AR Barrels

[Mick]

It looks like the DPMS barrel on my COLT is going. It was #2 as the original COLT took a good beating for a few years with several tubs of the South African surplus.

Big debate for me is to get the hard chromed or not.

I think we had this debate recently but I've slept since then.

I can live with less accuracy but need more barrel life and was looking toward the Rock River

Hard chromed barrels with a NATO chamber because of the surplus ammo I shoot.

If I was actually going to take care of the barrel I would get a JP stainless and set it up right but

I do allot of training with my agency and get the barrel pretty hot (OFTEN!).

I was doing Bill drills the other night with 40 grain TAP and the flame off the Cooley brake was awsome.

The 40s don't seem to run the gun right because of the slower powder. The 55 grain TRU Ballistic tips run better.

To hard chrome or not......?????????

[GentlemanJim]

From what you tell us ..it sounds like extreme long range accuracy is not a priority.

Given high round counts and harsh usage the milspec barrel is what I would choose.

You may get as much as twice the round count from a barrel that costs half as much as a high end match barrel.

Just my humble opinion.

Jim

[Catfish]

Mick, who are you letting shoot all that ammo out of your rifle?

[Derek45]

I prefer Chrome lined barrels.

My IPSC rifle barrel is a COLT M16A2(chrome1:7 Govt.profile) cut down to 18".

My carbine has a SABRE 1:7 chrome middy

and My CMMG 6.8mmSPC is also Chrome.

etc....

Hardchrome was one of the modifications to the early M16 during the Vietnam War to allow easier extraction, resistance to corrosion, and longer life.

I think the idea that chrome hurts accuracy is hugely overblown.

US Marines qualify out to 500 yards with iron sights and chrome lined barrels.

[Mick]

Mick, who are you letting shoot all that ammo out of your rifle?

Who do you think? And you pay for it!

Thanks!!!

I think a hard chromed barrel with a NATO chamber may have to do.

I just put 300 rounds through it tonight doing Bill Drills at 40, 25, and 15 yards.

It got pretty HOT!!!

[Bronco]

I got between 17K to 20K out of my last 20" 1 in 7 mil spec Bushmaster. Replaced it over the summer with a 18" 1 in 8 chrome lined. Should have another 3 or so years of shooting. Chrome all the way!

[jobob]

I'd go with chrome. My 20" Bushy is plenty accurate, too. I used it to nail the 500 and 600 yard plates at MGM Ironman this year. 12 shots taken with 10 hits. So, I don't think a chrome barrel reduces accuracy enough to hurt you in this game.

[Kevin J]

You might have already considered this but........ Give Novesky a call. His N4 setup uses the M249 spec barrel chrome. It's almost twice as thick as M4 spec chrome. Another good point is that it's really light. One of the guys I shoot with just bough a N4 upper. With the rail it's the same weight as a stock M4 with out the railed forend. I'm not sure if he sells just the barrel, but it's worth a try.

--Kevin

[Paradox]

Mick,

The only thing I have to add, is I prefer the Wylde chamber over a 5.56... I am too lazy to look at Rock River's website, but I think you can get one chromed in that chambering.

-Justin

[busyhawk]

Just a question...what is wearing out in the barrel? Is it the erosion of the chamber, the rifleing or a combination? If it is the rifleing you can go to a slower twist like Bennie's 1:12 (if you are shooting the lighter bullets) to help with the wear of the rifleing.

Of course the Chrome is what I believe to be the answer. After 30 years in the Army I have shot a few barrels out. The heat will destroy the barrel and the green tip and even the old 55 grain bullet moving at 3000 fps is packing a bunch of pressure and heat. Our main problem is the chamber erosion and our gunsmith checks the chamber wear very often and he will ID the problem long before we wear the rifleing out. Don't forget to take the flash suppressor off from time to time to clean the carbon build up off the crown unless you want to work around the extension. I have cursed the problem from time to time but am happy it was just carbon buildup instead of a new barrel. I know how frustrating it can get...I went to the range to zero and qualify and had to hand the rifle to a buddy and have him shoot it to see if it was just me or the rifle.

Busyhawk

[Mick]

I don't think I will go to 1/12" as I often shoot 68s and 75s.

I do allot of rapid fire shooting inside 50 yards and try not to heat up the barrel too much but it DOES get hot.

Ammo is not an issue as I have plenty but I clean the barrel every session now where I didn't on the first barrel.

The accuracy hasn't been too bad but the first couple inches in the barrel are getting rough.