Thanks to Uncle Sam paying back my interest-free loan that I've given him over the course of the year, I'm finally getting around to ordering the barrel to rebarrel my Anschutz 1712 with. Here's what I'm looking at so far.

Barrel: Lilja Tight-bore stainless unfluted
Twist: 16
Grooves: ?? (choice of 3, 4 or 6)
Contour: 53RF

My goal is to be able to put as much weight into the barrel as I can. The rest of the rifle is a 1712 barreled action (4lb 9.8oz) in a Pharr RTS stock with the lightweight bottom metal that I got from Mark Pharr and a lightweight foam buttpad (2lb 5.0oz total w/ weight added). The scope is a Weaver T24 with BKL 257H-A rings (1lb 3.4oz total). Overall, I have a LOT of weight left to use in the barrel. I put over 10 ounces of weight into the forearm and I'm still several ounces below the hunter class limit with the factory barrel. With that extra weight out of the forearm, I'll have a LOT of weight to play with and I want it as far out front as I can get it.

I'm pretty well settled on the unfluted Lilja tight-bore, but everything else can be changed. What do you think about the contour? Any reason not to get the standard 16" twist? As for the number of grooves, I'm leaning toward 3-groove because I know a few benchrest guys who are loving the Lilja 3-grooves. What's the experience with silhouette rifles that don't get cleaned every 50 shots or so? I noticed that Lilja now has the 4-groove tight-bore 16" twist that they worked on with Bill Calfee. Anyone heard anything about those yet?

Thanks for any suggestions you can give.

I had Mark install a 4 groove lilja tight boore barrel on my Anschutz . I am very happy with the accuracy of the setup. I am a member of the donot clean iunless the accuracy falls off. I have about 4000 rds through it and is still going great.

Jason

Now that you've mentioned Bill Calfee you'll have to ring and slug the barrel! To do otherwise would be sacrilege. In all seriosness, slugging to find the tight spot for cutting makes sense.

Thanks for posting the weights.

Rich

Jason
The Lilja 16 twist 4 grooves tight bore in a 53rf contour is the way to go, my last 3 jobs I use the 4 grooves instead of the 6 and they are extremely accurate. If you decide to use a Premier 18x40 scope you will need a fluted barrel to stay at 24" and still make weight.
Evelio.