• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Lilja vs kreiger or an other GM

King_beardsly

MMPRL & Low Dollar Precision
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Jun 12, 2018
    1,582
    727
    Beast Coast
    I’m looking to get a new barrel spun up for a RimX and a smith is offering either lilja or kreiger for roughly the same price. I have no idea which direction to go since the world of rimfire is still pretty new to me, my current barrel (Green mountain) seems to be a hammer just to light of a contour for my liking. So I don’t know which direction to really go, step up to a premium barrel but which one at that point or just do an other green mountain.
     
    Well, a Lilja will certainly hammer too.
    I've owned both, can't say one's better than the other.....just that Kreiger is more popular on this site.

    I'm no fan boy of either.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Aescobar17
    As a general comment, I don't know of a single prone, 3-position or F-Class FSBR competitor that has a Lilja barrel. Of the several shooters using Kriegers that I know, all have no issues w/ using them again.

    Again, just my $.07 (adjusted for inflation) and YMMV.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: King_beardsly
    This is why I ask the question, I’ve heard all this hype around the lilja stuff in regards to Olympic shooters but haven’t actually seen any in the last few PRS22 matches I’ve shot. I’ve seen a bunch of proof, ace, bartlein and few green mountain possibly a kreiger but never a lilja.
     
    Yea, they look like this.....and smell like $10,000

    Free rifle metallic.jpg
     
    • Like
    Reactions: nakoa01 and obx22
    Of the two I’d go krieger! I’ll be sporting an ibi on my next one in a few weeks
     
    Look up padom on here , he did a barrel test on a Rimx , used keystone to spin them up , I think 4 different barrels , also has some ar15/22 barrel reviews -comments
     
    Pick a solid smith that you trust…… tell them what you want to do….. trust them…… build what they tell you….
     
    Look up padom on here , he did a barrel test on a Rimx , used keystone to spin them up , I think 4 different barrels , also has some ar15/22 barrel reviews -comments
    I’ve actually talked to him about his experience with bartlein RF barrel, should ask him about his experience with the lilja. My current barrel was spun up by keystone and it’s solid.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: nakoa01
    Lilja can make an excellent rimfire barrel but from my experience that's the exception vs the rule. Of the two options go Kreiger, other great options are Benchmark & Shilen ratchet barrels.
     
    This is a Green Mountain 1.2” straight 22” on my RimX. It’s the second Green Mountain I’ve had on it. The first was a 18” with the Eachus chamber and the 22” has a Nevius chamber. My shooting partner has a Green Mountain with a Nevius chamber on his CZ 457. I promise you they won’t give anything up to a Bartlein or Kreiger. Look at the 6x5 thread to see what mine does.
    133A0854-C0AC-454F-80E5-CF4A7AD5D869.jpeg
     
    This is a Green Mountain 1.2” straight 22” on my RimX. It’s the second Green Mountain I’ve had on it. The first was a 18” with the Eachus chamber and the 22” has a Nevius chamber. My shooting partner has a Green Mountain with a Nevius chamber on his CZ 457. I promise you they won’t give anything up to a Bartlein or Kreiger. Look at the 6x5 thread to see what mine does.
    View attachment 7896171
    Never heard of the Nevius chamber, but how did you like the eachus?
     
    Never heard of the Nevius chamber, but how did you like the eachus?
    Nevius is a really good reamer for Lapua and SK ammo. The Eachus shot really good and was a tad bit tighter. You wouldn’t go wrong with either one. Only switched barrels because I wanted more weight and my local smith had the Nevius reamer on hand.

    These were shot when I had the Eachus barrel that was spun up by Keystone. 50yds with bipod and rear bag shot indoors.
    F504ADB0-04C3-4C53-92E0-3FDAC8464BCE.jpeg
     
    Nevius is a really good reamer for Lapua and SK ammo. The Eachus shot really good and was a tad bit tighter. You wouldn’t go wrong with either one. Only switched barrels because I wanted more weight and my local smith had the Nevius reamer on hand.

    These were shot when I had the Eachus barrel that was spun up by Keystone. 50yds with bipod and rear bag shot indoors.
    View attachment 7896192
    Really can’t argue with those results, I’m guessing no barrel tuner and good lots of ammo
     
    It's hard to compare barrel companies, prefits, and custom chambers/gunsmithing. So you'd have to compare apples to apples. Chambering / Gunsmithing to your action has a huge effect on the results. Then you can go and compare the barrels.

    Speaking to Modacam, he found Kriegers to be the overall most consistent. Bartleins were up there, and then Benchmark would shoot really well, but would be pretty picky with ammo. Kriegers not being too picky. He has his own custom chamber.

    Then you have DI Precision with their own chamber, and you have Vudoo with their own chamber.

    Then you can pay for what you're chasing. Green Mountains when chambered well will do fine, but you aren't going to find any benchrest / f-class winner using one. Now in a PRS/NRL22 sport is a .3" vs a .2" going to make a difference? Probably not too much... so it just depends on what you're chasing.

    Also the definition of what hammers is pretty subjective too. Is a .3" avg a hammer? For some that might be a bad day, and a .2" is a hammer. Friend with a RimX, went from a Proof, Keystone GM, Modacam Krieger, and every time it "hammers" smaller and smaller.

    So first off, I'd choose a good renowned smith. Not some one who is like "send me a reamer, and I'll ream it for you" kind of smith, but someone who really knows their craft and has their own proven reamer (magic sauce). Then you can ask that smith what barrel they like.
     
    I’ll probably just do a rinse and repeat with keystone with a heavy contour and if he’s got bartlein’s in stock grab one if not GM will fit the bill.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: DH302 and drglock
    When we shot IR50/50, majority of bbls were Lilja. We were shooting at a 1-32” dot at 50yds, just sayn. I hav had 4 lilja bbls and they were all Hammers!!
     
    • Like
    Reactions: BMP
    I've had really consistent results with the five Kriegers I've chambered for Stiller 2500XR, jelrod converted 40XB, and three Vudoo actions (2 Gen 1 & 1 Three-60). Still waiting on another Krieger I ordered to replace a factory hvy bbl on a CMP 52D...
     
    So after sometime playing with the Keystone, I’ve decided to contact a few of the top smiths and see what they can offer.