Posted: 2/8/2004 6:49:41 PM EDT
| Is the barrel of the MT6601C chrome lined? |
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GODDAMIT. First I hear they are not, then I hear they are, then they are not. WHY OH GOD WHY!!?!?! You know, I was set on my decision, after about a whole YEAR of planning and plotting. First the Bushmaster, cuz it had all the goodies but the 1:7 twist. Then the RRA, because it seemed to be a bit better than the Bushmaster. Then the DPMS because only God knows why, back to the RRA because I hear of DPMS bolts cracking, and now back to the Colt... Only to hear it doesn't have the correct barrel. BULL-SHIT. Now I have to go back to the drawing board again. Buy the Colt, get it rebarreled, buy the Bushmaster, get it rebarreled, or assemble one from scratch, etc. FOOOOOOOOOOOOK. |
| Well I called Colt today and found out for sure that there will not be a chromed lined barrel in any of their Ar's except the 6400C. That just throws a wrench in it. I was all set to buy the MT6601C and verified what I did not want to here. I also called Bushmaster today and now I am starting to look at them due to the barrel. But another popped into the mix, Armalite. What to do, if I dont end up getting a Colt should I invest in a Bushmaster or Armalite? All I know is that I need to spend the money fast and cant wait a year like Blackjack or my wife will be walking around with a new purse. Yes, I know she can find some expensive purses. HELP ME or I am FU@%!#. |
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Alright Clubster, so you and I are in the bame boat. Here is my whole take on the matter ( stock guns ) Colt - Best quality, but no chrome lined bore for 20". Bushmaster - Respectable, but have had some QC issues, no 1:7 rifle twist. RRA - Pretty good, less issues than BM, but wrong barrel steel AND rifling twist. Armalite - ALMOST as good as Colt, but they don't come in non-comp. models, and no 1:7 twist. I guess we are gonna have to shit a brick and rebarrel, because no stock rifles come with all the goodies. WHY, can't Colt just realize that with proper chrome lined barrels and std. FCG parts that they can OWN the market for ARs? |
| Your correct Blackjack! Colt could own the market if they got thier act together. The biggest thing they could fix is the chrome lined barrel thing. However, I think I figured out what I am going to do for my 2nd AR. Since I already have a MT6400C I almost need to stick with Colt so I have two guns with similar parts. I plan on choosing the MT6700C due to the A3 upper. This means more to me that the 1/7 twist and as far as chrome goes I am screwed either way. After this one I plan on getting a Bushmaster Gov't profile and perhaps another Bushmaster carbine version. Colt almost makes you look to the other guys. I guess my local shop said it best "If it wasn't for Colt the other guys wouldn't be in business". If only Colt wasn't so arrogant! Good luck with your project and let me know what you think of my reasoning! |
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Sounds like you have a plan. I'm still wondering - that postban Govt. contour barrel on Bushmaster... it that a 1:7 chrome liner? I can deal with the FCG - everybody makes them, and larger pins actually are an advantage ( a bit stronger ). Just that damn barrel is biting me in the ass, and nothing is supposed to bite you in the ass. |
| I called Bushmaster to verify on the twist question. The gov't barrel is chrome lined with a 1/9 twist on post-ban. Bushmaster also stated that there is a 3-5 week lead time on these barrels as of this morning. With the twist rates I am almost giving up and choosing the rifle for other things like A2, A3, 16" or 20". Hope this helps! |
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Blackjack and clubster - You guys still have a few of options. 1. CMMG sells gov't profile, 1:7 twist, 20" barrels. You could contact them and have them build you a complete upper or a complete rifle. They are great guys to deal with. If they don't have any in stock they will tell you when they expect to have more in. 2. Order a pre-ban, gov't profile, 1:7 twist, 20" barrel or have them build you a complete upper. Then send it to Kurt or ADCO to have the the bayo lug removed and a post-ban muzzle brake installed. 3. Find a Colt "blue label" gov't profile barrel on the Equipment Exchange and build your own 20". I found one for $180 and built a complete rifle for less than $800. Good luck |
I tend to agree with this statement. However, I think you need to understand Colt's thinking. The only thing the Colt is currently making for the US government is the M4. They are not making any M16s for them. They know there is a market for close the M4 specs. This model is the MT6400C which has the chrome-line barrel for longivety. The rest of the civilian AR line-up is marketed to competition shooters. Competition shooters do not want chrome-lined barrels because you get better accuracy if it isn't chrome-lined. Colt makes the MT6400C for the mil-spec market and everything else for the Match Target market. If Colt understood that the mil-spec market was larger and made more products for them they would sell quickly. Philip |
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For the longest time the cloners told everyone that chrome lined bores were inaccurate. So buyers demanded "accurate" barrels. It helps that a cheap unchromed barrel is cheaper than a cheap chromed barrel. Colt was being undercut by cheaper companies and buyers, especially those that don't know ARs, demanded cheaper guns. So Colt responded by dropping chrome bores and correspondingly lowering their prices. You're seeing the free market in action. Consumers that demand low price will get low prices at the expense of quality. Colt won't offer .155 H/T pins as long as they have .mil/.gov contracts and the "readily convertable" clause is forced on them. All new Colt's have only chrome chambers except for the 6400, as noted. |
| Long story short, I dont get the AR I really want. I am stuck trying to make a decision of compromise. I almost wnat to go out and buy a M14 and wait till Colt offers what I am interested. The problem is I am hooked on these dam black rifles. Thanks for the input! |
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At what point did the Colt 6601 barrel becoming chromless? I bought a new one several years ago (4 years ago I think) and I could have sworn it had a chrome-lined barrel. I've since sold that rifle so I cannot verify for sure, but I seem to recall all the literature I saw at the time said chrome-lined. |
| I just called Colt and he said the only chrome lined barrel rifle they offer to the civilian market would be the MT6400C. I also asked if they had plans to add the chrome lined barrels at a later point, Colt stated that you will lose accuracy with chrome lining and that is why they will not change. (I personally think it costs them firearm sales) Hope this helps! |
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I have a Sept 1993 Colt 6601 and it appears to be chrome lined. I've seen a couple posts elsewhere on AR15 that said Colt dropped chrome barrels (except military)in 1997. Keep in mind I don't have absolute proof from the factory. My barrel is marked CMP 556 NATO 1/7 HBAR. I also have a gov. profile 20" bbl that is marked the same and look identical inside. Best of luck in your search. INHO,I would call the Colt factory to get the TRUTH about their barrels and ask to speak with a TECHNICIAN....NOT customer service!The twits in customer service seldom understand questions of a technical nature! What do you have to lose?Then the truth will be known to all! |