Chrome Lining on an AR

[tmoore912]

I have to admit...I don't know what "melonite" is and I've never seen it as an option while shopping for the several ARs I've put together over the last year or so.

Melonite is also known as nitrocarburization, ion bond, etc. Glock and Smith and Wesson both treat their slides with melonite. Smith and Wesson, LWRC and Troy are using melonite on their AR barrels. It is corrosion resistant and surface hardens the treated metal. All in all, it's a good choice for barrel treatment.

Nitrocarbonization, Melonite, Atranite.....etc are metal treatments that work very well just like mtdawg169 said. This is what stainless steel looks like after nitrocarbonization.

Stainless CBOB

After I had Atranite applied. Nice matte black.

Somewhat self lubricating, corrosion resistance, scratch resistant. Competition shooters have their barrels treated to prolong the life of the barrel. Had mine done by Freedom Gunworks in Camilla, Ga. http://www.freedomgunworks.com/services.html

 

[mtdawg169]

This ^^^^^^^^

Is it necessary for 99% of the people that use AR's for plinking? Absolutely not. But there is no disputing that a chrome lined barrel and chamber makes the barrel last longer. It's harder than the regular barrel steel, it resists corrosion, aids in chambering and extraction and is more resistant to fouling .... There is a reason that this is basically the international standard for ALL battle rifles

It does NOT make the rifle more accurate but it will make the rifle remain more accurate over it's lifetime because it cuts down the wear rate.

Melonite/Chome lining ... either way it's worth the extra few bucks if you care about the life of the barrel and are interested in cleaning it being easier

+1

Most quality AR barrels are going to be chromed anyway. If it's not, then it will probably be made from the lower quality / less expensive 4140 steel, instead of 4150 cmv. The biggest issue there is that alot of 4140 barrels are 1/9 twist, have incorrectly cut chambers and poorly sized gas ports. Usually, if I barrel is made from 4150, it's already going to be chrome lined from the factory and have proper chamber and barrel twist. I see no point in buying an inferior barrel and spending extra money to have it melonited. You end up with a more expensive lower quality barrel.

Now with that being said, ion bond / melonite on a precision stainless steel barrel is a great idea. It's a good way to extend the life of a precision barrel that would usually wear out alot faster.

The whole idea that chrome lining isn't necessary assumes that it is your primary concern. I look at it as an indication of the manufacturers commitment to an overall quality product. If the barrel is made from 4150, mil spec steel and is known for having proper chamber and gas port specs, then it's probably going to be chromed too. Personally, I'm more concerned about the chamber and gas port specs, as they are critical to reliability. Chrome is icing on the cake, but good cakes usually do have icing, don't they?

 

[timbgtm]

If my memory serves me correct the military started chrome lining barrels during Vietnam.Their was a rumor started the new m-16's didn't need cleaning. Also military ammo they were using was corrosive and caused problems.The military made the change to chrome lined barrels to remedy the problem,someone correct me If I'm wrong there's more to the story I believe.

 

[mtdawg169]

If my memory serves me correct the military started chrome lining barrels during Vietnam.Their was a rumor started the new m-16's didn't need cleaning. Also military ammo they were using was corrosive and caused problems.The military made the change to chrome lined barrels to remedy the problem,someone correct me If I'm wrong there's more to the story I believe.

I think you're right about the timing. CL was used before that in other military arms and was added to the mil spec for the M16 for increased reliability, durability and ease of maintenance. It may not be necessary, but most quality AR manufacturers are trying to build to match the TDP. Which is why you see DD, BCM, Colt and others using chrome lined mil spec barrels. It's a proven combination of long barrel life and resistance to abuse. The only reason any manufacturer deviates from the correct barrel steel or doesn't use Chrome lining is to cut corners and increase profit. There is no real benefit to not having it and plenty of reasons to do it. Some say the chrome lined barrels are less accurate. However, several companies are producing chrome lined guns capable of producing moa accuracy, so I don't really see that as a valid point. If you want sub moa accuracy, just get a SS barrel. If you want good accuracy, durability and long life, a quality mil spec barrel is the way to go.

Taken from the BCM website:
" Mil-Spec Barrel Steel (Mil-B-11595E) BCM barrel steel is Mil-Spec per MIL-B-11595E. This grade (CMV) of steel is a Mil-Spec steel used in the USGI M16 family of rifles; it is stronger and will last longer than the typical barrels offered in the commercial market. The Mil-Spec grade steel gets its’ additional strength and rigidity from an increase in carbon and/or vanadium in the alloy. This will offer increased barrel life and performance through use in all types of extreme environments and temperatures.

Chrome Bore and Chamber
One of the first modifications that were made to the original M16 in the mid 1960’s was the addition of the chrome lined bore and chamber. It is now a world wide standard in the industry for a battle rifle. The chrome bore and chamber is harder than the barrel steel and on the USGI M16/M4 rifles will aid in chambering, extraction, and reliability. It increases velocity, and also resist against fouling and corrosion from extended use in the field. This gives the end user a longer barrel life with less required time in maintenance and cleaning."

 

[mtdawg169]

You don't need it.

Unless you are training constantly, shooting 1000's of rounds a year through your AR you don't need it.

Target shooters don't want it and corrosive ammo shooters need Melonite.

But seriously unless you shoot 1000's of rounds and need sub MOA accuracy through those 1000's of rounds it doesn't matter.

Here I'll poor this gas on the floor in case anyone wants to flame on.

I would agree with this for low volume shooters and plinkers. However, many guys that buy an AR will really like the platform and shoot more than they thought they would or may eventually decide to take a carbine class just for fun. If you fall into the latter group, the problem then becomes "what other corners did the manufacturer cut?" As shooting volume increases, the likelihood of having an issue also increases. Then that guy decides to buy a "better" AR, sells the first gun, loses money and buys a new gun. There are so few dollars separating a good AR from an average AR these days, that it makes more sense to buy quality the first time around.

If you just want to play and will never shoot more than a few hundred rounds a year through it, then by all means save a buck. No harm, no foul. Just be an informed consumer so that you know what you're getting. And never ever trust the gun counter guy telling you that the DPMS, CMMG, Delton, etc. on the rack behind him is the same as the Colt next to it.