Chrome lined barrel vs regular steel barrel??

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matachango

New member
SO is it better to have a chrome lined barrel or not? I have heard that chrome lined barrels affect accuracy and that non chrome barrels are more accurate. does anyone have any personal experience with either or??
 
Chrome is for spray and not so good for accuracy.

But, I guess if find an accurate chrome lined barrel; you will never need a new one.
 
Chrome won't rust. Other than that, it's a disadvantage if the quality of the barrels are equal. A nice, smooth chromed barrel will outshoot a roughly finished steel barrel, though. It's not the chrome that makes it less accurate, it's the fact that shooting it won't smooth it up much (if any). Starting with a steel barrel, and getting it full of rust pits won't make it shoot better, either.
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I get to pour water out of my barrels here on a regular basis, so my choices are:
1) stainless
2) chrome
3) steel
 
Many of the chrome lined barrels shoot very well, you can expect from 1" to 1.5" at 100 yards, some a little better some a little worse. The advantages of chrome lined barrels are increased barrel life, they are much easier to clean and you tend to have less issues with sticking brass due to the chrome lined chamber. The ARs used in hunting and most other shooting sports are not subjected to a great deal of heat which is the cause of most problems. In an AR used as most of us use them, I don't really care one way or the other but if extreme accuracy is what your looking for your odds of finding it are much greater with unlined chromemoly or stainless.
 
My chrome lined barrel shoots pretty good. It started out as a standard A2 upper then I decided to float it. It made a big difference. I would say I'm getting .75 to 1.25 MOA.
 
chrome lined barrels are for the customer to pay extra, manufacturers say it will last longer to get you to buy it. Its a hoax. Some chrome lined barrels do shoot good, its a process after the barrel has been rifled. Most will never shoot out a steel barrel in their lifetime. If chrome lining is done right accuracy will not be affected, but no two barrels are alike.

If you want the ultimate in accuracy, go with a stainless steel barrel.
 
I prefer chrome barrels, they won't rust and they clean easier. As far as accuracy chrome barrels are well MOA capable if good quality.

With barrels you get good ones and bad ones regardless of whether they are lined or not.
 
I have a 16" Rock River with a chromed barrel and chamber. It shoots about 3/4" groups with many loads and a little better with my best loads. I really like the fact that it is very easy to clean. Having said that, chromed barrels make much more sense for military use.

One complication - Chromed barrels are likely to be chambered for 5.56 NATO, while carbon steel and stainless steel barrels can be chambered in .223 Remington or the .223 Wylde chambering. The chambering matters because the 5.56 NATO chamber has a much longer throat and is theoretically less accurate because you can't load the bullet to touch the rifling.
 
Originally Posted By: DaveD The chambering matters because the 5.56 NATO chamber has a much longer throat and is theoretically less accurate because you can't load the bullet to touch the rifling.

Your mag is going to be the determining factor on bullet length. You will run out of length in the mag before you do in the chamber.
 
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Sub MOA is a very nice thing to have especially if I'm a target shooter, but I'm not. I hunt coyotes during fall and winter weather conditions which = wet, humid and dirt and I'm shooting off a set of sticks or offhand and usually in some awkward position. If I can hit a 4" steel plate a 200 yds consistently, which is what I practice on at the range, I can kill a coyote as humanely as possible for my skills. I prefer a chrome barrel for the conditions I hunt in and for the ease of cleaning. I used to think I needed a super accurate barrel for my AR but I learned that the chrome lined m4 profile was plenty accurate. What I saying is I need to be as proficient as possible with my rifle and a chrome bore is a plus in my opinion.
 
Elk hunters hunt in the same conditions as predator hunters, and usually their equipment sees harsher conditions for extended periods of time.. Never heard an elk hunter wish they had chrome lined bores...

The other thing, and I could be wrong, but from what I know, there is no way to apply chrome evenly in the bore, and it will not change by shooting it.

So, like I said before, if you currently have a sub MOA chrome lined bore, keep it...
 
I've had good results with both stainless steel and chrome lined barrels. I've noticed that the trigger I'm using makes a lot more difference in my accuracy than whether I'm using the CL barrel or the SS.
 
This is my friends Bushmaster he let me shoot some since he just got it redone with a flat top upper and full floated forearm. It has a 20" steel chrome lined barrel and still the stock trigger which feels like 10lb anvil. And after shooting some groups with it he seemed impressed with it's performance being a chrome lined barrel. This was my first time shooting an AR I've always had bolts and shotguns. Mine new AR should be ready this week.

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This is a 5 shot 50yd group
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This is a 3 shot 100yd group
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Brasshound, i'm not sure how long your elk season is but I use or carry my AR or my 25-06 in my truck every day, and call 2 or 3 times a week from late september to early february. I have a steel barrel in my 25-06 and I guarantee you my chrome barrel is easier and faster to clean than my steel barrel is. That fact alone is why I like a the chrome barrel. BTW, I work quite a ways from town and that gives me the opurtunities to carry and shoot my rifles.
 


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