What are the pros and cons?  Wanting to pick up an 16" upper for a variety of uses with options for adding tactical accessories or taking them off and going lighter weight for coyote hunting.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_118/558243_Chrome_Moly_and_where_it_came_from.html&page=1#i5340107

Just skimmed over this subject today in another thread.

Ss and nonCL....potntially more accurate

ss...possibly shorter barrel life esp with hard use

CL....possibly less accurate but will take mag dumps and last.longer

NonCL....corrosion


i just lugged my 16" psa ss around hunting last week. It was an awesome carry piece.

Unless you plan on locking the rifle in a vice and punching paper all day long the chrome lined is always the way to go. The difference in accuracy is negligible to non existant but there are major advantages when it comes to ease of cleaning, barrel life and corrosion protection.

Don't forget the new kid......nitrocarburizing, aka Melonite.  It offers the accuracy of non-CL with the life of CL and without worry of uneven chrome application or chrome cracking or flaking.  Melonite is harder than chrome, has higher lubricity and higher corrosion protection.  Plus it does not dimensionally change the bore.  With chrome, the chamber & bore must be machined oversize, then chrome plated.  The chrome can be thinner or thicker than ideal and it could be unevenly applied.  I see nitrocarburizing becoming far more common for wear parts.

I think it really depends on the type of barrel steel and intended use:

Casual plinking - 4140 steel unlined
Heavy duty use - 4150 chrome lined
Accuracy - stainless: 416 less expensive, 416R more expensive - better wear, 410 stainless - cat's azz but spendy.

I wouldn't say 410 is better that 416R, or that LW50 is better than any of them. I wouldn't say 410 is any more expensive than 416R.

EVERY manufacturer will tell you their material is the best thing going for barrels. The differences are minute at best. It is more important what the manufacturer does with the material, than what the material is composed of.

Unlined CMV barrels are probably more accurate than stainless, but corrosion is a huge problem.

Do your own research and then pick whatever makes you happy.  Then go out and shoot it and have fun !!!

Seriously...there has been so much discussion on this topic over the years and I'm not sure I have seen anything that really proves or disproves one is better than the other for all applications.  Each has pros and cons as has been discussed here and elsewhere.  All depends on your application and on your interpretation of the pros and cons.  What is best for you, may not be best for me or someone else.

Yes most of the info out there is very general.  I would really like to see a study published to give the effects on accuracy of different linings/finishes.  If it there is not much more than 0.5 MOA difference then it is not worth worrying about.  I figured that it would be easy to find guys posting group sizes with different uppers and loads but have seen little of that for ARs.