What load for 20" Lilja .308 MA-TEN Build?

[mfessler]

I finally pulled the trigger on a .308 build. After some research, I settled on these components:

20" Lilja 10740 Barrel
Mega Ma-Ten Keymod Upper
Ma-Ten Lower Receiver
Magpul PRS Stock
Ranier Arms NiB Bolt Carrier Group
Geissele DMR Trigger
Syrac Adjustable Gas Block
AAC Blackout w' 762 SD
Atlas Bipod
LaRue Tactical QD Scope Mount w' Vortex Viper PST 6-24x (Ran out of money)

I broke the barrel in per Lilja's instructions, though I have doubts about it's importance, I didn't want to take a chance with a good barrel. Afterwards I shot a pretty wide selection of ammunition through it (168 FGMM, 175 FGMM, 155 AMAX BHA, 168 Match BHA, 175 Match BHA, 155 TAP, 168 TAP, 178 Hornady Match). While there were rounds that it didn't seem to like, there wasn't one that clearly stood out as a great performer. Most of these consistently came in at 1-1.5 MOA 5 round groups with the occasional group under an inch. I also loaded up a ladder test using 175 gr. SMK and Varget (400m target, .3 gr increments). I got the closest rounds between 44.5 and 45 gr, however the rounds I worked up between those charges seemed to hold only marginally better than the factory stuff and seemed to crater the primers (sign of overpressure I believe, though it did the same with some factory rounds).

From the little info I've found on Lilja barrels, I expected to hold under 1 MOA, but have been unable to do it thus far. Does anyone have experience with this barrel and can recommend a handload or factory load that it seems to like? I'd like to stick with 175/178 gr for long range performance (past subsonic when I get good enough to try that), but have a pretty good selection of powder on hand and am not hard set on Varget. With my Deployment/TDY schedule and two kids, I don't get on the reloading bench as much as I'd like and would appreciate any cliffnotes I can get. There is very little info on the net about the preferences of this barrel.

I have a good bit of experience on .223 ARs, but have received no formal training. I can easily hold under an inch with a couple of my .223s, but understand driving a .308 AR is a different animal, so I can't rule out human error. I am looking to attend training from a reputable team like Accuracy 1st to un-dork my bad habits and teach me how to better drive a .308 gas gun. But want to try and rule out the rifle first.

Thanks for any inputs!

 

[Mike_in_FL]

It seems as if you have tried quality factory ammo through the rifle with no clear winner. Do you know anybody who is proficient at driving a .308 gasser? If so, I'd let them try it before I made myself crazy on reloads. I would say that there is not a huge amount of Lilja owners that have posted here but most seem to report better than your results. If there was one thing I would question in how it's outfitted, it would be that scope mount. Has it AND the scope been proven on another known accurate rifle?

Also, just noticed. Are you shooting from a bench with bags or using the bipod?

 

[mfessler]

Unfortunately, no, I don't know anyone very good at driving a big AR. Most of the folks I know shoot carbine and are not into the precision game. I also have not tried swapping the scope and mount to another rifle. I might try that first. I've debated getting a good non-QD mount like a Badger, but have not pulled the trigger on it yet.

 

[mfessler]

I've shot from both. Not much appreciable difference in the two. I tried the bipod for the first time last week, and most groups came in about the same with a few more flyers, likely attributed to getting tired and not properly loading the bipod. Seem to be a little more consistent with the bags, but accuracy doesn't seem to change much. I have not tried shooting with a bag in front of the bipod.

 

[HKpirate]

I run factory 168 FGMM with good results. My entire shooting life was behind a bolt gun until I made the leap to play with some gassers. I went from a proficient bolt gun shooter to a decent shot. I would say get some trigger time behind the rig and not get discouraged by larger than expected groups. Also how much time do you have behind the DMR trigger ? I ran my mil-spec for the first time in over a year over the weekend and it was a learning curve again. I know I do not shoot as much as "I like but taking some time off from pistols then going back to pistols I find my self going over the fundamentals in my head every time. practice makes perfect.

 

[DavidAR10]

______________________________________________________________________

1) Always start off of bags

2) Always start with Rule #1

3) Still RFA... find a known shooter to get behind your trigger with FGMM fodder

Still no dice, you've got your work cut out for you. Maybe the guy in #3 will help you out

I know I'll catch hell BUTT!!! get on the Hometown Forum at ARFCOM and find the guy for #3