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Posted: 5/27/2011 8:51:30 PM EDT
| Are the barrels for the MP 15 cold hammer forged? And are they chrome lined? |
| some are chrome lined depending on the model you purchase. Have no idea if they are CHF or not. I am not sure I would buy into the hype about forging. I mean Ruger cold hammer forges their barrels after all and they are not known for the best accuracy or longevity. Cold hammer forging is mostly done (I suspect) because it cost much less to produce a barrel this way. I tend to think of this as being akin to cryo treatment, which is also questionable. I personally think it is all marketing hype. |
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My M&P15A (2008) had a chrome lined barrel and was not hammer forged. I believe it was before Thompson Center started making the barrels. To my knowledge TC is still making them.
You do know you can email S&W customer support and ask. They would probably be more than happy to tell you this info. It would be great if there was a rep on this forum to answer these types of questions. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Quoted:
My VTAC is chrome lined 1x7 twist.....I do believe they are 4140 tho. This To my knowledge most barrels are 4140 and none of them are Cold hammer forged. The machinery necessitated to make a Cold hammer forged barrel requires an enormous initial investment but cuts down on cost per barrel. Therefore, once a mfg has one, they will utilize it to the fullest (Like Ruger does). |
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According to their website most of the barrels are chrome lined bore and chamber with 6R rifling, which is standard in most AR's, and either 1:9 or 1:7 twist rates. However, Smith has started putting melonite treated 5R rifled barrels with 1:8 twist rates on a few, including the Sport and the M&P 15T, I believe. The 5R rifling is used in the Army's M24 sniper rifle and some higher end barrels like Obermeyer and Krieger. Thompson Center makes those barrels for Smith.
Supposedly, 5R rifling gives a better gas seal and causes less jacket deformation, providing higher velocity and better accuracy. The melonite treatment increases surface hardness and reduces friction without changing the dimensions of the barrel bore. The combination, on paper at least, should give a barrel that is wear and corrosion resistant and potentially more accurate than chrome lined barrels. I bought a Sport, largely because of the cost and the barrel. |
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Quoted: Quoted: My VTAC is chrome lined 1x7 twist.....I do believe they are 4140 tho. This To my knowledge most barrels are 4140 and none of them are Cold hammer forged. The machinery necessitated to make a Cold hammer forged barrel requires an enormous initial investment but cuts down on cost per barrel. Therefore, once a mfg has one, they will utilize it to the fullest (Like Ruger does). Remington hammer forges all their barrels, so do the majority of all the bigger manufacturers except Savage. So its very plausible that Smith and Wesson has the same setup over at TC. I cant remember how they used to do them at TC but I dont think they did button-pulled barrels. |
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Quoted:
My M&P15A (2008) had a chrome lined barrel and was not hammer forged. I believe it was before Thompson Center started making the barrels. To my knowledge TC is still making them. You do know you can email S&W customer support and ask. They would probably be more than happy to tell you this info. It would be great if there was a rep on this forum to answer these types of questions. S&W Bought Thompson Centerfire. |
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