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7/2/2017 3:05:11 PM EDT
I'm building my first AR-15 from scratch and am currently looking at which barrel to buy but the different types of materials are confusing - melonite, stainless, phoshpate, etc... Does it really matter what type I get?  I dont plan on shooting competitively, just casually.
7/2/2017 3:19:22 PM EDT
[#1]
If you're planning on doing lots of mag dumps, get something with a chrome lining.  
If you're not, you can save some money just going with a nitride or melonite finish and you'll be fine.
7/2/2017 3:29:41 PM EDT
[#2]
Quoted:
I'm building my first AR-15 from scratch and am currently looking at which barrel to buy but the different types of materials are confusing - melonite, stainless, phoshpate, etc... Does it really matter what type I get?  I dont plan on shooting competitively, just casually.
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If you are just going to casually shoot, then any of them will hold up just fine.
7/2/2017 9:26:24 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote History
Quoted:


If you are just going to casually shoot, then any of them will hold up just fine.
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Agree 100%

I have a standard phosphate barrel from ESS. I have 6k rounds through it and it's fine. 6 x $299 (per 1k of ammo)

Takes a lot of range time and $1800 to get there.
7/2/2017 9:28:19 PM EDT
[#4]
Your type/volume of shooting will dictate your need.

I have unlined 4150 grade bbls with +6k on them that still shoot fine. Mostly .223 ammo.

For blasting and higher volume, I use my CLd bbls.

I have only 1 nitrided bbl, ~1500 rds so far (mixed 556/223), no issues thus far.

If accuracy is your goal, SS tends to have an edge.
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