The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

5whiskey · January 1, 2013, 04:46 AM

See, keep in mind that you can have a chrome lined barrel shoot very accurately. It's just much harder for a manufacturer to consistently make accurate chrome lined barrels. CL-d barrels that are made to be very accurate are usually also very expensive. Many cheaper ones will shoot 1-2moa.

I don't think I would get chrome-moly. Especially if you're young. It's a touch cheaper, but there are better options out there. You actually can shoot a chrome moly barre out (without dumping 500 rounds a week, too). Not to mention the bore is much more prone to fouling and corrosion. Even if you take excellent care of your guns, it can happen.

Stainless Steel is a better choice than chrome-moly, but not as good as chrome for corrosion protection. SS is also more accurate than moly, but a touch less corrosion resistant than chrome. Melonite (or nitrocarburized salt bath... or whatever it is) shows great promise as a firearms finish. I have a rifle with a nitrided (Melonite) barrel. I can't wait to shoot it some and see how well it resists fouling. Melonite is ALMOST (but not quite) as hard as chrome, but has greater corrosion resistance. Unlike chrome, melonite is not a "lining" added to the barrel. Instead it's a surface treatment of the metal, akin to case hardening. That means the barrel can cut the barrel the same was as a stainless or chrome-moly bore, not having to oversize it to receive the chrome lining. After cutting, the surface is treated to the nitide salt bath, some kind of magic happens, and it's almost as hard as chrome but will likely be more accurate than your run of the mill chrome lined barrel.

January 1, 2013, 04:46 AM	#7
5whiskey Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2005 Location: US Posts: 3,657	See, keep in mind that you can have a chrome lined barrel shoot very accurately. It's just much harder for a manufacturer to consistently make accurate chrome lined barrels. CL-d barrels that are made to be very accurate are usually also very expensive. Many cheaper ones will shoot 1-2moa. I don't think I would get chrome-moly. Especially if you're young. It's a touch cheaper, but there are better options out there. You actually can shoot a chrome moly barre out (without dumping 500 rounds a week, too). Not to mention the bore is much more prone to fouling and corrosion. Even if you take excellent care of your guns, it can happen. Stainless Steel is a better choice than chrome-moly, but not as good as chrome for corrosion protection. SS is also more accurate than moly, but a touch less corrosion resistant than chrome. Melonite (or nitrocarburized salt bath... or whatever it is) shows great promise as a firearms finish. I have a rifle with a nitrided (Melonite) barrel. I can't wait to shoot it some and see how well it resists fouling. Melonite is ALMOST (but not quite) as hard as chrome, but has greater corrosion resistance. Unlike chrome, melonite is not a "lining" added to the barrel. Instead it's a surface treatment of the metal, akin to case hardening. That means the barrel can cut the barrel the same was as a stainless or chrome-moly bore, not having to oversize it to receive the chrome lining. After cutting, the surface is treated to the nitide salt bath, some kind of magic happens, and it's almost as hard as chrome but will likely be more accurate than your run of the mill chrome lined barrel.