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Is a CHF barrel worth it?
4/29/2012 12:34:38 AM
I want a nice, fairly light, 16" barrel for my AR build and im currently looking at the PSA (FN) barrels which are CHF and chrome lined. They cost about $225 which isnt that bad compared to others but is it worth paying that much when there are barrels closer to $100?
I want accuracy and quality but at the same time im already over budget on my build. PSA also sells a non chf but still chrome lined barrel for $170 which is a decent bit cheaper.
So, is it worth it to get a CHF barrel? I plan on using my rifle as an HD/SHTF/range rgun
Also feel free to recommend other barrels in a similar price range, or anywhere else that sells FN barrels
I want accuracy and quality but at the same time im already over budget on my build. PSA also sells a non chf but still chrome lined barrel for $170 which is a decent bit cheaper.
So, is it worth it to get a CHF barrel? I plan on using my rifle as an HD/SHTF/range rgun
Also feel free to recommend other barrels in a similar price range, or anywhere else that sells FN barrels
4/29/2012 7:51:56 AM
PSA has the best deals on FN barrels I have ever seen. I'm not sure if the non CHF are FN or not. Personally I'd go for the CHF.
4/29/2012 8:40:50 AM
This question has been asked at least a hundred times. I would link to one of the previous threads but I'm currently on my phone.
Short answer - no.
Short answer - no.
4/29/2012 8:57:18 AM
I think we need to assign a day to CHF barrel discussions. It will cut down on the confusion and duplication. 
Questions like this are similar to "should I spend the extra money to get chrome lined?" questions. Unless you're building a rifle that you will literally shoot to death. You probably won't see a measurable difference between one of those FN-made CHF barrels at PSA and any other type of barrel. But, as with basic chrome lined barrels, there are advantages to CHF, including more consistent performance over a range of conditions (the barrel is tougher and more robust than a traditional drilled and rifled barrel).
If you're scraping together pennies for a low costs build, go for the less expensive barrel. If you can skip McDonalds a few times a week, save up for a little longer and buy the more expensive barrel. The price difference at PSA is about $60, which ain't at all bad. Keep in mind that the barrel is THE part that determines how accurate your rifle is.
Questions like this are similar to "should I spend the extra money to get chrome lined?" questions. Unless you're building a rifle that you will literally shoot to death. You probably won't see a measurable difference between one of those FN-made CHF barrels at PSA and any other type of barrel. But, as with basic chrome lined barrels, there are advantages to CHF, including more consistent performance over a range of conditions (the barrel is tougher and more robust than a traditional drilled and rifled barrel).
If you're scraping together pennies for a low costs build, go for the less expensive barrel. If you can skip McDonalds a few times a week, save up for a little longer and buy the more expensive barrel. The price difference at PSA is about $60, which ain't at all bad. Keep in mind that the barrel is THE part that determines how accurate your rifle is.
4/29/2012 9:15:24 AM
Supposedly "on paper" CHF is more accurate than Chrome lined.....would you be able to tell?....probably not.
Chrome lined supposedly is the worst for accuracy, but the best for life of the barrel.
Would I get a CHF barrel? HELL NO
I think its a gimmick for people to spend more money on, something they "need to have or it wont work"
Chrome lined supposedly is the worst for accuracy, but the best for life of the barrel.
Would I get a CHF barrel? HELL NO
I think its a gimmick for people to spend more money on, something they "need to have or it wont work"
4/29/2012 10:26:31 AM
Originally Posted By bending_rodriguez:
Supposedly "on paper" CHF is more accurate than Chrome lined.....would you be able to tell?....probably not.
Chrome lined supposedly is the worst for accuracy, but the best for life of the barrel.
Would I get a CHF barrel? HELL NO
I think its a gimmick for people to spend more money on, something they "need to have or it wont work"
Supposedly "on paper" CHF is more accurate than Chrome lined.....would you be able to tell?....probably not.
Chrome lined supposedly is the worst for accuracy, but the best for life of the barrel.
Would I get a CHF barrel? HELL NO
I think its a gimmick for people to spend more money on, something they "need to have or it wont work"
CHF is the method of production, they are also chrome lined. I think you are thinking of non-chrome lined or melonite. Chrome lining in general is not as accurate as a non chrome lined barrel. The trade off is barrel life.
4/29/2012 3:02:39 PM
The story that chrome lining is bad for accuracy is older than most of the participants in this discussion, and it's no longer correct. The theory was that the chrome lining process led to irregularities in the bore and thus less potential accuracy. That was almost 50 years ago, and they've gotten a lot better at this sort of thing. I would suggest that nobody who shoots an AR would EVER be able to tell the difference in accuracy between similarly made CMV and chrome lined CMV barrels installed in an AR.
