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To Chrome or Not to Chrome

nuggetman

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 22, 2009
25
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I am building a AR-15 for fun and am trying to decide whether it is worth the extra cash for a Chrome BCG. I have a chrome lined barrel, but am on the fence over the BCG as most of the better brands out there do not offer fully chromed versions. Is there a downside to a chromed BCG, indeed is there an upside (other than shiny factor)?

I am sure there will be mixed opinions but am wondering what the consensus is?
 
Re: To Chrome or Not to Chrome

I was under the impression that a chromed barrel was to prevent corrosion from beredan-primed ammunition, and using a chromed barrel actually degraded accuracy. The only beredan-primed ammunition around is only soviet surplus stuff, it's real cheap, but you need to pour boiling water or ammonia down the barrel right after firing or it start rusting. chroming the barrel solves that.

I'm in Canada and we shoot the beradan-primed stuff in the sks's. I don't think you get any down there. So unless your 15 is 7.62x39 then all your doing is negatively affecting accuracy.

This is just what I've been told up here. Chroming the outside would only serve to make it look pimp.
 
Re: To Chrome or Not to Chrome

The chrome lining is there to keep the throat of the barrel from degrading due to high rates of fire. As in FULL AUTOMATIC fire.

What exactly are you building? You don't need a chrome BCG in an AR to make it reliable.
 
Re: To Chrome or Not to Chrome

Just building a regular AR, I ordered a YHM 14.5" barrel with pinned muzzle brake (currently on sale) and it came chromed. The chroming was not something that was high on the priority list, but I don't really object. It is just for burning rounds at the range as a fun gun, the bolt gun is for the accurate stuff.

I was probably going to just order the YHM bcg and upper also, was just curious about the chroming side of things. Seems like cool factor rather than for reliability or any real advantage. Indeed most of the "high end" brands don't seem to offer chrome BCGs suggesting it doesn't help.
 
Re: To Chrome or Not to Chrome

Less cleaning sounds like bonus enough! Will take a look at the BCM one, I take it that even though it says "auto" I wilwove legal in a semi? Function wise I understand it would work fine.
 
Re: To Chrome or Not to Chrome

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: greyhat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was under the impression that a chromed barrel was to prevent corrosion from beredan-primed ammunition, and using a chromed barrel actually degraded accuracy. The only beredan-primed ammunition around is only soviet surplus stuff, it's real cheap, but you need to pour boiling water or ammonia down the barrel right after firing or it start rusting. chroming the barrel solves that.

I'm in Canada and we shoot the beradan-primed stuff in the sks's. I don't think you get any down there. So unless your 15 is 7.62x39 then all your doing is negatively affecting accuracy.

This is just what I've been told up here. Chroming the outside would only serve to make it look pimp. </div></div>


Berdan priming has nothing to do with the corrosive primers, although a lot of corrosive ammo came from international surplus like Czech, Yugo, Russian, China, etc. and they used corrosive primers until the late 70's.

A chrome BCG helps cleaning, but my AR cleans easy enough without it and it's reliable. I have a factory Armalite upper and no complaints with cleaning, functioning, but I do notice a differnce in accuracy with the chrome lined barrel vs. others. At the time I bought it, I wasn't in the position to complain because of the 1 day sale that Armalite was having, complete A3 flat top 20" upper to my door for 350 bucks. I'd do it again without hesitation.
 
Re: To Chrome or Not to Chrome

We chrome the bolt and carriers of all our SR-25 series guns. It really does help to stop carbon/crap build up.

Secondly for the OP who mentioned chroming barrels.
We chrome our SR-25 Carbine barrels.

EMCGroup29April.jpg


EMCGroup.jpg


Not too much accuracy degradation
wink.gif


It also cleans up easier and generally fouls less.
 
Re: To Chrome or Not to Chrome

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BugSniper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">http://www.failzero.com/

damnit, now they say they aren't accepting upgrades, but maybe via their parent UCT it can still be done to your existing kit. </div></div>

I had looked at those, but I'm concerned it will wreck my Geissele's hammer, since they provide a matching hammer with each BCG. Thoughts?

-matt