Chrome Lined Barrel

[Nightcrawler]

My DSA STG-58A rifle has a chrome lined chamber, but a non chrome lined barrel.

I've heard many conflicting reports over chrome lining. I've heard:

-It's only useful in automatic weapons
-It's absolutely necessary for a field rifle (any AR-15 guy will probably say this)
-It's not that big a deal; the M1 didn't have a chrome lined barrel
-Stainless barrel is better at resisting the elements
-Chrome lining wears away in a few thousand rounds

So what's the deal? I'm thinking of buying a second FAL rifle next year, from DSA. DSA doesn't offer a lot of chrome lined barrel options; would a stainless steel barrel be just as good or better? Or does it make a differance? Opinions?

 

[30Cal]

Chrome lining is very corrosion and wear resistant. It makes the barrel last a lot longer--about 2x what you'd get out of a stainless or chrome moly barrel.

It is also tough to apply uniformly enough for a top-end match barrel. Most people, however, will find the chrome lined barrel more than adequately accurate. It shouldn't have trouble, if the rest of the rifle is up to the task, shooting well inside 2 MoA.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Taken right off the Bushmaster site:

Bushmaster Barrels... are the finest AR15/M16 type barrels made - machined from Chrome-Moly Vanadium steel - Rockwell C26 to 33 hardened. And we now offer 20"/24" Heavy Barrels in Stainless Steel! Most Bushmaster barrels are hard chrome lined (except the Stainless Steel barrels) to offer corrosion resistance in the bore and chamber. Chrome is more than twice as hard as barrel steel and effectively doubles barrel life with proper care (exactly why the military specifies the process). Chrome’s lubricity (i.e. “slipperinessâ€) reduces friction, increases velocity, aids in chambering, extraction, and speeds barrel cleaning. Bushmaster barrels are manganese phosphate finished (again except the Stainless) to guard against exterior rust or corrosion, and to provide the matte black, non reflective finish found on quality military arms

 

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Chrome lining is a very good thing for rifles in which corrosive ammo is used frequently.

 

[Amish]

DSA has new FN made hammer forged, chrome lined chamber and bore for sale. They haven't put it on their website yet, but they have them.

 

[MrPink]

Chrome lining of both chamber and bore is great for a military style field gun. Its what's been said before: harder, more corrosion resistant, easier to clean.

Chrome lined barrels are not as accurate as chrome-moly or stainless. That's why you won't seen it in sniper guns. But for the rest, the degradation in accuracy isn't that notable.

With regards to corrosive ammo, chrome-lined barrel or not the entire gun needs to be throughly cleaned.

 

[DMK]

I have lots of rifles that don't have chrome lined barrels and they work just fine. The M1 Garand and Yugo SKS are just two examples that are extremely reliable and are both battle proven.

I have to admit though, I specifically bought chrome lined barrels for one of my FALs and both AR-15s mainly for one reason. They are much easier to clean. I also found that I shoot my chrome lined barreled SKSes a lot more than I shoot my Yugos for the same reason.

 

[CaesarI]

FN's Police Sniper rifle uses a Chrome lined barrel, and they are plenty accurate.

Chrome lined barrels:
1. Increase longevity for all barrels.
2. Will probably be less accurate (probably not a big deal to non-bench resters)

Never heard about it wearing away unless the application was bad.

Should increase velocity, but prolly not that much. Stainless also has a better coefficient of friction, but the difference isn't too much.

-Morgan

 

[Joe D]

I am curious as to why chrome lined barrels would be less accurate. I hear this often stated but have not seen any empirical data as to why.
Is the chrome not applied uniformly.

 

[Tomac]

My NDM-86 Dragunov in .308 is 10yrs old, has a chrome-lined chamber/bore and will shoot sub-.5moa at 100yds w/match ammo if I do my part. The only explanations I've ever heard regarding chromed bores & inaccuracy is uneven application during the chroming process.
Tomac

 

[444]

Joe, that is a question that I have been asking for years. Everytime this subject is mentioned, someone (usually many) state the FACT that chrome lined barrels are less accurate than non-chrome lined barrels.
Ok, I am not disputing that, they might very well be.
The problem I have is, where is the evidence ? Have you compared two identical rifles with and without ? What was the actual difference ? Just how much less accuracy is there ? Is there a measureable difference ?
I have never yet had anyone answer this question. My motivation here is not to start an argument or to make anyone look bad: I honestly want to know the answer. Everytime I read one of these internet truisms I feel obligated to find out if it is true and if so, what the actual practical result is.

This is the same as buying any other consumer product. If you were thinking about buying two different pickup trucks you would compare the features. Let's say they were identical except for the engines. One engine has more power which you like, the other has better gas milage, which you like; how do you decide ? By having real numbers to work with: how much more power ? How much better gas milage ? That way you can weigh the pros and cons. Without real numbers you have nothing to base your decision on.
Here, someone is thinking about buying a new barrel. He has two to choose from: One with chrome and one without. Each seems to have it's pluses and minuses. How do you decide ? You have to have actual numbers to work with. If one is more accurate than the other, how much more accurate is it ? If it is 1/100" at 100 yards, then it wouldn't matter to me, I can't shoot good enough to know the difference. If it is 10" at 100 yards, then it makes the decision a lot easier.
Or, it could be internet rumor.

 

[JohnKSa]

American gun makers and barrel makers will tell you that chrome-lined bores are inaccurate.

Russian gun makers evidently didn't get the memo, 'cause they have been making tackdriver guns with chrome-lined bores for many years.

I remember a review by David Fortier some years back (when he only wrote for SGN) on the LOS-7 .308 rifle made in Russia. It's the only bolt rifle with a chrome-lined bore I know of. It shot 4" groups at 600 yards. That sounds plenty accurate to me...