20 Vartarg Lilja

[Stan from Pa.]

Need advice,
I know this has been beat to death but I would like to add a new twist to the question. It is always a debate between 11 or 12 twist 20 caliber barrels for 40 grain bullets. I'm ordering and chambering a Lilja barrel for the 20 Vartarg cartridge and my dilemma is they only offer 9" or 12" twist barrels, nothing in between.
Question #1,I think the 40 grain Vmax was the bullet not stabilized?
Question #2, Were any of you gentleman who experienced unstabilized bullets in a 12" twist shooting a Lilja barrel?
Question #3, You same gentleman, was it only 1 40 grain (manufacturer) bullet that didn't stabilize or was it all of them?
I know I could switch barrel manufacturers, but Lilja offers a very nice quantity discount and I've had very good luck with them.
Thanks for your help,
Stan

[Hotshot]

yes, n/a, yes from my experience. I like Lilja too, but Pacnor offers 10 or 11 twist and they are awesome. Shilen also has 10 and 11 twist. Avoid the 12 twist if you want to shoot the 40gr V-Max. 39SBK(best 20 cal bullet in creation) on the other hand seems to work well in a 12 twist if the barrel is not rough.

[L461]

Will stabilize the 40 gr V-Max.

Lilja make an awesome 20 cal in my opinion

[Old Hawkeye]

The 12 twist will stabilize 39 BK's & 40 V-maxes. The lead free monometal 40s are too long. Don't know if the longer 40 Nosler will work. Why not shoot the 32's or 35's anyway, the heavier bullets give you no advantage in a VT. If you want to shoot 40's get a 204 or other bigger cased 20 wildcat where the extra velocity will actually let you take advantage of the heavier pill.

[SmokinJoe]

My Lilja 1-12 shoots the 40's quite well.

[Stan from Pa.]

Thanks for advice guys, I appreciate you guys opinion.
Hawkeye,
I'm building this rifle for a friend. He intends to shoot 32 grain bullets but seems to want to make sure he can do 40 grain bullets if he decides to do so. I agree a 204 or 20PPC would be much better for the 40 grain bullets. This rifle is a very big deal to him and gathering components will be a couple year process, so he wants to do the perfect cartridge and you know the rest.
Thanks again,
Stan

[Furhunter]

I would agree.

Shooting 40 gr bullets in a VT would take some of the fun from it. Kinda like shooting 50's in a 221FB

[17VLD]

While its b.c. is lower than most other 40's it will work in a 12 twist very nicely
it even works in my 13 twist .20AR.The 40 Berger kills coyotes like nobodys business too.Clearly the
.20 VarTarg needs a 36grn V-Max
just think how great it would be in that neat little case.
Matt

[varmintshooter]

I have 2 vt's and both are 1 in 12. I only shoot 39 and 40 grain bullets never had a problem. I tried the32's and 35's but always come back to 39 and 40's. longest Groundhog kill was 504 yd with 39 BK. however I never had a lilja.

[HillbillySniper]

My Lilja Barrel 20 Vartarg is a 1-12 twist and it shoots 39 sbk and 40 gr VMax into small .2 and .3 groups at 100yds. I have taken several Groundhogs at over 400yds.