What are the best reasons to pay extra for a chrome-lined bore?
Please explain below, or add your own.
Please explain below, or add your own.
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Chrome-lined barrel - Why pay for one?
- Thread starter Bill_Rights
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It's the leade which gets "too hot", not the barrel on past the leade. Chromed or no, the leade is gonna degrade with shooting.
As far as comparative accuracy, the only test I can think of would be to build two match-target rifles; one chromed and one not. Do a comparison shoot. Swap barrels and do it again. I've no clue as to which would actually be better.
As far as comparative accuracy, the only test I can think of would be to build two match-target rifles; one chromed and one not. Do a comparison shoot. Swap barrels and do it again. I've no clue as to which would actually be better.
Probably not as accurate as equivalent non chromed barrel. Only thing I can think of.
Thanks Art. You mentioned:
For me, who may be less educated, what is the "leade"? I know about the throat of the firing chamber, which centers the bullet in the bore and lines it up to begin the engraving of the rifling grooves onto the flanks of the bullet. Is the leade the same thing or another portion related to the throat?
ironworkerwill
Member
with the new procedures that have been developed in the barrel chrome lining process,the loss in accuracy previously stated about earlier methods is questionable.plus you also now have meloniting
I placed a vote in the "don’t need to really clean the bore as much" category, but to be honest, I clean my chrome-lined barrels just as often as my non-chromed or stainless barrels.
They do seem easier to clean, though.
They do seem easier to clean, though.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
Why can't you shoot corrosive ammo in a "normal" barrel? Shoot the ammo, clean the barrel, oil the barrel, store the rifle, repeat as needed!
Funny thing is, there are so many current shooters who have a pathological fear of corrosive ammo but all those Mosin Nagant rifles they are now shooting used that same corrosive ammo for decades and probably under much worse conditions than now. No one stopped to clean their rifle during a very long firefight and thousands of rounds were probably fired before they cleaned the barrel yet those same barrels are on the rifles right now and still shooting accurately. Go Figure...
Corrosive ammo is not quite as corrosive as many seem to think. (actually, the primers are the corrosive part)
GBExpat
Member
ironworkerwill said:
Close enough.
Actually, the Throat usually consists of the short Freebore section just past the chamber followed by the Leade, which is the "onramp" into the rifling.
well for me it's about the SHTF situation , no time or material to clean the gun , you are trying to get your backside to safety(and that might be a long time) and the last thing you want to worry about is keeping the gun clean , I don't own any rifles with chrome lined barrels , but that would be the reason I would go for it if I ever buy an AR
The chrome lined bbl was originally on full auto guns to stop the erosion of the barrel from the chamber mouth forward. If you don't fire much full auto, you don't need one. 
ironworkerwill
Member
Negative.
It's first widespread use was on the Arisaka bolt action rifles. It is used to prolong barrel life, resist corrosion, aid in feeding reliability, and make easier to clean. It provides these benefits regardless of the rate of fire.
Jackal
Member
Here's the thing: You dont really pay extra for chromed bore. Rifles with chromed barrels arent more expensive than rifles without just due to the chrome, they are more expensive because everything else is higher quality/better spec & better build quality as well. Take a look at AK's, chromed bored rifles are no more expensive than unlined barreled rifles.
Better accuracy should not be one of the choices, as history would show it's not. I can't recall any major accuracy matches won with a chrome lined barrel.
I prefer a good quality stainless barrel, I'd be more willing to pay extra for that than chrome lining.
I prefer a good quality stainless barrel, I'd be more willing to pay extra for that than chrome lining.
For more of an apples to apples comparison, take a Criterion chrome lined bbl, and compare it to a Criterion non chrome lined bbl of same length and contour.
If both bbls are fired and maintained the same way, the chrome lined tube will outlast the other by roughly twice as long, and for only 30 bucks more.
In the long run, the chrome lined bbl would be the cheaper way to go...vs another non chrome lined bbl, as modern chrome lined tubes will not only outlast non chrome lined tubes, but at almost twice the expected life of said tube.
A link to the example below.
http://www.lrbarms.com/m14parts.html
With that being said, this may not matter to everyone, as their plan may not include shooting a particular rifle enough to where the above matters.
It really comes down to the individual, and how they envision their specific use of any given rifle.(IE..... What the purpose of this rifle will be for them)
My purpose for a chrome lined bbl via M14 may not be the same as another who wants the same type of rifle, but for a different purpose.
A non chrome lined heavy contour 22in tube with the idea of using it for formal match shooting, bench shooting, etc.....as an example......and compared to my 18.5inch std contour chrome lined bbl for use in the field, hunting,etc...etc....
In short...... for the same reasons explained in post #16 above.
If both bbls are fired and maintained the same way, the chrome lined tube will outlast the other by roughly twice as long, and for only 30 bucks more.
In the long run, the chrome lined bbl would be the cheaper way to go...vs another non chrome lined bbl, as modern chrome lined tubes will not only outlast non chrome lined tubes, but at almost twice the expected life of said tube.
A link to the example below.
http://www.lrbarms.com/m14parts.html
With that being said, this may not matter to everyone, as their plan may not include shooting a particular rifle enough to where the above matters.
It really comes down to the individual, and how they envision their specific use of any given rifle.(IE..... What the purpose of this rifle will be for them)
My purpose for a chrome lined bbl via M14 may not be the same as another who wants the same type of rifle, but for a different purpose.
A non chrome lined heavy contour 22in tube with the idea of using it for formal match shooting, bench shooting, etc.....as an example......and compared to my 18.5inch std contour chrome lined bbl for use in the field, hunting,etc...etc....
In short...... for the same reasons explained in post #16 above.
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The only reason for a chome lined barrel to be less accurate is if it was poorly applied in the manufacturing process.
Jackal
Member
NWcityguy2
Member
Because you could get a melonite treated barrel, because you want a stainless barrel or because you aren't going to shoot the rifle enough to wear out a non-lined barrel.
It depends upon how you intend to use the barrel. Expensive target barrels are typically not chromed lined, are cleaned frequently, and have expensive non-corrosive ammo run through them.
Barrels intended for hard use like military barrels are chromed lined or good reason.
Barrels intended for hard use like military barrels are chromed lined or good reason.
The usual reason give. For chrome lined bbl being less accurate is the the process for depositing chrome on the bbl surface is not perfectly uniform in thickness so it would have some variations that wouldn't exist otherwise.
My experience has been chrome lined bbl do not shoot that well.
My experience has been chrome lined bbl do not shoot that well.
exactly. the most bolt style accurate AR I ever fired was a Colt H-BAR 1x7 twist 20" barrel made in the early 90's
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