AR: Chrome lined v. Chrome Moly?
I realize topics touching on ARs can lead to heated debate and that is not my purpose. I am planning to buy an AR probably next year after the election buying frenzy is over and supply has caught up to demand. I prefer the full sized AR15 in A2 model. STAG offers AR's with chrome lined barrels but not in full sized. The same is true for DPMS and other makers (except Armalite). I have a friend who has been into ARs for years. He says chrome lined is better for a service/battle rifle due to wear and rust resistance. Since mine would not be a bench rest rifle, I wanted more opinions on the pros and cons of chrome lined versus chrome moly. Thanks.
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Basically, in a nutshell, if you are going to be running 5,000-10,000 rounds a year thru your AR-15, then you might need the chrome lined barrel. it is also there to help protect your chamber throat from errosion, from firing long strings, and/or full auto fire. basically the chrome lined barrel was to elongate the time in between barrel replacement at the arsenal. It is not there for accuracy or any other reason.
I run mostly stainless barrels, so none of mine are lined, nor would I care to have one that is.
Just so you know, chromemoly, is a type of steel, not a type of bore treatment.
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Thanks for the reply. I was aware that chrome moly was a type of steel but didn't know what the up or down side of this metal versus lining was. I doubt I'll ever put more than 500 rounds through it in a year so do you think chrome moly would be fine? I appreciate your reply as this will help me decide. 0 -
Slightly off of the question you asked. In my not so humble opinion----If I were planning to buy an ar, or similar, I would do so immediately!!!! If the up comming election is as close as they say, I believe we as gun owners, and as a country, are in deep DO-DO. You may wake up next feb. or March, and find that what you want is either not available, or newly outlawed. Obama, and his mottly crew, have nothing to lose, if relected for another 4 years. If you trust Obama, Holder, Feinstein, Bloomberg, Clinton, to protect your second ammendment rights. Wake up, and VOTE 0 -
Chrome lining means that chromium plating has been applied to the interior of the barrel, so as stated is not the same thing as a chrome moly steel bbl. It should give you about a 2x bbl life as compared to unplated (and even better life than stainless), but you sacrifice a wee bit of accuracy. That wee bit of accuracy may not be important to you (you did not state the actual purpose for the rifle). FWIW a good chrome lined bbl is capable of producing 1MOA groups and occasionally better.
As to the argument about waiting until after the election cycle, I would ask you to consider which candidate has actually signed an AWB, vs. one who has merely talked about doing so.0 -
I have both lined and unlined barrels in 14.5, 16, and 20 inch lengths. I can't tell much of a difference in practical accuracy between the two types of bores. (Now the 24" match Colt I used to have, that was a stainless barrel and was 1/2MOA)
Find what you like, and you'll do just fine for many, many years with shooting under 500 rounds a year.0 -
Unless you're talking about a tack driver type rifle with multiple enhanced accuracy features - including optics that are at least equal to the cost of the rifle - a chromed bore makes no significant difference in how well the rifle shoots.
Whether they actually need it or not, for reasons already mentioned a barrel with a chromed bore and chamber is viewed by most potential purchasers as a desirable feature on an AR.
Even if it's value/marketability on down the road aren't a factor to you right now I'd recommend getting a chromed model. When talking about a non-target configuration AR, one that's chromed will always bring more and sell quicker.0 -
For Hawkshaw: Amen to that. I just did. I ordered an M1A Scout Squad at the end of February (Mossy Oak stock, $1650 out the door brand new) and when it did not arrive by 18 September, I gave up and bought a SIG716 for the exact same price. It should be here today. My question was based on plans to add a .556 model to my "collection."
For Mr. Perfect: I really appreciate your post as it will help me
make up my mind. The purpose is essentially a bug-
out gun so the difference in accuracy was/is not a
consideration for me. Which candidate would register,
ban, and confiscate weapons if he had the power to
do so? Neither candidate is a friend of the 2nd
Amendment but one in particular is an ideological
enemy of the 2nd and individual rights in general.
For TX, hey that is really good advice and I appreciate it. I have some time to play with, I hope, and I think that is the way I'll go.0 -
For practical bugout gun a chrome lined barrel is better than a chrome molybdenum barrel. It wont rust which is a prime consideration in the field. A bug out gun also needs to be as light as possible, unencumbered with all the junk seen in some magazine articles.
For a combination of best accuracy and corrosion resistance, a stainless
barrel with cut rifling is it; but cost will be more.0 -
NOTPARS,
Chrome lined is there to help prevent rust and wear. It does not contribute to accuracy. In fact it often detracts from it. In recent years it has become practical to actually get a very precise coating inside the barrel and therefore, not hinder accuracy. Meaning if the barrel started out accurate it will be accurate after the coating.
As a bug out gun that will see a lot of weather, chrome makes sense. As an accuracy gun I wouldn't have a chrome lined barrel. A bug out gun will be 'accurate enough' to work well for all your needs. I shot 2moa all the time with a chrome lined barrel.
Also, as Txs noted, resale value favors the chrome lined barrel vs. the chrome-moly and stainless tends to hold favor over the chromed. For all intents and purposes though, I haven't seen a big difference in price. One may go before the other mostly.0 -
Just to clear things up, the chrome lined barrels are still made out of chromium molybdenium alloy steel. The CM steel is the strength, the chromium lining is for erosion resistance.
There are also some barrels being offered with nitrided bores, claimed to be even more erosion resistant than chrome lined. Claimed.0 -
ADDENDUM:
quote:There are also some barrels being offered with nitrided bores...
"The nitrocarburizing process improves corrosion resistance, and an even greater increase is seen in low alloyed and unalloyed steels after QPQ treatment. During post-oxidation, a thin FE3O4 layer is formed on the outer compound layer and, at the same time, the pores are sealed with oxide.
Often the corrosion resistance is better than obtainable with other surface-engineering processed, such as hard chrome or nickel plating."
The 'nitride' or nitrocarburizing process does not allow for doing just the bore. The entire barrel has to undergo the process. This process adds a harder surface to the entire barrel inside and out. This isn't generally a problem unless you feel the need to attempt, as an afterthought, to shorten the barrel, add a muzzle brake or even just the threads or throat the chamber. Once finished you will not be able to machine any part of this barrel with standard tooling and processes.
This process has been used in Europe for decades. A particular product has featured it's use since development, the Glock slide. It has been referred to as Melonite, see the link for an explanation.
http://www.burlingtoneng.com/melonite.html
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