LMT took a dive!

[TXRattler07]

Got home from work yesterday and decided to get the LMT .308 out of the safe to change batteries, lube and prep for range time this weekend. While removing a rifle that was in front of it and with my back turned, it took a dive, sliding out of the safe and hitting muzzle first into the floor of my shop, digging out a decent divit in the concrete. I nearly cried and was kicking myself because I normally close the safe door to prevent this from happening. I was expecting the worse when I picked it up; damage to the 15.5" upper, my optic the whole nine yards. But surprisingly I found only damage to the threads on the barrel. I immediately chased the threads with not much resistance noted. Do any of you think I've done any permanent damage to the barrel? I'll post picks when I get off work. I'm prob just being a worry-wart, but I just got this thing sighted in running sub-MOA and am getting ready for a hunt. I was also concerned about running my suppressor on it until I knew for sure. TIA

 

[Kadams1563]

No I bet it’s fine. I dropped a custom bolt gun with a Gen III razor out of the safe the same way. Signed some Shit up but it shoots fine.

 

[hlee]

Fell out of safe onto concrete floor? Sorry man. I hate to say it but that rifle is toast.

They don’t think “military grade” be like it is, but it do.

There are many on this forum that, for a small fee, will take the rifle off of your hands for proper disposal.

 

[TXRattler07]

Fell out of safe onto concrete floor? Sorry man. I hate to say it but that rifle is toast.

They don’t think “military grade” be like it is, but it do.

There are many on this forum that, for a small fee, will take the rifle off of your hands for proper disposal.

I was more concerned about deformation on the crown, but I appreciate your sarcasm. I have another 3 barrels I'd be happy to swap it out with. My "small fee" would be to give me $900 for the barrel since it has now seen combat. Don't nobody lowball me now, I know what I got.

 

[FredHammer]

Another vote of confidence the rifle is just fine. I had an AR rifle take a hop & tumble out of a Kawasaki mule at 25-30mph after hitting a washout rut in the roadway while chasing down hogs. Like, end over end and banged all over. I red lined that gun till I could shoot it the next day. To my astounding surprise, the damn thing didn't change one click from zero! It wore a Holosun 510C which took a good hit from the dent & scratches on it. That ended any question whether the Aero Atlas S-One rails and Holosun's were robust enough!

 

[TXRattler07]

Another vote of confidence the rifle is just fine. I had an AR rifle take a hop & tumble out of a Kawasaki mule at 25-30mph after hitting a washout rut in the roadway while chasing down hogs. Like, end over end and banged all over. I red lined that gun till I could shoot it the next day. To my astounding surprise, the damn thing didn't change one click from zero! It wore a Holosun 510C which took a good hit from the dent & scratches on it. That ended any question whether the Aero Atlas S-One rails and Holosun's were robust enough!

Well, as I said, I'm not at all worried about the optic or rifle itself; I know they can take it. I was only concerned how all the weight came down on the barrel at an angle and if it's at all possible that I deformed the crown. The threads chased fine, a little tight in a couple spots, but I figured any deformity wouldn't be visible to the naked eye and that it would have to be checked with an alignment rod to know for sure. I'm prob going to have my gunsmith check it anyway since he's on the way to the range, but I figured I'd ask here before I wasted his time.

 

[FredHammer]

Well, as I said, I'm not at all worried about the optic or rifle itself; I know they can take it. I was only concerned how all the weight came down on the barrel crown at an angle and if it's at all possible that I deformed the crown. The threads chased fine, a little tight in a couple spots, but I figured any deformity wouldn't be visible to the naked eye and that it would have to be checked with an alignment rod to know for sure. I'm prob going to have my gunsmith check it anyway since he's on the way to the range, but I figured I'd ask here before I wasted his time.

ok

 

[hlee]

No one is going to give you $900 for a barrel that jumps to its death at any opportunity. You’re going to need to tape a hundred to it to move it along.

I set my gun down at the range pretty hard the other day. I was really worried when the pelican case wavered and tipped on its side. I thought about calling my smith but said fuck it- I’ll shoot it, and if I die, I die.

Ok. Seriously. Take the gun to the range and shoot it. You felt a couple of tight spots while chasing the threads? Circles are strongest in compression. The likelihood that you actually did damage that you can see on the target, but not on the crown of the barrel is vanishingly small. IF, capital letters big “if,” it doesn’t shoot, then call your smith. Talk to him now and he’s just going to say “go shoot it.”

 

[FredHammer]

No one is going to give you $900 for a barrel that jumps to its death at any opportunity. You’re going to need to tape a hundred to it to move it along.

I set my gun down at the range pretty hard the other day. I was really worried when the pelican case wavered and tipped on its side. I thought about calling my smith but said fuck it- I’ll shoot it, and if I die, I die.

Ok. Seriously. Take the gun to the range and shoot it. You felt a couple of tight spots while chasing the threads? Circles are strongest in compression. The likelihood that you actually did damage that you can see on the target, but not on the crown of the barrel is vanishingly small. IF, capital letters big “if,” it doesn’t shoot, then call your smith. Talk to him now and he’s just going to say “go shoot it.”

Be a good time to identify barrel face vs crown too.

 

[TXRattler07]

Be a good time to identify barrel face vs crown too.

Maybe I misrepresented by even mentioning the threads; if so I apologize. The thread damage was the least of my worries after they chased decently. But I do know the difference between the face and crown.

I was referring to the geometry or "roundness" of the crown and/or end rifling. I wouldn't be so concerned if I wasn't immediately throwing a suppressor back on it.

 

[FredHammer]

Maybe I misrepresented by even mentioning the threads; if so I apologize. The thread damage was the least of my worries after they chased decently. But I do know the difference between the face and crown.

I was referring to the geometry or "roundness" of the crown and/or end rifling. I wouldn't be so concerned if I wasn't immediately throwing a suppressor back on it.

So, I can only tell you what I would do, and then you can do what you feel comfortable doing of course.
Borescope the crown. No borescope, then try a very good pic with these cell phones we got these days. Blow it up.
If you can't visually detect anything protruding into the rifling it will be safe to shoot. How well it shoots is determined next.
Clean the face and go shoot it without can. See if the zero is relatively close and groups are the same. Check the face for irregular burn pattern. (POI might be a little different now because it's colder out most places)

 

[Trigger Monkey]

I'm not saying I'd get this but how much is piece of mind worth?

LMT .308 BARREL STRAIGHTNESS GAGE - LMT Defense

LM308G2

lmtdefense.com

I've heard of people also getting O1 tool steel rods to use as DIY gauges also from McMaster Carr

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

P/N 8893K219 for .30 cal

 

[TXRattler07]

I'm not saying I'd get this but how much is piece of mind worth?

LMT .308 BARREL STRAIGHTNESS GAGE - LMT Defense

LM308G2

lmtdefense.com

I've heard of people also getting O1 tool steel rods to use as DIY gauges also from McMaster Carr

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

P/N 8893K219 for .30 cal

YES! That is what I'm actually worried about. Thank you for understanding.

But wow, didn't realize they were that much. My smith deals a lot with concentricity, threading for suppressors a lot, so I know he has what he needs to check it. He'd stop what he was doing and check it for me, 5 mins in and out. I'll just run it by him to be safe. A barrel is expensive, but a baffle strike is even more expensive (and time consuming). Thanks for the response!

 

[GUNNER10]

Just go out and shoot it with out the can and see if anything shifted.

Over the past ten years, my rifles has been dropped, banged around, slept outside in below zero snow storm and it's just run.

 

[TXRattler07]

Just go out and shoot it with out the can and see if anything shifted.

Over the past ten years, my rifles has been dropped, banged around, slept outside in below zero snow storm and it's just run.

Well, I may just have to do that, but unfortunately I've never shot it without the can, so if I have a POI shift, I won't know whether it was due to a shift in the scope (which I doubt most of all since there wasnt even a scratch on it), a lack of suppressor installed or because of something wrong with the barrel. It's already grouped .75 at 200 yds with the scope, so I can't imagine it getting better without it. I know shooting suppressed can be weird; sometimes you get a better group, sometimes a worse group. I guess if it still shoots .75 or better without a can, I could def call it good lol

 

[Makinchips208]

... I was expecting the worse when I picked it up; damage to the 15.5" upper, my optic the whole nine yards…

15.5”. I been telling you guys this is the way. Glad to see it’s catching on.

 

[TXRattler07]

15.5”. I been telling you guys this is the way. Glad to see it’s catching on.

Oh yes, I put that easter egg in there to emphasize the oncoming shitstorm of heartache I was about to feel.

I picked it up through Primary Arms back in early '21, before I even heard it was a thing. I personally like the extra weight and additional pointability I get from having the bipod closer to muzzle.

 

[davsco]

Got home from work yesterday and decided to get the LMT .308 out of the safe to change batteries

huh, who knew...

but good luck with the gun.

 

[TXRattler07]

huh, who knew...

but good luck with the gun.

Um, yeah... like, on my optic

 

[Landon4]

I know this is after the fact but my rifles that run direct thread cans I have several thread protectors that go on when in the safe and the can is off, just don’t want to take a chance on banging the threads when I take it out and in transport.

 

[TXRattler07]

I know this is after the fact but my rifles that run direct thread cans I have several thread protectors that go on when in the safe and the can is off, just don’t want to take a chance on banging the threads when I take it out and in transport.

Yes, I've def learned my lesson

 

[Makinchips208]

Shag carpet on the floors would make life safer for everything.

 

[hafejd30]

I have a rule of thumb where when the can comes off the thread protector goes on. I’d bet if the can screws on just fine then you have nothing to worry about.

Now the optic, mount or other components who knows.

I had this happen once with a Ruger 10/22. Actually landed on my foot. What an awesome experience

The gun was just fine….I was not

 

[TXRattler07]

I have a rule of thumb where when the can comes off the thread protector goes on. I’d bet if the can screws on just fine then you have nothing to worry about.

Now the optic, mount or other components who knows.

I had this happen once with a Ruger 10/22. Actually landed on my foot. What an awesome experience

The gun was just fine….I was not

Ouch. Yeah, it's a C1 mount and a NX8, neither had a single scratch on it. Not sure how I managed it. But that's what worried me the most; 16 pounds of gun plus free fall force directed straight at the barrel. The sound of it slamming into the concrete was the worst

 

[hafejd30]

Ouch. Yeah, it's a C1 mount and a NX8, neither had a single scratch on it. Not sure how I managed it. But that's what worried me the most; 16 pounds of gun plus free fall force directed straight at the barrel. The sound of it slamming into the concrete was the worst

If the can threads on correctly then try bore sighting it just looking down the barrel. You should see if the center of bore and scope are close.

An oblong muzzle or bent barrel type situation would show itself in just those two areas here. Certainly wouldn’t surprise me if the scope moved but with a NF it’s probably fine

If it was a vortex in a spuhr the vortex would be rendered completely useless and we all know the spuhr mount would crack and literally shatter like a little expensive block of ice

 

[TheOE800]

Thought this thread was about the nosedive in LMT’s quality and I’m now disappointed.

 

[TXRattler07]

Thought this thread was about the nosedive in LMT’s quality and I’m now disappointed.

Haha, come to think of it, I might have subconsciously headlined it that way. Sorry to disappoint

 

[msgriff]

Should have bought a Geissele

 

[TXRattler07]

Should have bought a Geissele

Ha, yeah.... nah Bill can keep his bendy boi rails. Additionally, I'm hoppin' for the Jiffy Pop on the MRGG and waiting to see how that contract goes...