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Posted: 12/27/2002 6:39:44 AM EDT
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I could not find a "search" here so please forgive me if this is one of those question that have been beat to death. I am going to buy my first AR 15 and wonder if chrome is needed or is it just one of those things that sound great if you are using old ammo? So far the Armalite and Bushy are my first choice.A local gun shop (VA central area) has a heavy barrel bushmaster for $800.00. |
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If you are wanting the best accuracy, stay away from Chrome *lined* barrels. Don't mistake a chrome barrel for a chrome *lined* barrel as they are two different beasts. For example Bushmaster makes their DCM barrels from chromemoly but are not chrome lined. Chrome lined barrels with last longer but are not the best choice in accuracy and since you are looking at the heavy barrel, I assume you want the better accuracy. HTH, Veloman |
| Chrome lining is what you want, even if accuracy is a concern. True, chrome moly barrels are, on average, all other things being held equal, slightly more accurate than chrome lined bores. HOWEVER, the advantages of a chrome lined bore are an extended barrel life, near total corrosion/rust resistance in the chamber and bore, and they are much easier to clean and keep clean. IF you are strictly concerned with accuracy and the advantages of a chrome lined bore do not appeal to you, then go ahead and get the chrome moly bore rifle. There are MANY more factors that go into determining whether a particular barrel is accurate or not, and a poorly done chrome moly barrel is much less accurate than a well done chrome lined barrel. |
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I can put 5 shots into 1MOA on a good day. So far the extra inherent accuracy offered by a good chrome-moly barrel is so small that I can't tell the difference between it and a good chrome-lined barrel. I much prefer the advantages offered by the chrome lining over the small accuracy advantage that I am not yet good enough to appreciate. At the same time, the stainless steel SPR barrels seem to be doing quite well on reliability, accuracy and maintenance issues. In another few years, they may rule the roost for general purpose barrels too. |
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Quoted: If you are wanting the best accuracy, stay away from Chrome *lined* barrels. Don't mistake a chrome barrel for a chrome *lined* barrel as they are two different beasts. For example Bushmaster makes their DCM barrels from chromemoly but are not chrome lined. Chrome lined barrels with last longer but are not the best choice in accuracy and since you are looking at the heavy barrel, I assume you want the better accuracy. HTH, Veloman Since your post is (to me, at least), a bit confusing, let me clarify. The standard steel most commonly used in gun barrels is 4140 "chrome-moly" steel. This is standard steel, nothing special. Military barrels use a slightly higher grade, called 4150 steel. The difference is primarily that it retains its strength better at higher temperatures, which is better for full auto. Either of these barrels can additionally be chrome-lined, which means the bore and chamber are plated with industrial hard-chrome. The other common barrel steel is 416 stainless steel. You can't really chrome-line a stainless barrel, at least not using the same process as with chrome-moly steel, and given that "stainless" will resist corrosion better than standard steel, it generally isn't done. Most of us recommend chrome-lining for everything except a match rifle, meaning a rifle with a barrel made from a high-end match barrel blank. For a standard rifle, you'll want chrome-lined. While you'll hear about lost accuracy due to chrome-lining, you generally hear that arguement from companies that don't offer chrome-lining. In real life, there is rarely any difference in accuracy, and when there is, it is going to be on the order of 0.1 MOA or so. If you're a high-end benchrest shooter or a President's 100 shooter, that might matter. For the rest of us, .1 MOA is meaningless. Chrome-lining will enhance extraction, will reduce barrel wear and extend barrel life, will make cleaning faster and easier, and will resist pitting and corrosion of the bore. All of which are important, especially if you're planing to use the plentiful, cheap imported surplus ammo. Thus, our slogan: [b]Go Chrome or Go Home[/b] -Troy |
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Troy, Good info and thanks for proving my misunderstood earlier post that a chrome lined chamber is less accurate thus not the *best* for accuracy. Maybe this is why Bushmaster, who manufacturers chrome lined barrels, has installed a *non* chrome lined barrel on the DCM rifle, which I love dearly. Thus my statement "If you want the *best* accuracy stay away from a chrome lined barrel." BTW Bushmaster is also offering up a Stainless barrel these days. Thanks, Veloman |
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AKA47 - There are a lot of experts and a ton of knowledge on this site and you'll hear both sides of every argument. While I own a couple of ARs I'm by no means an expert, in fact I'm barely and amateur. My advise is unless you are going to do a ton of shooting a chrome lined barrel won't make much of a difference because you'll never wear it out. If you are lazy like me then buy a chrome lined bbl because I think it does make it easier to clean and keep clean. As far as accuracy goes, I wouldn't know the difference in a million years, I shoot (when I get the chance) for fun and don't know what a MOA is...I'm just happy to hit the target. Go with what you budget allows and have a fun with it! Good luck Marc |
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Let me put things in perspective...a chrome-lined barrel is capable of 1 MOA (a 1" group at 100 yds) out of the box. The smallest group you'll ever get is 1/4 MOA (1/4" at 100 yds) because a .223 bullet is 1/4" in diameter. With practice you can shrink your groups to 1/2 or 3/4 MOA (1/2" or 3/4" at 100yds). With 1/2" groups being attainable and 1/4" groups being the smallest you can get does nonchrome-lined really offer any advantages that are worth giving up the advantages of chrome-lined? Go Chrome or Go Home! Bradd |
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