for a bulk buy.

Considering the anticipated overall cost of replacing the M9 at $350 million, such a purchase could net the American taxpayer about $333M in savings and result in a better selection for the next generation's sidearm.

Anyone taking bets on how soon this general gets neutered and sent to pasture for being politically incorrect and making too much sense?

[dfp23]

I saw that article too. Yep he'll get canned soon- it is still a non-permissive environment for top level brass. I am glad see he grabbed a pair and sounded off! Pretty rare these days.

[LRRPF52]

[LRRPF52]

Went camping this weekend. Took this same Grendel out to see if I could get any shooting in. Brought on of my steel poppers and hiked it out as far as I could.




I decided to have some fun and see if I could estimate range with mil relation, since I know the exact dims of the plate to be 12". The sun had gone down by the time I got back to the campsite, so I was working with limited light availability. Looked at my Kestrel for barometric pressure and temp, plus my max and average wind speeds. I had a full value wind from right to left between 5-10mph.

Target was .6 mils wide through the scope. I use any inch measures in fractions of a yard indicated without the decimal, so 12" working number is 333 (1/3 of 36").

Take TGT dims divided by mils read = range in yards. In this case, 333 / .6 = 555yds estimated. Strelok said I needed 4.2 mils.

I dialed up 4.2, held .75 mils into the wind, settled the gun on the barely visible little plate in the dark, exhaled as I took up slack in the trigger, hit respiratory pause and broke the shot, followed through while listening for the hit. Couldn't hear a hit, but the kid with my electronic muffs said he heard it, so I let off 2 more, which I heard impact 2x.

Hiked up to the target and found 3 hits.




This is what it looked like through the spotter scope in the morning.








It's like you can't miss with this little rifle, if you know what you're doing.

[Creature]

I have been wanting to build a 20" Grendel for a little while now. I have been looking at Lilja barrels...as well as Shilen barrels. The Shilen barrels are sold with a bolt combo so I I am very interested to hear if Lilja barrels are worth the added expense and why.

[LRRPF52]

I have zero regrets about my Lilja barrel. This is my favorite rifle, more so than any rifle I have ever owned. It can do pretty much anything I would ever need a rifle to do.

[Jbjayzon]

LR. What is the total weight loaded with 10 rds

[LRRPF52]

Rifle with Unimount, Vortex Viper PST 2.5-10x32 MRAD

Empty: 7 lbs 12oz
w/10rd Mag: 8 lbs 8 oz
w/10rd mag and 9" bipod: 9 lbs 6 oz

So you have something that weighs between an M4 and an M16A2, but is the length of the SPR, with better reach and faster on-target performance than the M40 or M24, with more magazine capacity than the M14 or SR25, with less than half the recoil of the .308 Win.

Retained energy with a 123gr is at 300yds what a 150gr .30-30 is at 100yds. Wind drift is like the 175gr SMK or better. In every category, there's all kinds of things to like.

Lightweight
Hard hitting
Low recoil
High hit probability
Fast follow-up shot
Excellent wind cutting

[Jbjayzon]

I've been wanting to build a light hunter, what's it going to cost me. Less buttstock and optic?

[LRRPF52]

You can get a complete upper from AA with an 18" fluted light barrel right now for $760, ready to drop on.

I can't match that with just component cost before assembly with the route I went.

If you want to start with a Lilja barrel, the Lilja 318 barrel will be $485. Once all is said and done, you'll be well over $1000. Last time I added everything up, I think I was at least $1700 into this one.

[Jbjayzon]

I would like your opinion on this, AA has a side charging upper with bc. And a 16' stainless light barrel on sale for 195.00 would these 2 mate well togather?

[LRRPF52]

Everything is plug-and-play with the AR15. AA has a factory model rifle that uses the side charger upper, with fluted 18" barrel in the Light Hunter offerings.

It's a pretty slick set-up for hunting because you can ride the charge handle forward and ensure a full seat of the cartridge.

I personally just lock and load once we dismount the ATVs, horses, or vehicle right before departing by foot into whatever hunting area I'm in.

Carrying around a little lightweight AR15 sure beats a bolt gun for me. My beloved Pre-64 Model 70 in .270 Winchester sits on the shelf as a result. It's also nice not having to worry about rust on blued actions. I just Cerakote everything and worry about the bore and BCG occasionally.

I haven't cleaned this Lilja barrel Grendel in a long time, to be honest, and I'm at the range almost every week.

I think all those years of cleaning M16s and M4s counts as a pay-it-forward credit towards my current guns, right?

[LRRPF52]

So I went back to look over my ballistic data for this 123gr AMAX load, and I actually have muzzle velocity data from a range trip last year when I chrono'd some other loads.

My mv with 31.2gr of CFE with a 123gr Hornady SST was only 2435fps from this Lilja barrel.

I need to chrono these 123gr AMAX, but the velocities will not be higher on average, in my experience.

That means that the BC on the 123gr AMAX has to be a lot higher than .468 G1. That just doesn't work out.

By looking at where my actual impacts were at 1000yds, I ended up with 12 Mils of elevation.

Since I recorded the barometric pressure and temperature, I know what my critical atmospheric variables were.

I'm going to use .490 for a G1 BC, at least out of this 8 twist 17.6" pipe. I also notice that my impacts at distance are always high when using .468 G1 BC.

When I use the advertised .510, they are low, so we're somewhere in between is my conclusion.

[Daveyboy]

Excellent info in this thread. Thank you all.

I am just getting into the Grendel. I will report back my findings.

[TomSawyerNW]

Great shooting! What scope are you using? I'm looking to get a Vortex Viper 6 x 24 x 50mm. Any suggestions?

[LRRPF52]

I'm using the 2.5-10x32 PST MRAD on this little rifle, in a NightForce Unimount. I have better than 20/20 vision though, and depending on the size of your rifle, you might want to choose something with more magnification.

[Grendelseeker]

You can get a complete upper from AA with an 18" fluted light barrel right now for $760, ready to drop on.

I can't match that with just component cost before assembly with the route I went.

If you want to start with a Lilja barrel, the Lilja 318 barrel will be $485. Once all is said and done, you'll be well over $1000. Last time I added everything up, I think I was at least $1700 into this one.

Yup, I've been lurking and perusing...Finally started a Word doc to list stuff. The $1700 number is pretty much what I hit with a Giselle & Lija 19". Every combo I run seems to be no better than what a full rifle from AA is. My big question is would it be more accurate with the Lija or other tube of that quality. I've run several scenarios considering mainly quality various coatings and they all come out with pretty much the same numbers $1620 - $1900. I kinda got hung up on kryptic coatings which adds a complication.

[Grendelseeker]

Everything is plug-and-play with the AR15. AA has a factory model rifle that uses the side charger upper, with fluted 18" barrel in the Light Hunter offerings.

It's a pretty slick set-up for hunting because you can ride the charge handle forward and ensure a full seat of the cartridge.

I personally just lock and load once we dismount the ATVs, horses, or vehicle right before departing by foot into whatever hunting area I'm in.

I'd like a side charger because of the ergonomics and it's more old school (like me). And because they just look cool. But it's about $200 more.

What do you mean "because you can ride the charge handle forward and ensure a full seat of the cartridge."? Why would you need to do that? You mean carry w/ one in the chamber but not fully seated for safety purposes?

I've been considering the AA SCHUNT but the 18" tube has held me back. Now I'm thinking maybe I don't need a 20" for anything but pushing the limit of the cartridge at that weight level. For SHTF and hunting under 300 yards the 80 fps probably doesn't matter as long as the accuracy is as good, which from what I'm reading, it is.