Chrome Lined Barrels
- Thread starter Werewolf
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Steve Smith
Moderator Emeritus
Advantages: Lasts a LONG time. Accuracy should remain for up to 10K rounds. Possibly easier to clean. Less susceptible to damage from corrosive agents.
Disadvantage: Practically impossible to apply consistently, so your accuracy will almost always suffer compared to a non-lined bore.
Disadvantage: Practically impossible to apply consistently, so your accuracy will almost always suffer compared to a non-lined bore.
RON in PA
Member
If you issue corrosive ammo to your troops, chrome lined barrels last longer if they are not cleaned properly. If your weapon is full auto chrome lined barrels last longer and weapon reliability goes up.
Steve Smith
Moderator Emeritus
Chrome lined barrels really don't help with reliability. A chrome lined chamber will, though.
DMK
Member
Chrome lined barrels definately clean up easier in my experience.
I have two FALs, one with and one without. I also have an Unissued Yugo SKS with no chrome bore and a number of SKS with chrome bores. Using the same exact ammo, shooting the same day, same cleaning fluids, etc, the chrome lined bores are much easier and quicker to clean.
I have two FALs, one with and one without. I also have an Unissued Yugo SKS with no chrome bore and a number of SKS with chrome bores. Using the same exact ammo, shooting the same day, same cleaning fluids, etc, the chrome lined bores are much easier and quicker to clean.
30Cal
Member
All the above. It isn't used in match barrels, but a chrome lined barrel in a well built rifle can hold 1.5-2 MoA IME.
Ty
Ty
wanderinwalker
Member
Chrome-lined barrel and chamber: Good for longevity (witnessed by my dad's old Colt SP-1) and ease of cleaning. That bore will really shine when it's cleaned up good! Not good if you want 1-hole groups, although I suppose a statistician could show that if there are enough chrome-lined barrels made and shot, one of them SHOULD make a 1-holer. Theoretically... 
Chrome-lined barrels CAN be accurate.
The Russians exported some .308 bolt rifles (LOS-7) a few years back that had chrome-lined bores and were still extraordinarily accurate--one tester found them to shoot 4" groups at 600 yards. That was sort of a wake-up for western gun makers and now they appear to be catching up.
If I'm not mistaken, I read a recent review by David Fortier in the SGN and I think that both of the sniper rifles he tested had chrome bores and excellent accuracy--about half-MOA.
Advantages: Harder, slicker, more corrosion resistant than steel.
Disadvantages: Apparently there are none if it is done correctly. Cost maybe...
The Russians exported some .308 bolt rifles (LOS-7) a few years back that had chrome-lined bores and were still extraordinarily accurate--one tester found them to shoot 4" groups at 600 yards. That was sort of a wake-up for western gun makers and now they appear to be catching up.
If I'm not mistaken, I read a recent review by David Fortier in the SGN and I think that both of the sniper rifles he tested had chrome bores and excellent accuracy--about half-MOA.
Advantages: Harder, slicker, more corrosion resistant than steel.
Disadvantages: Apparently there are none if it is done correctly. Cost maybe...
"Because it's impossible to maintain the exact amount of chrome thickness down the entire bore, accuracy suffers due to the ever-changing bore diameter and it's effect on the bullet."
Some have nicknamed this the "milking" effect. While many are very accurate, you'll never see one on a benchrest field, and these are the guys that would benefit most from increased barrel life, shooting several thousand rounds per year.
Some have nicknamed this the "milking" effect. While many are very accurate, you'll never see one on a benchrest field, and these are the guys that would benefit most from increased barrel life, shooting several thousand rounds per year.
Ok, but benchrest is THE most demanding shooting sport in terms of raw accuracy requirements. I would agree that chrome-lined bores aren't accurate enough to be competitive in bench-rest. These guys are shooting sub 0.1 MOA groups @ 300yards.
It does seem to be possible to achieve accuracy in the neighborhood of 0.5 MOA with a properly made chrome-lined barrel.
It does seem to be possible to achieve accuracy in the neighborhood of 0.5 MOA with a properly made chrome-lined barrel.
If you're talking about AR's, then...
If you want a .5 MOA or better rifle, MAYBE you shouldn't get a chrome lined barrel.
Otherwise
There are NO disadvantages to the chrome lined barrel, and a couple of advantages already mentioned.
Mention considering a non-chrome lined barrel on www.ar15.com and you'll see why I prefer THR over any other website. The insults you'll get from the question wouldn't be allowed here.
If you want a .5 MOA or better rifle, MAYBE you shouldn't get a chrome lined barrel.
Otherwise
There are NO disadvantages to the chrome lined barrel, and a couple of advantages already mentioned.
Mention considering a non-chrome lined barrel on www.ar15.com and you'll see why I prefer THR over any other website. The insults you'll get from the question wouldn't be allowed here.
Much thanks for all the information gentleman.
As always one can count on getting both sides of the story here and in a calm, cool, collected and civilized manner.
Now I just have to decide which way to go!
I suspect that chrome lined for me would be better than not since I can't shoot near as well as any rifle I own and I put lotsa bullets down range during a year.
I doubt that the decrease in accuracy of a chrome lined barrel compared to a non-chrome lined barrel would be noticable to me. As long as a chrome lined barrel will shoot 1 to 2 MOA I'd be fine with it. That's good enough for the paper punching I do and should be good enough for IPSC 3 gun matches - yes?
As always one can count on getting both sides of the story here and in a calm, cool, collected and civilized manner.
Now I just have to decide which way to go!
I suspect that chrome lined for me would be better than not since I can't shoot near as well as any rifle I own and I put lotsa bullets down range during a year.
I doubt that the decrease in accuracy of a chrome lined barrel compared to a non-chrome lined barrel would be noticable to me. As long as a chrome lined barrel will shoot 1 to 2 MOA I'd be fine with it. That's good enough for the paper punching I do and should be good enough for IPSC 3 gun matches - yes?
ny32182
Member
Definitely.
The only reason you don't want a chrome lined barrel is if you are going to be shooting for long range pinpoint accuracy.
If thats not what you are doing, then chrome is the way to go, and has ALL the other advantages. And, chrome lined ARs aren't exactly terrible when it comes to accuracy anyway.
As the AR15.com guys say, "Go chrome or go home".
The only reason you don't want a chrome lined barrel is if you are going to be shooting for long range pinpoint accuracy.
If thats not what you are doing, then chrome is the way to go, and has ALL the other advantages. And, chrome lined ARs aren't exactly terrible when it comes to accuracy anyway.
As the AR15.com guys say, "Go chrome or go home".
HankL
Member
This one may be one in a million but a chrome lined AR barrel can be accurate. Target shown is sighting in a new scope on a freshly crowned 24" 1:9 barrel. 1st shot is off the target 4 shots walking to zero then five for effect.
ARperson
Member
Must be 2 in a million because I've had touching shots from my Bushy chromelined too. 4 of the 5 were touching and the 5th was a flinch-induced flyer from the guy shooting the hand cannon next to me
TimH
Member
I should know this but....are all Bushmaster rifles chrome lined?
Detritus
Member
you mean the insults you get for daring to take up their prescious time with ANY sort of question at all, and NOT being one of the "High exalted @$$es" that have taken the place over and turned it into a perfect group of poster children, for the anti-gun crowd to point to and say, "see they're ALL evil!! gun ownership causes anti-social behavior"???
lord when i found THR i thought i'd found Pure Oxygen after swiming in a backed up septic tank!!!
as to the subject of the thread, i know that on an AR or other non-"match" rifle i would prefer a chome chamber and bore.
thing is most gun companies don't offer chome lining in their guns unless they are the products being billed as "tactical" (like the Rock River ARs, where pretty much only the M4geries get chromed) or some other "special" designation, and this jacks the price up to a point where most of the time it's just not worth the extra outlay of funds to get the extra ease of cleaning. so the odds are only a small portion of the firearms in my safe, that i would LIKE to see fitted with chrome lined tubes, will ever have that feature.
life sucks then you adapt. oh well.
ny32182
Member
Bushy's are pretty much all chrome lined, unless you order a varminter upper or stainless steel barrel that is specifically billed and intended to not have chrome.
Other makes' chrome barrels are few and far between. Its one of the reasons I like bushy.
Other makes' chrome barrels are few and far between. Its one of the reasons I like bushy.
GLOCKT
Member
make that 3 in a million
That happens to me also,shooting a V-match 24 Bushy 1:9 twist Black Hills 69gr ammo.Thru a Springfield drop compensated scope.
That happens to me also,shooting a V-match 24 Bushy 1:9 twist Black Hills 69gr ammo.Thru a Springfield drop compensated scope.
Well - I bought myself a Bushmaster XM15-E2S 20" Fluted barrel. Chrome lined of course.
Will be taking it to the range tomorrow.
8.5 Lbs - geez the one they issued me in the army 32 years ago only weighed 5.5 Lbs.
Can't wait. If anyone's interested I'll post a range report but heck lots of us got one o' them evil black assault rifles. Whut cud I say y'all wudn't already know?
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