I checked the Lilja website tonight and they had posted this video. A comparison on a Rem 700 factory barrel and a Lilja button rifled barrel.

I was surprised at the difference between the two as Remington has a pretty good reputation for accuracy. I really don't have a question,just surprised what the video showed.

Rem 700 vs Lilja barrel

I don't think Dan's videos was to claim any "super accuracy". Although his barrels are generally way more accurate than factory barrels. I believe the purpose of his video was to show the difference between a hand lapped barrel and a barrel that has not been lapped. Can an unlapped barrel be accurate? Yes. Will it copper foul faster than a hand lapped barrel? Maybe.

A clear case of apples and oranges here. He could have used any mass produced barrel to compare his hand lapped, premium barrels too, but he chose to contrast the difference between his and that of the most popular selling production gun made, Remington. Big deal.

Like eddie say's, it shows his hand lapped precision barrels to be superior to a stock, plain jane Remington barrel, which it is (Optically). What would have been better would have been to see a comparison of that same barrel of his, before, and after the hand lapping.

And while I'd love to have one of Dan's barrels I find it hard to believe that the remington barrel shown is a modern production hammer forged barrel which are usually pretty smooth.

AD

I very seriously doubt that Dan would try that comparison against a Lothar Walter barrel.

Doug, Not trying to start trouble, but Dan's barrels look much better than the LWs that I have chambered.
Butch

I have chambered both Walther and Lilja barrels and in my borescope the Walther barrels doesn´t look all that much "ruffer" internally! In a benchrest gun I would go for a Lilja or any other well known "benchrest brand" like Hart, Shilen, Krieger and so on. On a hunting gun hte Walther barrels will perform good enough for anything a normal hunter will be put up to!

I can understand Dans point with showing that a handmade matchbarrel is a lot smoother than a off the shelfe Remington but the Remington barrels will do the job good enough for 90% (or more) of the hunters out there! To put a Lilja barrel on a general hunting gun is a bit like puting a racecar steering weel in a regular car. It will make the car nicer but isn´t exactly what you need to drive to work. The hunter will be extremly happy about his new Lilja barrel. But the deer shot at 140 yards will not tell if the bullet came out of a ruff Remington barrel or a handlapped Lilja

I put on match grade barrels on regular hunting rifles every now and then. But if the customer ask me what the "best" barrel is for theis custom hunting gun my answer often is: Get a Walther, it will shoot better that you can!

I live in Sweden and anothe factor is that it´s difficult to get american barrels over here due to all the paiperwork involved Another factor is that the Walther barrels come at aprox half the price of the best match barrels from US

Stefan

Duane Wiebe is currently building me a 300H&H and it will have a 3-groove Lilja barrel

quote:

Originally posted by MHC_TX:
Duane Wiebe is currently building me a 300H&H and it will have a 3-groove Lilja barrel

It should still shoot.

I just ordered a 1.350 Lilja CM that will be a #5 taper for my custom Pierce receiver in 6.5x47 Lupua hunting rifle. After I chamber it, off to Gunmaker for half octagon and also for him to use his new beautiful duplicator on the wood that I got from Soverns.
Butch

quote:

Originally posted by Westpac:

quote:

Originally posted by MHC_TX:
Duane Wiebe is currently building me a 300H&H and it will have a 3-groove Lilja barrel

It should still shoot.

Don

I'm a Hart barrel guy, and have been since 1968.
I'd bet all of the best barrel makers have barrels equal to Lilja's when viewed thru a borescope.
I can understand what Dan was trying to establish comparing his lapped barrel to an unlapped one. As Westpac said, I think it would have been a better ad if he'd shown his barrel before and after lapping. I personally don't like slamming another's product to sell yours, which is how the ad shows up. Also, I'd bet that all factory barrels are about the same when viewed thru a borescope. That's why I lap all of the factory barrels I get, with excellent results too.

Don

There is no comparison between Lilja and Lothar Walther barrels. Dan delivers superior barrels and gives better service. After having met the Lothar Walther rep at the Shot Show I would never buy one of their barrels. Dan is a gentleman and makes first quality barrels.
Longshot

Nat,
You must have met Woody.
Butch

quote:

Originally posted by Allan DeGroot:
I find it hard to believe that the remington barrel shown is a modern production hammer forged barrel which are usually pretty smooth.

AD

Yes they can be pretty smooth on occasion, I have two brand new rems, one barrel looks just like the one in Dans video the other looks very smooth, Remington(along with just about all the other big mass produced US companies)hammerforged barrels run the gauntlet from very rough, pitted, voids in the bore, tooling marks etc, and everything in between right down to some very nice looking bores. In the case of my two new remington bores it happens that the scary one shoots as well as the nice one. After looking at many barrels with a borescope you cannot always judge how they will shoot by appearance.

bushrat,
I agree with you. Borescopes have sold many barrels for the barrelmakers.
Butch