Chrome vs no chrome?
- Thread starter Tikka223
- Start date
Just claened my Chicom SKS. 20 minutes. Gastube disassembly, barrel scrub, firing pin block disassembly, clean & lube, relube, reassembly, wood treatment.
If 20 minutes is a bother, why do you do any maintenance at all..?
If 20 minutes is a bother, why do you do any maintenance at all..?
Is it possible to have a No4 or a Mosin Nagant barrel chromed lined after the fact? Who could do such a job?
Extending the barrel life and ease of cleaning are very attractive for these guns I fire on a regular basis.
Extending the barrel life and ease of cleaning are very attractive for these guns I fire on a regular basis.
BeaverMeat
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nanaimo, B.C.
In theory you could. Because anything is possible if you have the money.
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC Canada
I take double that time even with chrome. But I have gun cleaning OCD and I lack good cleaning tools. I need to get a good assortment of brushes going, and I also need to find something good and reusable for wiping out gas ports. Something I always forget to pick up at the shops. I don't think chrome has anything to do with cleaning until the SHTF. I just like the added reinforcing. I just feel better about having a chrome barrel. No real reason really other than hoping it will last forever.
Some good reading I found on the net that sounds good.
All manufactures use Chrome/Moly steel to make barrels - its a type of steel that has some chrome in it to help with wear and corrosion resistance IT IS NOT the same as 'Chrome Lined'. There are two types of Chrome/Moly that are used to make AR-15 barrels. The most common (an most inexpensive) is 4140, its a decent steel that is used on many firarms. The other (more expensive) type is 4150, its got more chrome in it and is more durable and corrsion resistant; only Colt, Bushmaster, and FN use 4150 steel for their barrels. A 4140 chrome/moly barrel is the least expensive barrel you can purchase - yet they can be quite accurate.
Chrome Lining is a process where chrome is 'welded' to the steel of the barrel. This produces a coating that is twice as hard as the steel. It prevents corrosion, makes cleaning much easier, and extends the barrels life. There is also a slight drop in accuracy (compared to an identical quality non-lined barrel), about 0.5 MOA worth from what I've seen - something 99% of shooters won't notice. Chrome lined chambers are a reliability enhancer. Only chrome/moly barrels can be chrome lined. Bushmaster and Armalite chrome line their barrels, Colt chrome lines their chambers (and the bores on their military profile barrels), and RRA has produced limited runs of chrome lined M4 barrels. Chrome lined barrels have the longest life expectancy.
Stainless barrels are used on match rifles. The Stainless steel is easier to rifle consistantly, and consistancy is the key to an accurate barrel. Once broken in stainless barrels are almost as easy to clean as chrome lined. Stainless barrels are also very corrosion resistant. Some companies (like Olympic Arms) have a process that blackens the stainless, others (like DPMS) leave the barrels 'in the white' (silver color). Generally the most accurate rifle have stainless steel barrels."
The U.S. Army recently (Oct 2000) reported the Mean-Time-Between-Failures (MTBF) for M16A2/M4/M4A1 barrels is 9600 rounds. These are chrome lined barrels with a 1:7 twist made out of 4150 steel (just like Bushmaster & Colt use), and they see full-auto use. Also note the military is using full power M193 & M855 rounds, while most commercial .223 runs 100 to 200 fps slower (with the same bullet weight). The 1:7 twist barrels do burn out quicker than the 1:9, especially under full auto stresses. For a chrome lined barrel on a semi-auto only rifle 20,000 rounds (or more) can be expected. [Warning: More civilian barrels are ruined to over (or careless) cleaning than to being "shot out".] Stainless barrels won't last as long, 4140 steel barrels wear longer than stainless; but not as long as the Colt 4150 barrels (w/o the chrome lined bores). nor as long as the chrome lined bores (given the same shooting)."
All manufactures use Chrome/Moly steel to make barrels - its a type of steel that has some chrome in it to help with wear and corrosion resistance IT IS NOT the same as 'Chrome Lined'. There are two types of Chrome/Moly that are used to make AR-15 barrels. The most common (an most inexpensive) is 4140, its a decent steel that is used on many firarms. The other (more expensive) type is 4150, its got more chrome in it and is more durable and corrsion resistant; only Colt, Bushmaster, and FN use 4150 steel for their barrels. A 4140 chrome/moly barrel is the least expensive barrel you can purchase - yet they can be quite accurate.
Chrome Lining is a process where chrome is 'welded' to the steel of the barrel. This produces a coating that is twice as hard as the steel. It prevents corrosion, makes cleaning much easier, and extends the barrels life. There is also a slight drop in accuracy (compared to an identical quality non-lined barrel), about 0.5 MOA worth from what I've seen - something 99% of shooters won't notice. Chrome lined chambers are a reliability enhancer. Only chrome/moly barrels can be chrome lined. Bushmaster and Armalite chrome line their barrels, Colt chrome lines their chambers (and the bores on their military profile barrels), and RRA has produced limited runs of chrome lined M4 barrels. Chrome lined barrels have the longest life expectancy.
Stainless barrels are used on match rifles. The Stainless steel is easier to rifle consistantly, and consistancy is the key to an accurate barrel. Once broken in stainless barrels are almost as easy to clean as chrome lined. Stainless barrels are also very corrosion resistant. Some companies (like Olympic Arms) have a process that blackens the stainless, others (like DPMS) leave the barrels 'in the white' (silver color). Generally the most accurate rifle have stainless steel barrels."
The U.S. Army recently (Oct 2000) reported the Mean-Time-Between-Failures (MTBF) for M16A2/M4/M4A1 barrels is 9600 rounds. These are chrome lined barrels with a 1:7 twist made out of 4150 steel (just like Bushmaster & Colt use), and they see full-auto use. Also note the military is using full power M193 & M855 rounds, while most commercial .223 runs 100 to 200 fps slower (with the same bullet weight). The 1:7 twist barrels do burn out quicker than the 1:9, especially under full auto stresses. For a chrome lined barrel on a semi-auto only rifle 20,000 rounds (or more) can be expected. [Warning: More civilian barrels are ruined to over (or careless) cleaning than to being "shot out".] Stainless barrels won't last as long, 4140 steel barrels wear longer than stainless; but not as long as the Colt 4150 barrels (w/o the chrome lined bores). nor as long as the chrome lined bores (given the same shooting)."
I have several of each. I clean them exactly the same and it only takes ten minutes. I don't notice any difference in accuracy and just because your bore is chrome doesn't mean your gas assembly won't rust.
As far as barrel wear, it takes forever to shoot out a barrel with velocities of 2400 fps, chrome or otherwise.
Chrome or not, it makes no difference to me. For what its worth, I've had the same shooter rifles since the early eighties and still shoot with them today.
As far as barrel wear, it takes forever to shoot out a barrel with velocities of 2400 fps, chrome or otherwise.
Chrome or not, it makes no difference to me. For what its worth, I've had the same shooter rifles since the early eighties and still shoot with them today.
