Chrome lined polygonal 1-7" twist barrel.Has anyone ever seen one? I think this would be the ULTIMATE "End Of The World" barrel. A1 or A2 profile. Perhaps if enough people asked for it, or took a list to a vendor we could get these made. Even 5r or 4r "radial" rifling would be tits. Anyone else desire to push the barrel manufacturers into the future? this technology is already here. Just not all in the same package.(that i am aware of)With enough people wanting this, it will happen. Past history and mans greed for money assure it!

I dont think there is a demand for a new type of barrel unless its offered in a SS match type barrel.  The current milspec chrome lined barrels offer long life, easy cleaning and acceptable accuracy.  The intended role of the M4 and M16 is not a precision weapon system.  They need to hit COM at ranges up to 300-500m and they already do that.  Besides 5R rifling does not make the barrel anymore accurate in and of itself.  Krieger barrels dominate in the competative arena and they are using 100 yr old technology to make barrels.

Now that said if someone made a new barrel that was match grade accurate and chrome lined and even easier to maintain for the same price Id buy it.  I might even spend 225-250 on such a barrel but they cant do it at that price point so we wont see barrels like that till we are old men IMHO.

My main thoughts were for extended barrel life and higher ammo performance. Less gas escaping around the bullet itself and less bullet deformation should increase range and accuracy. Chrome as well as almost all coatings or platings tend to wear more on sharp edges. By eliminating 99% of your sharp edges (rifling) the chrome itself should last even longer. The only real remaining problems would be the gas port which is where the chrome tends to let loose also and the muzzle. If you ever get to the 15,000 rd mark or beyond have someone shoot your gun while you watch over thier sholder. you may see sparks in the muzzle flash. This is burning chrome. You may also see "smokers" as we call them. These bullets seem to be tracers that only smoke. It is the bullet disentigrating in flight as it travels to the target. The farther to the target the more bullets that dissappear before they reach it. You will also see that if you inspect your target carefully there seem to be speckles around the holes(fragmenting bullet) and gray dust also instead of the usual black carbon ring. This is caused by extremly rough surfaces in the throat, rifling, and gas port as the chrome gives up the ghost. This also happens to bullets fired from CM and SS barrels as throat erosion and gas port erosion approach unacceptable levels.

I'm sorry but I'm having serious trouble believing your smokers and disintigrating bullets.


I know people that put 60-80K rounds through their M-16 and M-4 barrels and they don't complain of these problems.

I think we can let the Europeans keep their polygonal rifleing.  -Austin Green
 

80,000 rounds through an AR barrel?!?!?! I think you have never done a fire to destruction test in your life. I think your friends have never kept an ammo log and are suffering from delusions. Your gas port would be the size of a belly button if the barrel were even still together. Not to even mention muzzle erosion and chamber dimensions. Army requirments for service life of an M16-A2 are 5000 rounds for lot testing. Same thing for the M9. perhaps your friends should get a government contract because they obviously have a source for the worlds greatest barrels. A perfect example of what are "smokers" can be seen on the video EXPLODING VARMINTS PART 1. Watch all the shots close and you will see smoke trace behind almost all of the shots from thier eroded or coroded barrels which are CM barrels I might add. Do not confuse this with con-trails or vapor trails which happen under certain atmospheric and lighting  conditions.

Polygonal rifling is available for the .224" barrels. Schneider barrels is now making them. However, they are not chrome plated. Chrome plating and match grade accuracy are mutually exclusive. The problem comes from the fact that you cannot apply the chrome plating as uniform as needs be for a truly match grade barrel. Believe me, if you could, us highpower shooters would be buying them in droves. According to David Tubb, the Schneiders are some of the most accurate rifle barrels he has ever shot. Tubb is the current multi time national highpower champion if his name does not ring a bell.

I believe M2 corp uses polygonal rifling in their shorty barrels to maximize velocity.  IIRC the longest they make is 12.5"

click here at a later date: [url]http://www.m2corp.com/[/url]

here for some non-informative, possibly mis-typed, offerings: [url]http://webcats.net/store/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=J&Category_Code=M2[/url]

The FN SPR has a chrome lined barrel and is capable of .5 MOA with the right handloads.  Most shoot .75 MOA right out of the box.  This is with an M240 machinegun barrel no less.  So chrome lining and match grade accuracy are NOT mutually exclusive. Unless of course you dont consider .5 MOA match grade accurate.  I dont know of any sub .25 MOA chrome lined barrels.