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Posted: 1/15/2003 3:03:06 PM EDT
| Which barrel would you perfer and Why? |
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Chrome lined unless you're trying to build a super duper match shooter. Because it's proper for the military configuration. It wears better, lasts longer and cleans more easily. The chrome lined chamber eases extraction, and just about guarantees a proper machinegun chamber, instead of a SAAMI .223 chamber. Especially since I shoot mostly full auto, chrome's the only way to go for me. |
| stainless will suit you just fine chrome lined will only benefit you if you are using it for military type work and shooting thousands of rounds the stainless has enough chromium in it to last a very long time and cut down on barrel wear so my 2 cents it doesn't matter which one you buy either one should suit you fine |
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Any barrel with a "5.56" or ".223 Wylde" chamber is suitable for M193 & M855 spec ammo. A chrome-lined barrel will wear better, be easier to clean, and resist corrosion better, but does not directly affect reliability with 5.56-spec ammo. (I think the confusion comes from the fact that virtually all chrome-lined barrels are "5.56" chambers, where many unlined, and especially SS, barrels are ".223" chambers.) |
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I got a J&T H-bar kit. It's Chrome Molybdenim, apparently with a LOT of chrome. It is accurate as heck, and pretty hard in itself. As often as I shoot it I bet round for round it'll outlast most Military 1X7 lightweight chrome bbls. (they usually get hotter because they're subjected to extended auto or burst fire) It's not that much harder to clean than my bushy bbl., if at all. Put it down to personal preferance for this one. My .02 in canadian funds _______________________________________________ When in doubt, empty the magazine! [X]_ |
| When I ordered my Armalite, I specified an M-15A4 carbine (chrome-lined barrel) but when it arrived I got the T (target) model with SS barrel. Of course I don't shoot hundreds of rounds per week or month for that matter, and I don't shoot full auto, so I didn't see it as that important. But I have found that SS barrel is maintenance free, I don't have to worry about rust or corrosion, and it is very accurate. The only thing I don't particularly care for about the SS is that it stands out more than black, which is a drawback if you're trying to conceal yourself. I've considered painting it but I think I'll look for a black chrome lined barrel and sell the SS one. |
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Quoted: I got a J&T H-bar kit. It's Chrome Molybdenim, apparently with a LOT of chrome. Someone put "extra chrome" in your barrel? Is that like "extra cheese" in your Quarter Pounder? [:D] J&T barrels are either 416 Stainless (which is what you get with "a LOT of chrome"), or 4140 chrome-moly steel. It sounds like you have the latter. 4140 is the standard steel used for most civilian rifle barrels. 4150 steel is the Mil-Spec steel, which has a bit more carbon and retains its strength better at higher temperatures. Neither 4140 nor 4150 is particularly rust-resistant. That's one of the reasons military barrels are chrome-lined. -Troy [Edited to correct typo regarding metalurgy.] |
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Bob -- Your best bet with an AR15 type rifle is to stay as close to military spec as you can, at least for your first one. Mil spec is the proven design with several million "test rifles" in the field daily. The M16 chamber (commonly, but incorrectly called the 5.56mm chamber) and chrome bore will shoot any 5.56mm/.223 ammo you can feed it. Avoid ".223" or "match" chambers until you need a specialized rifle for real match shooting. Chrome moly steel is common barrel steel. Don't confuse it with chrome lined. Almost all military rifles have chrome bores, they hold up best under austere condidions. Even mundane rifles like the SKS and AKM have chrome bores. -- Chuck |
| Thanks Chuck and GreenO for the info. I tried to reply to an IM message but the system wouldn't let me. I wonder if I have to be a paid member to use that feature? Back to barrels, what does one mean by rapid fire? I often shoot a full 30 rd magazine at a time, three strings of two shots, three strings of three, and then three strings of five takes care of the magazine. I do that as rapidly as I can while only limiting myself to combat accuracy. Although I haven't timed it, I figure it takes about 10 to 15 seconds to do that. And I haven't felt the barrel to see if it's hot but the last two times I did that it was only 10 degrees out so I wasn't concerned with heat build-up. Does anyone have an idea of what the limits of a SS barrel would be as far as rapid fire? Would 90 rounds a minute be harmful to a target barrel? If so, I'll seriously think about swapping it out for a chrome-lined one. Thanks guys!! |
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90 rounds a minute is going to rapidly ruin the throat of a match barrel. Heck, it's going to be hard on a chrome barrel! The hotter you get a barrel, the faster it will wear out, because the cutting from the gasses increases as barrel heat increases. Plus, you certainly don't need sub-MOA accuracy if you're shooting that fast, because you're lucky to be holding 5 MOA. Stick with a 4150 steel, chrome-lined barrel. -Troy |
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WarriorBob: there are two things most people concern about firearms, accuracy and reliability. They are just like two ends of a rod. If you go to one extreme end, then you don't have the other end. This is particular true if we are refering to a barrel. You can't have a barrel bearing high accuracy and high reliability. However, you can have some point in between where the accuracy and reliability are acceptable for most your application. If you need a weapon, the reliability is much more important than its accuracy. Therefore, you get a chrome lined barrel with a bit "loose" chamber (for ease of cycling, however the accuracy is sacrificed). If you need a shooter, due to the high precision/tolerance can be performed in the making process, SS is a good choice since the chamber is tighter. The tighter chamber does make you shoot better. As I said, most people take a point in between where accuracy and reliability are satisfied. Of cource, a high quality ammo will enhance your accuracy and reliability. My discussion here assumes the same ammo used in chrome-lined and SS barrels. |
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Thanks for all the input guys. This is my situation. I have an Armalite M-15A4T Carbine, which has a tubular handguard and free-floating barrel. The gas block is flat with a Picatinny Rail and is held onto the barrel with two allen type screws. These are the features I like. So my question is, will I be able put a different barrel on and have it be compatible with my handguard and gas block? Obviously the gas block port needs to be in the same location for my current block and tube to work. But will my handguard mount fit properly with any barrel I pick? I appreciate the help here. Also, looks like I'll need to read up on headspacing and maybe pick up a couple of tools and a good repair/assembly/disassembly manual. I'm not afraid of the work involved here. I've disassembled a few other guns and engines in my time and I've enjoyed all of that. The way I'd like for this to work out would be to take the current barrel off and throw the new one on without hassle. Is this possible? |
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Chrome lined / plated = 100% chrome Stainless = 11-14% chrome (depending upon composition) Chrome moly = less chrome than stainless (don't recall right now - but could look it up if anyone is interested) No contest, you want the benefits of chrome, get a chrome plated bore and chamber. |
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Troy, 4140, 4142, 4145, 4150 all have the same amount of Chromium. The last two digits denote the amount of carbon in the steel. 4140 has a carbon content of .38-.43% where as 4150 has a carbon content of .48-.53%. Other than the amount of carbon the metal is identical. See the following for chemical info: http://www.ryersontull.com/stocklist/RedbookServlet?COM=GetStaticPage&ID=1991 See the following for Mechanical info: http://www.ryersontull.com/stocklist/RedbookServlet?COM=GetStaticPage&ID=1978 |
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