Chrome lining and accuracy...

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Archangel14

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Good morning,

So what are the real world effects of chrome lining on the accuracy of an AR15? I'm talking at least a minimum of 100 yards. I'm seeing a lot of manufacturers offering unlined barrels. Thanks!
 
I'm open to being educated with some hard evidence otherwise, but I think its more dependant on the quality of the barrel and quality of the chrome work than a blanket statement of unchromed barrels being "more accurate". For myself, I prefer the hardness and corrosion resistance of a good lined barrel over the small amount of supposed accuracy advantage of unlined unless going for a true match grade barrel. Its not considered best to rely on 3 shot groups for accuracy results, but all the Colts Ive had would put the first 3 in just under an inch with decent ammo. Good enough for prairie dogs @ 300 yards, or at least good enough for 6-7/10 @ 300.
 
Chrome offers longevity especially if you are prone to mag dumps and supposedly has less accuracy vs unlined. However, unless the rest of the rifle is built to take advantage of that accuracy and the shooter needs that accuracy, then chrome v. non-chrome depends on what your anticipated needs are on accuracy v. longevity and how much you want to pay.

Melonite treated barrels supposedly has the longevity advantage of chrome without the accuracy loss.

One thing, melonite barrels are slick inside and outside and are relatively easy to clean as is a chrome barrel. Unlined can be easy or hard to clean depending on how well it is made.
 
Boom Boom, I like the idea of the melonite barrel. PSA offers a melonite upper that apparently uses a Wilson Arms barrel. Wilson seems to have a good reputation.
 
Last time I fielded this question at a gunshow my answer was:

Chrome lining will be less accurate, to a small degree, due to the difficulty of keeping it consistent the length of the barrel, however, MOST shooters cant shoot well enough to see the difference, and at shorter ranges, the difference likely wont be enough to be concerned with
 
There probably is some accuracy loss from chrome. The bigger issue is barrels that are made for match applications vs. barrels that are made to meet relatively loose government specs for combat rifles.

If you want a barrel that shoots well, I would definitely look at one of the many match barrel manufacturers out there. The likely outcome is that the resulting barrel will be in a stainless steel, not 4140/4150 with chrome lining. But that's not why it's accurate, more of a side effect.

For the AR15 (really, any 5.56NATO gun) you also have to consider chamber dimensions or put another way what (if any) custom chamber tweaks the manufacturer is doing.
 
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Are you shooting matches, or shooting man-sized targets?

If you want to be able to put all the holes in the X ring at 600 yard, you may not want to chrome line the bore.

If you want to put a hole somewhere in the center of mass of a man-sized target at 380 yards, chrome won't hurt.

(It probably won't hurt that much at 600 yards, either....aiming error for most of us is a greater source of inaccuracy.)
 
Both of my ARs have hard chromed barrels and are not free floated. Either will do under 1.5" groups at 100 yards.

The affects of hard chrome on accuracy* are overblown, in my experience.

BSW

*Modern barrels with modern hard chroming. I have no experience with hard chromed barrels from the 60s or earlier.
 
The chemistry is the same, but modern process controls can get much better results.

Wither anyone is actually doing this with hard chrome and barrels is speculation on my part.

BSW
 
lysanderxiii said:
I don't think the techniques of chrome plating have changed much.....
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There are some changes - both to the etching process that makes space for the chrome in the first place, and to the consistency of the chrome thickness. Some manufacturers have gone to machining the barrels oversized rather than etching them so much, and that seems to help. I believe LMT is doing this, and FN is doing it for the SPR barrels.
 
Quality barrels like Daniel Defense, FN, S&W, etc. will be very accurate. I have an FN and S&W chrome lined barrel, both are very accurate. Not as accurate as my match barrel, but better than most. It is subjective and YMMV. Get quality and you'll be happy.
 
People, including myself, have gotten very good accuracy (1-1.5 moa) out of chrome lined barrels. Far more than can be appreciated without a good optic, ammo and shooting rest.

Since barrels that can be considered very good are available for both accuracy or longevity can be bought for around $200, it makes sense to buy a barrel for the trait which is most desired and then replace as necessary.
 
Custom built Colt 20 inch CL govt profile 1:7 -- 75gr match handloads into .75-.85 inch.

Daniel Defense with a 20 inch govt profile FN(?) 1:7 CHF CL barrel will do about the same.

Colt CAR-15 pencil barreled upper with 16 inch CL 1:9 ~1 inch with 52 match handloads. Love this thing!

Colt SP-1 upper with 20 inch CL 1:12 -- 55gr PSP or SGK handloads into ~ 1.5 inches. XM193 into 2-2.5 inches.

NEW PTAC build with 16 inch heavy barrel 1:9 NITRIDE 4150 steel -- 1.6 inch with PPU 55 SP (surprised me) and XM193F eight-shot group 3 inches. This one prefers 55 grainers.


All groups 5 shots at 100 yards, off bags, with optics, and light or no wind.

M
 
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I bought a Colt M4/le6920 new about a year and a half ago. Bench rested it will shoot sub MOA with Federal M855, and groups open up to about one inch or a bit more with the M193.
 
NWcityguy2 said:
People, including myself, have gotten very good accuracy (1-1.5 moa) out of chrome lined barrels. Far more than can be appreciated without a good optic, ammo and shooting rest.
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I feel like there should be some sort of award for when people actually make reasonable accuracy claims about auto-loaders :D I think you're exactly right that the best production chrome lined barrels are now pretty darn good. There is a difference, but it's not a BIG difference.
 
Custom built Colt 20 inch CL govt profile 1:7 -- 75gr match handloads into .75-.85 inch.

Daniel Defense with a 20 inch govt profile FN(?) 1:7 CHF CL barrel will do about the same.

Colt CAR-15 pencil barreled upper with 16 inch CL 1:9 ~1 inch with 52 match handloads. Love this thing!

Colt SP-1 upper with 20 inch CL 1:12 -- 55gr PSP or SGK handloads into ~ 1.5 inches. XM193 into 2-2.5 inches.

NEW PTAC build with 16 inch heavy barrel 1:9 NITRIDE 4150 steel -- 1.6 inch with PPU 55 SP (surprised me) and XM193F eight-shot group 3 inches. This one prefers 55 grainers.


All groups 5 shots at 100 yards, off bags, with optics, and light or no wind.

M
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Unpossible.

The internet said chrome bore barrels cant shoot as good as non-chrome lined.

I noticed the unpossible imaginary internet group first noted was a Colt barrel. :) They seem to make decent barrels for some reason. Almost like theyve been doing it for a while.

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?72761-barrel-ridgidity/page2

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?59364-The-Colt-M4A1-SOCOM-Barrel

Oh wait, another fanciful accuracy claim for a chrome lined barrel. :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_cIuMw0_R0&feature=youtu.be
 
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Well I shoot competitively with 3 different clubs, so I see my fair amount of shooters and builds. When it comes to guns that will repeatedly shoot sub-moa, group after group, day in and out, I have seen very few. Even more so when cheap ammo is used. I mean, I've shot better groups with my guns, but if I took them out tomorrow I wouldn't make any promises. I also don't represent a gun to be as inaccurate as the worst group it has ever shot. To me, that is an appropriate way to classify the accuracy if a gun.
 
I have an Armalite M4 with a chrome lined barrel and it shoots very well. Also have a FN PBR with chrome lined barrel, it is not a target rifle, but it shoots well.

I am of the opinion that today's chrome lined barrels are better than vintage chrome lined barrels, and they shoot fine. If well made that is. No garbage barrel is going to shoot well regardless of material or plating.
 
Archangel 14--If Melonite is good enough for Glock, Smith and Wesson, etc. then it should work fine for you. I have used these bores in pistols for years along with stainless, so far the melonite has been right there in accuracy and easy to clean.

Re chrome barrels, I have some old Arisakas with chromed barrels that are still pretty good
 
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