I was just cleaning my 20" A3 Bushy and ran oil coated patch through the barrel and when the patch exited the muzzle, it appeared to have bits of chrome on it.  Some pieces were big enough that rifling was apparent.

The patch was a little tight going in, but that wasn't unusual and I had just used a chamber swab that was even tighter, without any problems.  I use only Hoppes #9 to clean the bore and chamber and Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber or Break Free CLP to clean the receiver.  Followed by CLP or Hoppe's gun oil. So, I'm pretty sure it wasn't any of the cleaners I used.

1)  Is my barrel totally ruined?

2)  Would this be covered under warranty?

3)  Can it be rechromed?  If so, would a new barrel be cheaper?

4) If it can't be rechromed less than a new barrel and Bushmaster says I'm SOL, can it be rebored and chambered for something slightly larger, or to accept a .22lr barrel liner?


Thanks,
 FlyingLead

Send it back.

There's no excuse for that.

WIZZO

Maybe chrome lining is a bad thing

If it is chrome I would contact bushmaster and see what they can do. They should at least rebarrel it free of charge.

If they won't touch it I'd recommend sending it to ADCO and having a barrel installed. You have chrome lined 20'' RRA barrel yet??

What kind of cleaning rod. The aluminum ones are bad about shaving little pieces of aluminum off in the barrel.

Thanks for the quick responses.

Unforturnately, I don't have a bore scope to really check out the bore to see if it is the chrome or not.  I'm heading over to my local dealer anyway, I'll see if they can check it out for me.  Hopefully, bigbore is right and it's just bits of bullet jacket.  I'd rather it be my newbie paranoia than the chrome coming off.  If it is the chrome, I'll be giving BM a call Monday morning.  

As for my cleaning rod and such, I only use brass cleaning rods, brass jag, a Hoppe's BoreSnake, wool chamber swab, and a nylon chamber brush.  

just shoot the hell outta it.................... nothing is going to happen to it if it does. also what are you worried about? Rust or something? dont worry about it....... it is purely cosmetic, but you cant see it

Did you buy it as a factory rifle from Bushmaster - or is it possibly a different manufacturer's upper?


If it really is pieces of the chrome "flaking" off, and a factory rifle, I'd imagine that Bushmaster would make it right.

" it appeared to have bits of chrome on it. Some pieces were big enough that rifling was apparent"

Based on that statement/observation...and if it was "Silver" and "not copper" in coloration?....I would suspect your worst fears are confirmed however...take heart because.....

A. There will always be a small percentage of chrome lined barrels that will exhibit bubbling and/or flaking of the chrome lining as the freshly machined bores must be 100% clean and free of any and all cutting fluids/machine oils....over 100% of the surface to be chrome lined...and despite even the most rigorous and agressive cleaning processes?...even those where a baking cycle takes place afterwards?....any small (were talking microscopic here) pit's or voids in the barrels parent material can retain these cutting fluids/machining oils via the "Capillary Affect"...and even if such is "Baked Out" in a furnace cycle?...it still leaves a migratory residue....how the hell do I know you ask?...well...I'm not a rocket scientist but I did hang out with a lot of'em as a machinist fabricator for N.A.S.A.'s SSME (space shuttle main engine) and Pratt & Whitneys RL-10 Titan Rocket Engines...lots of plating and brazing processes took place there so...I can clearly see and understand how and why a certain small percentage of chrome lined barrels (from any and every company...not just bushmaster) are bound/prone to failure...and they make it through the final inspection process because this condition may not present itself until the barrel has been subjected to several (or sometimes more) "Heat Cycles"...where the chrome lined barrel experiences heat growth/expansion followed with cool down shrinkage....point being...there will always be a certain unlucky few who WILL from time to time recieve chrome-lined barrels that exhibit a small amount of bubbling/flaking from....ANY COMPANY THAT PRODUCES THEM.

and....

B. ?.....I'm certain Bushmaster is well aware of all the above as well and should be happy to replace your barrel for you...hell...they are the leading manufacturer of AR format rifles & carbines to the tune of almost 40K units a year...along with their aftermarket barrel offerings?...I suspect they produce 60,000 (or possibly far moer) barrels per year....far more than anyone else in the AR biz....so?...odds are if any ar rifle out there is gonna fail?....it'll be a Bushmaster!!! Cause there's just Waaaaaay More Of'em out there!!! LOL!!!

I know that's of little consolation "For You"...."at the moment"....but regardless...I hope those little tidbits of info help ya feel a little better and...

L8R, Bill.

taggy

OK guys, just got back from my dealer.  He didn't have a bore scope, but took a look at it with a bore light.  The best he can tell, it isn't the chrome.  He did admonish my ammunition choice (Wolf) and my rather poor cleaning habits.  Told me to clean it again and shoot it.  Also, I forgot that during my last range outing, which was a couple of days ago, I stuck a Ciener kit in it and ran some Winchester Wildcats through it.  Yes, I know, I should clean it as soon as I get home and usually do.  Anyway, we think what came out was either lead from the Wildcats or jacketing from the Wolf.  Again, thanks for the help and for putting up with my newbie stupidity.  

DK-Prof:  Yes, it is a Bushmaster factory rifle.  I was pretty sure if it was the chrome they'd fix it, unless it was something I did.  Which if it was my fault, I wouldn't expect them to.  

donovan007007:  If it was the chrome and it wasn't due to something I did, I would not expect it to come off, especially on a Bushmaster.  As for the problems it might cause, I wasn't sure what would happen.  I've only had it for about a month now and am still pretty new to guns in general.  So, I still have a lot to learn.  Lesson of the day:  Lead smear looks like chrome.

FUZ1ON:  Thanks for the info.  Yeah, I know even Bushmaster ships the occassional lemon.  But, after discussing it with my dealer, it looks like user paranoia.  But, we will see.  As long as the weather holds out, I'm heading to the range tomorrow.  And as a comparison, I'll run only FMJ .223 through the BM and run some Wildcats through my A1 replica (Colt A1 upper, Stag lower w/RRA LPK).  If it was lead, then I would expect to see some bits of lead come out of the A1.  If not, I'll run some Wildcats through the BM on the follow range trip.  I would like to find out what will reproduce the problem.  To date, the only .22lr I've run through the A1 was copper coated and I didn't notice any bits of metal coming out the bore, at least none as large as what came out of the BM.

Quoted:  Also, I forgot that during my last range outing, which was a couple of days ago, I stuck a Ciener kit in it and ran some Winchester Wildcats through it.  Yes, I know, I should clean it as soon as I get home and usually do.  Anyway, we think what came out was either lead from the Wildcats or jacketing from the Wolf.

Lead from the .22 bullets is probably what you saw. Chrome lining flaking off would be very unusual.

for a min. I thought my chrome was comming off but it was silver bear.