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Posted: 1/22/2014 1:22:50 PM EDT
| Are chrome lined barrels necessary? for a plinker/range rifle |
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The answer is no, it is certainly not a necessity for your prescribed use. I prefer Nitride/Melonite to chrome anyways. +1 advantages to chrome are being easier to clean in between shootings, if you don't clean after every outing. And lasts longer but if your plinking once a month or so you won't notice the wear. Stainless is more accurate every time. |
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I only have 3 ARs that are not chrome lined. A 24" stainless steel heavy barreled vARmint rifle, a 16" .300 AAC Black out and a 20" HBAR flat top.
Of all the ARs I have, the 20" non-chrome is the most accurate of the "GI" looking rifles. The 24" vARmint rifle is the most accurate. The chrome lined barrels are plenty accurate, the non-chrome ones just edge them out by a little. Oh, if I had to grab one and head out the door, it would be a 16" carbine WITH a chrome lined barrel. It is my favorite AR of the several I've built. |
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There's a good reason the military uses chrome lined barrels.....they last longer under harsher firing schedules.
A chrome lined barrel and chamber out of a brand name company is a good idea....is it "necessary" no.....but a good idea?.... that's entirely up to you....no one knows your needs better than you do. For around a $1000 you can get yourself a Colt 6920 from Walmart look around you can find it a little cheaper. |
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For around a $1000 you can get yourself a Colt 6920 from Walmart look around you can find it a little cheaper. Thanks for the info. You really feel the Colt's are still worth the money compared to RRA's Operator 3, Ruger's 556E(no chrome lined barrel), Daniel Defense V7? All 3 can be had on Gun broker for $1,000 - $1200. That's what I've narrowed it down to. Although I do keep coming back to the Colt. A Colt will always be a Colt. |
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Quoted:
Thanks for the info. You really feel the Colt's are still worth the money compared to RRA's Operator 3, Ruger's 556E(no chrome lined barrel), Daniel Defense V7? All 3 can be had on Gun broker for $1,000 - $1200. That's what I've narrowed it down to. Although I do keep coming back to the Colt. A Colt will always be a Colt. Quoted:
Quoted:
For around a $1000 you can get yourself a Colt 6920 from Walmart look around you can find it a little cheaper. Thanks for the info. You really feel the Colt's are still worth the money compared to RRA's Operator 3, Ruger's 556E(no chrome lined barrel), Daniel Defense V7? All 3 can be had on Gun broker for $1,000 - $1200. That's what I've narrowed it down to. Although I do keep coming back to the Colt. A Colt will always be a Colt. This stuff can be debated to death. The Colt is pretty plain jane but is a good basis to do something with, or to keep as a simple, solid Mforgery. The others come down to preferences, me thinks. I'd lean toward the Colt or Daniel Defense myself. The Ruger and RRA are good guns, but not quite in the same class. They're a bit cheesy with their factory accessories. Being a Colt guy, I can admit that the DD is the best buy for the money. |
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Hot salt bath nitride treatment is harder than chrome. It is more corrosion resistent. It is usually more accurate because it is a surface hardening of the steel itself at the molecular level, so the bore and rifling are unaltered. Chrome lining is a plating process which can be applied unevenly, and it can develop micro cracks. I think the only reason chrome lining is still mil-spec is because there are too many barrels in service and wholesale replacement with Melonite (one of the several tradenames) is prohibitively expensive.
The process, called nitrocarburizing, generically, will eventually replace chrome lining. It is simply better. It also treats the entire barrel, providing its benefits to tge exterior surface, too. I expect to see entire uppers with this treatment. For best accuracy go "Melonite" or stainless. You will no longer see chrome lined barrels winning major competition, unless mandated by class rules. Given a choice, a competitive shooter will choose Melonite or SS. |
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Quoted: Hot salt bath nitride treatment is harder than chrome. It is more corrosion resistent. It is usually more accurate because it is a surface hardening of the steel itself at the molecular level, so the bore and rifling are unaltered. Chrome lining is a plating process which can be applied unevenly, and it can develop micro cracks. I think the only reason chrome lining is still mil-spec is because there are too many barrels in service and wholesale replacement with Melonite (one of the several tradenames) is prohibitively expensive. The process, called nitrocarburizing, generically, will eventually replace chrome lining. It is simply better. It also treats the entire barrel, providing its benefits to tge exterior surface, too. I expect to see entire uppers with this treatment. For best accuracy go "Melonite" or stainless. You will no longer see chrome lined barrels winning major competition, unless mandated by class rules. Given a choice, a competitive shooter will choose Melonite or SS. |
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How many people shoot high enough quality ammo to tell the difference between a chrome lined barrel and a high quality target barrel? Also, a cheap SS or nitride-treated barrel may not be any more precise, or may even be less precise, than a quality chrome-lined barrel. For your purposes, find whatever you can in your price range from a reputable manufacturer. At this point, you probably will not notice the difference. It will probably be chrome-lined, as only a couple of manufacturers offer nitrided barrels. For myself, I prefer SS or nitride-treated barrels. I shoot matches, so I want a precise barrel. Also, what a lot of people consider a "shot out" SS barrel may still afford more accuracy than a brand-new chrome-lined barrel. A match-quality nitride-treated barrel will probably outlast you. However, the quality doesn't come cheaply. So, just look for chrome-lined. They aren't necessary, but are the most common barrel for a gun in your price range. Step up to a quality SS later, if you feel you need more accuracy. Nitride can give you the best of both worlds, but is still relatively uncommon. |
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Quoted:
How many people shoot high enough quality ammo to tell the difference between a chrome lined barrel and a high quality target barrel? Quoted:
Quoted:
Hot salt bath nitride treatment is harder than chrome. It is more corrosion resistent. It is usually more accurate because it is a surface hardening of the steel itself at the molecular level, so the bore and rifling are unaltered. Chrome lining is a plating process which can be applied unevenly, and it can develop micro cracks. I think the only reason chrome lining is still mil-spec is because there are too many barrels in service and wholesale replacement with Melonite (one of the several tradenames) is prohibitively expensive. The process, called nitrocarburizing, generically, will eventually replace chrome lining. It is simply better. It also treats the entire barrel, providing its benefits to tge exterior surface, too. I expect to see entire uppers with this treatment. For best accuracy go "Melonite" or stainless. You will no longer see chrome lined barrels winning major competition, unless mandated by class rules. Given a choice, a competitive shooter will choose Melonite or SS. One five shot group at 100 yards fired by one person. Repeated with boring uniformity. I'm shooting consistent 1 MOA groups from a simple 16" carbine barrel that has been melonite treated. No one I shoot with is getting groups that tight from chrome lined carbine barrels. I don't own a unicorn. It is common. I'm doing this with . . . are you sitting . . . bulk M855 green tip. This is far from target grade ammo. I have match grade 55 grain handloads in benchrest prepped cases that are shooting 3/4 down to just over 1/2 MOA. They are still under development. 1:9 twist may be helping too. But the green tip accuracy really surprised me. |
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Quoted:
Thanks for the info. You really feel the Colt's are still worth the money compared to RRA's Operator 3, Ruger's 556E(no chrome lined barrel), Daniel Defense V7? All 3 can be had on Gun broker for $1,000 - $1200. That's what I've narrowed it down to. Although I do keep coming back to the Colt. A Colt will always be a Colt. Quoted:
Quoted:
For around a $1000 you can get yourself a Colt 6920 from Walmart look around you can find it a little cheaper. Thanks for the info. You really feel the Colt's are still worth the money compared to RRA's Operator 3, Ruger's 556E(no chrome lined barrel), Daniel Defense V7? All 3 can be had on Gun broker for $1,000 - $1200. That's what I've narrowed it down to. Although I do keep coming back to the Colt. A Colt will always be a Colt. Yes you I think the Colt is a good weapon to start out with....Daniel Defense is not too shabby either. There are many good choices out there in a variety of forms and prices... I'd get the Colt as a reliable quality built weapon with decent resale value and resale appeal..... You said it yourself ....A Colt will always be a Colt (6920) and these days they are a pretty good bargain as well....go to a shop that has a few and pick out a nice one. |
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Quoted:
Are chrome lined barrels necessary? for a plinker/range rifle Another factor is how you shoot when you shoot. If your idea of plinking involves mag dumps or shooting 1500 rounds a weekend without any cleaning at all, you might want that chrome lined or melonite barrel. If a range day involves a couple hundred rounds shot at a more casual rate, don't worry about burning up an unlined barrel. |
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I've pondered this same question recently. After much thought I came to the conclusion, when it comes to barrels, get the best you can afford. Buy once cry once. That or get the best barreled upper you can afford. You can go cheap on the lower, furniture, etc and easily upgrade those later as funds permit. But the barrel is the heart of the gun. A good CHF barrel will most likely out last you, everything else is icing on the cake. Check some of our sponsor vendors here and watch for close out deals on upper barreled receivers in stock. Sometimes you can get some really sweet deals on complete uppers with CHF barrels, super nice HG's and a good B/C package deal for not much more than piecing one together from bargain bin parts. |
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