Aaryq
Member
Howdy, Folks. Simple question. Why are Chrome-Lined Barrels better than their non-Chrome-Lined counterparts? What benefit do they have? I'm not being sarcastic, I'm truly curious.
Chrome-Lined Barrels
- Thread starter Aaryq
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General Geoff
Member
Chrome is both more wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant than steel.
MMcfpd
Member
They're also not that important if you clean your rifles fairly often. Their virtue lies primarily in their use in military weapons that may not always benefit from the TLC privately owned firearms usually enjoy.
Arguments to ensue.
Arguments to ensue.
MKEITH
Member
I read or heard somewhere(sorry, can't remember which) that chrome lined barrels are not as accurate. Any truth to that?
pittspilot
Member
Chrome lined barrels are not quite as accurate because the chrome application does not allow as uniform a surface as the machined metal.
On the other hand, the difference between the two in a barrel that has had a quality chrome application is only relevant to match shooters.
I prefer chrome lined in my AR's for the corrosion resistance and accept the accuracy difference mainly because I can't tell the difference with a red dot.
On the other hand, the difference between the two in a barrel that has had a quality chrome application is only relevant to match shooters.
I prefer chrome lined in my AR's for the corrosion resistance and accept the accuracy difference mainly because I can't tell the difference with a red dot.
Zak Smith
Member
Note that the SAKO TRG-42 and the FN SPR sniper rifles are available with chrome-lined bores and both are accurate.
Howard Roark
Member
I had a chrome lined Colt H-Bar barrel on one of my service rifles once. A piece of the chrome flaked off just in front of the throat at around 1543 rounds, during a match. It instantly went from a sub minute to a 3 minute barrel.
rangerruck
Member
one could say that in the past, but most technology today, can put the chrome on nice and uniform. If you get a Douglas bbl that is rated AIR GAUGED, it is somewhere between 1/1000 and 3/10,000 of an inch in uniformity, down the length of the bbl.
Howard Roark
Member
Douglas don't make chrome lined barrels.
dstorm1911
Member
Chrome linings primary benifit is in fully automatic weapons as it helps reduce wear however the way it helps reduce the wear is because the rifling is not as sharp and the slicker surface creates less friction in fully auto rifles, as far as corrosion resistance........... the barrel is really the least of your worries if ya are useing corrosive primed ammo as your gas system will still get corroded as well as your bolt if not properly cleaned this is why the Yugo's didn't stress so much over the barrels being chrome lined but they did make their piston, bolt and bolt carrier outa stainless steel to resist corrosion the barrel can be cleaned very quikly however the gas system is usually neglected........ how often do ya AR shooters flush your entire reciever after fireing corrosive primed ammo? well with direct impingment gas systems ya really gotta flush EVERY part of the reciever group as the gas is blasted all over everything otherwise....... your bore might survive but the rest of the gun won't...
for the most part ya gain nothing in a civilian semi auto with a chrome lined bore ya do lose some accuracy as the chroming negates the nice sharp rifling which etches the bullet better for best accuracy as the chroming smooths out all the edges.........
How many vets here have done jungle time with the real deal M16 and recall all the recievers severally corroded some actually with holes in em, many mistakenly assumed it was caused by body sweat combined with an extreme humid climate only thing is.......... they were generally corroded from the inside out.............. but the bores did great
for the most part ya gain nothing in a civilian semi auto with a chrome lined bore ya do lose some accuracy as the chroming negates the nice sharp rifling which etches the bullet better for best accuracy as the chroming smooths out all the edges.........
How many vets here have done jungle time with the real deal M16 and recall all the recievers severally corroded some actually with holes in em, many mistakenly assumed it was caused by body sweat combined with an extreme humid climate only thing is.......... they were generally corroded from the inside out.............. but the bores did great
Alphazulu6
member
Go Chrome!
Jeremy2171
Member
I've NEVER seen an M16 aluminum receiver corrode(at least not from normal wear and tear). Nor have I flushed one woth water after corrosive ammo because there isn't any corrosive 5.56 ammo.
Go chrome, you won't be sorry.
Go chrome, you won't be sorry.
Don't Tread On Me
Member
Chrome has a higher Rockwell hardness rating. It is also slicker. It cleans up easier, resists wear better, resists corrosion more ...All benefits, no negatives with the exception that it isn't ideal for the match-grade accuracy shooter. If you're not handloading and not shooting for the smallest groups possible - then it doesn't come into play and chrome is clearly superior. There are exceptions, like the FN that Zak speaks of. Just because everyone says "chrome isn't as accurate" doesn't mean that is a law. It is a generalization. Most chrome lined barrels are not match-grade, and thus there isn't a great amount of attention and care put into the chrome plating process the same way there wasn't great attention put into the cutting of the rifling and the uniformity of the bore when compared to super-match barrels. That doesn't mean that it is impossible to uniformly apply chrome to a bore to maintain accuracy. It most certainly is. It is just costs more and doesn't help accuracy (which is the #1 goal of such a barrel). However, it does complicate the process of trying to make the barrel as accurate as possible. You have to wonder what the benefit is. The benefits of chrome in the application of a precision rifle doesn't seem to be that great.
I prefer to have a chrome barrel over a non-chrome whenever possible.
I prefer to have a chrome barrel over a non-chrome whenever possible.
Quintin Likely
Member
Chrome lined barrels aren't necessarily better than non-chrome lined barrels, but they aren't necessarily worse either.
They do tend to last longer than a stainless steel or chrome-moly barrel. They can be less accurate, not necessarily because the chrome lining cannot be evenly applied (that has a smidgen to do with it though), but because over time especially in rifles that are fired for accuracy using warm(er) loads than average (most common in the NRA high power crowd), the chrome lining in the throat may start to pit and flake away which will definitely throw accuracy in the toilet.
In general for most folks out there, chrome lined barrels are just fine. For match shooters, and from companies that make premium barrels targeted at match shooters, it's usually non-chrome lined, in stainless or chrome moly.
They do tend to last longer than a stainless steel or chrome-moly barrel. They can be less accurate, not necessarily because the chrome lining cannot be evenly applied (that has a smidgen to do with it though), but because over time especially in rifles that are fired for accuracy using warm(er) loads than average (most common in the NRA high power crowd), the chrome lining in the throat may start to pit and flake away which will definitely throw accuracy in the toilet.
In general for most folks out there, chrome lined barrels are just fine. For match shooters, and from companies that make premium barrels targeted at match shooters, it's usually non-chrome lined, in stainless or chrome moly.
10-Ring
Member
I have a chrome lined barrel on my CMMG and from what I can tell, it is easier to clean than my std barrel on my RRA.
If you are going to shoot a precision match, or shoot small furry woodland critters from far away, or get a job as a sniper on a police tactical response team then get a chrome moly or stainless steel barrel.
If you are going to play around with an AR15, shoot three gun Matches, or go off to combat in some depressing region then by all means choose chrome lined bore and chamber.
Since I do a little of all that except the killing of human beings for fun and profit I have all three kinds of barrels on my rifles.
Best all around barrel, with the exception of actually winning precision matches is a 20" chrome lined.
If you are going to play around with an AR15, shoot three gun Matches, or go off to combat in some depressing region then by all means choose chrome lined bore and chamber.
Since I do a little of all that except the killing of human beings for fun and profit I have all three kinds of barrels on my rifles.
Best all around barrel, with the exception of actually winning precision matches is a 20" chrome lined.
DMK
Member
One benefit that I like is chrome lined barrels are much easier to clean.
The hard chrome used in firearms applications isn't like the stuff used on car bumpers. It's much harder and slicker.
The hard chrome used in firearms applications isn't like the stuff used on car bumpers. It's much harder and slicker.
Most shooters will never shoot enough to wear out a chrome-lined barrel and my stainless steel barrel cleans just as easily as a chrome barrel...if you live in a harsh environment or shoot fully auto or just plain lazy on cleaning, then by all means get a chrome-lined barrel but the vast majority of shooters will never actually need one....
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