AR Barrels - Chrome Lined vs. QPQ (Nitride)

[ptmn]

I don't think there is much difference between nitrided vs chrome lined for civilian shooters that aren't match shooters when it comes to M4/M16/AR15's.

For personally owned AR's, I've never shot out a rifle barrel and I've only shot out one pistol barrel (Sig P226 9mm).

For military, I've shot out several chrome lined that either failed muzzle erosion, throat erosion or failed barrel straightness gauge. Difference is that these were M4A1's or SOPMOD 10.5" that saw saw thousands of rounds, many full auto.

Not many civilians would be able to afford enough ammo to burn out an AR barrel, and most if not all ranges don't allow rapid fire, which is the most damaging when it comes to barrel wear (outside of improper cleaning).

If you're trying to decide between nitride or chrome lined, as long as they are quality made barrels, you really can't go wrong with either choice as a civilian AR shooter. I have both and I can't tell the difference, so I'm happy with both of them.

[oak18]

It doesn’t matter to me with an AR. I have both types and I’m far from a precision shooter, so I don’t notice any difference.

For AK’s, cold hammer forged and chrome lined absolutely. I love some AK mag dumps and cheap steel ammo. The chrome lining there makes a difference

[ptmn]

oak18, you bring up a good point that I never thought about. Some AR's have 7.62x39 uppers. I don't own one, but if I was going to purchase one, I'd go with chrome lined over nitride barrel due to the inexpensive (should I say formerly inexpensive) corrosive surplus ammo.

[oak18]

oak18, you bring up a good point that I never thought about. Some AR's have 7.62x39 uppers. I don't own one, but if I was going to purchase one, I'd go with chrome lined over nitride barrel due to the inexpensive (should I say formerly inexpensive) corrosive surplus ammo.

I completely forgot about the possibility of 7.62x39 uppers. I agree, would go the same chrome lined route for the cheap ammo. Slower throat wear and better with those corrosive primers.

[CWL]

I completely forgot about the possibility of 7.62x39 uppers. I agree, would go the same chrome lined route for the cheap ammo. Slower throat wear and better with those corrosive primers.

Practically speaking, is there any ammo in common use that still uses corrosive primers?

Unless somebody has hoarded decades-old milsurp for their C&R rifles, the majority of ammo available, including 7.62x39, uses modern non-corrosive primers.

While some is still "out there", I think most peeps on this board has never seen any let alone have any get near their guns.

[oak18]

Practically speaking, is there any ammo in common use that still uses corrosive primers?

Unless somebody has hoarded decades-old milsurp for their C&R rifles, the majority of ammo available, including 7.62x39, uses modern non-corrosive primers.

While some is still "out there", I think most peeps on this board has never seen any let alone have any get near their guns.

[peppermintman]

I completely forgot about the possibility of 7.62x39 uppers. I agree, would go the same chrome lined route for the cheap ammo. Slower throat wear and better with those corrosive primers.

https://www.wolverinesupplies.com/productdetail/nor762x39case_norinco-surplus-762x39-1440-round-crate

[TMB 1]

Yea look at the price of the corrosive ammo. Bet it’s a good idea to have chromed lined for this stuff.

https://www.wolverinesupplies.com/pr...40-round-crate

Wish they would ship some of that to the USA, if it was in stock.

[naz]

[ptmn]

Several years ago, my wife thought I was nuts for buying 4 cases of 762x39, 1440rds each. They were only $189 each. Cheap, but corrosive, so I have to clean with ballistol mixed with water. Never shot any, but they're in sealed spam cans, so it should be fine in storage.

I may end up chasing down an AR upper in 762x39 with a chrome lined barrel, since my AK is one of those Egyptian Maadi's, not the best quality AK by far. Wish I would have bought a Hungarian AK instead.

[TrappedinCalifornia]

So... The gist of the above posts appears to be that I was 'correct' in my underlying assumptions that...

• This is a relatively 'new' process insofar as AR Barrels.
• There is no 'decided' advantage to Chrome Lined or Nitride; only specific advantages related to select aspects.
• There is no 'consensus' as to one being more desirable than the other.
• As with the other forums dating back a 'couple' of years, personal opinions are 'mixed.'

For the edification of those who think I might be trying to 'decide' between the two, I'm not. I'd only been tangentially aware of the nitride barrels and, in perusing Brownells (and others) regarding the availability of parts (due to an aroused curiosity stemming from numerous posts lamenting the lack thereof, not to mention the price), I noticed that the nitride seems, for the moment, to be the more 'available;' something which, to me, suggests that the Chrome Lined is either more popular or more labor/cost intensive to produce.

Were I in the process of building an AR or looking to replace a barrel on one, I'd very likely stick with Chrome Lined in that, as I indicated, such has been the 'standard' for decades and... lacking an appreciable price difference or definitive preference/rationale for the nitride, I'd be more prone to staying with 'the proven standard' than experimenting.

Thanks for the information.

[kcheung2]

The relative availability of nitrided barrels has little to do with popularity and more to do with a bottleneck in production for chrome lined. There's only a few mfg that can do chrome lining, whereas nitriding can be done by anyone with a bathtub of chemicals. OK that's an exaggeration but the general idea remains.

[peppermintman]

The relative availability of nitrided barrels has little to do with popularity and more to do with a bottleneck in production for chrome lined. There's only a few mfg that can do chrome lining, whereas nitriding can be done by anyone with a bathtub of chemicals. OK that's an exaggeration but the general idea remains.

True😁When I bout my chrome lined barrel it was in back order and I waited a long time. I forgot about it in fact until I heard the dogs barking and went outside to see a box on the porch. Opened it and seen the barrel. It must have been a four month wait. Nitride barrels are available everywhere.
I know chrome lined chambers been around for a while but how long chrome lined barrels been around for the AR?

[W.R.Buchanan]

FYI a Chrome Lined barrel has to be made oversize so that when the chrome is applied the barrel is brought back down to the proper size. Chrome adds as much a .0015-.002 on a side. So the bore and groove dia needs to be .003-.004 larger to accommodate the plating.

Randy

[TrappedinCalifornia]

The relative availability of nitrided barrels has little to do with popularity and more to do with a bottleneck in production for chrome lined. There's only a few mfg that can do chrome lining, whereas nitriding can be done by anyone with a bathtub of chemicals. OK that's an exaggeration but the general idea remains.

So...

...something which, to me, suggests that the Chrome Lined is either more popular or more labor/cost intensive to produce...

...it's more labor/cost intensive to produce Chrome Lined.

But, in a time when "beggars can't be choosers," it does raise the question of why people are buying out the Chrome Lined and not simply buying what's available.