# AR barrel - Stainless vs Chrome Lined



## Shipwreck

What is the advantage of a stainless barrel vs a Chrome Lined.

If I buy a RRA later this year, I gotta pay to upgrade to a lined barrel. For a couple of bucks more, I could buy a stainless one. I know why people pay for the chrome lining. But how does the stainless compare to that?


----------



## rfawcs

The People's Court of Opinion sez stainless steel barrels are more accurate, or have the potential of being more accurate. Chrome-lined barrels are easier to keep clean in bad conditions.

I don't do any long-range bench-rest shooting, but I read that people who do all use stainless steel barrels.

Personally, I don't like the way stainless barrels look on an AR-15.

Unless you plan on shooting over 10,000 rounds, barrel wear should not be a problem with either one.


----------



## scooter

Yup, Rfawcs is right, stainless vibrates less when firing(what I've heard) so they are more accurate at longer ranges,For a 100-200 yd gun go for the lined barrel:smt023


----------



## Shipwreck

It's just a $20 difference, so that's why I asked.

I figured the stainless barrel finish would take bangs and bumps better.


----------



## scooter

Shipwreck said:


> It's just a $20 difference, so that's why I asked.
> 
> I figured the stainless barrel finish would take bangs and bumps better.


Good point Ive never worried that much about that on my workhorses tho.....now the colt and my dads old Hawken would getcha shot if ya dropped one of them!:mrgreen:


----------



## DJ Niner

Shipwreck said:


> It's just a $20 difference, so that's why I asked.
> 
> I figured the stainless barrel finish would take bangs and bumps better.


I think you're right. It's pretty easy to polish-out and re-do the finish on a damaged stainless barrel so it matches the rest of the undamaged areas. But I wholeheartedly agree with rfawcs on this point:



rfawcs said:


> ...
> 
> Personally, I don't like the way stainless barrels look on an AR-15.
> 
> ...


It's not quite as bad when they bead- or grit-blast the finish to a non-reflective matte, but a polished stainless barrel on an AR tweaks my gag reflex. :smt078


----------

