Stainless vs Chrome moly barrels for F-class

[kev77]

Why do we use mostly stainless barrels over chrome moly for f-class ??? PLease tell me the pros or cons of your choice??

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Re: Stainless vs Chomemoly barrels for F-class

I was wondering the same thing. I use stainless because it is the standard and I don't have to pay or wait for corrosion protection to be applied.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Re: Stainless vs Chomemoly barrels for F-class

Not sure why on F-class, but it is the same in most other precision shooting competitive events. Stainless resists corrosion, machines easier because it is a little softer. The softer stainless is arguably easier to make more "precise" during the manufacturing process and usually will give better results with a quality hand lapping job. Plus stainless looks better

However, Chrome Moly disipates heat better and may give a little better barrel life due to extra hardness. If made properly, a good chrome moly barrel can be every bit as accurate as a stainless barrel.

I suppose it's preference. But some of the top barrel manufacturers don't even offer chrome moly so that may be telling you something about what the pros think makes the most accurate barrel...

 

[fredhorace77]

Re: Stainless vs Chomemoly barrels for F-class

Not sure why on F-class, but it is the same in most other precision shooting competitive events. Stainless resists corrosion, machines easier because it is a little softer. The softer stainless is arguably easier to make more "precise" during the manufacturing process and usually will give better results with a quality hand lapping job. Plus stainless looks better

However, Chrome Moly disipates heat better and may give a little better barrel life due to extra hardness. If made properly, a good chrome moly barrel can be every bit as accurate as a stainless barrel.

I suppose it's preference. But some of the top barrel manufacturers don't even offer chrome moly so that may be telling you something about what the pros think makes the most accurate barrel...

+1 i couldnt have said it any better

 

[RDavies]

Re: Stainless vs Chomemoly barrels for F-class

I have been wondering the same thing. Since corrosion resistance is not too much of an issue for F Class guns, I don't think it is a factor for us. I had heard that stainless lasts longer than Cromo? Is Crome Moly more affected by heat, does it vibrate more?

 

[LC Tikka]

Re: Stainless vs Chomemoly barrels for F-class

I heard somewhere that C/Moly (carbon steel) has pores and therefore picks up more fouling.
LC

 

[Shynloco]

Re: Stainless vs Chomemoly barrels for F-class

I heard somewhere that C/Moly (carbon steel) has pores and therefore picks up more fouling.
LC

And is therefore harder to clean and remove the copper from the barrel. At least that's my understanding as well.

Alex

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Re: Stainless vs Chomemoly barrels for F-class

I heard somewhere that C/Moly (carbon steel) has pores and therefore picks up more fouling.
LC

And is therefore harder to clean and remove the copper from the barrel. At least that's my understanding as well.

Alex

I think that's all subjective to the quality of hand lapping and whether or not a proper break-in procedure was performed at the beginning of the barrel's life. I have some chrome moly barrels that have a very smooth bores and clean up very nicely. One of the best factory chome moly barrels for ease of cleaning is made by Thompson Center Arms. Their 5R rifled chrome moly barrels clean up as nicely as any of the stainless high end Shilen, Lilja, Krieger, or Brux barrels I've ever used.

Also have an old Ruger M77 tang built in 1968 that is chambered for 6mm Remington with the heavy varmint barrel. All original factory parts with chrome moly barrel. That barrel cleans up very easily as well and shoots as good as any custom rifle I've ever owned.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I do have a Shilen CM barrel on a 6.5x55 Swede that copper fouls horribly and it takes forever to get all the copper out when cleaning, but Shilen does NOT hand lap their CM barrels so it is understandable. However, I have the same exact grade Shilen CM barrel on a 6.5 Rem Mag and it cleans up as nicely as anything else I have. Not sure why that is being that both rifles have the same exact Shilen barrel? Both of them shoot extremely well so I have no intentions of lapping the one on the 6.5x55 Swede that has a copper fouling problem.

I thought perhaps it had something to do with the difference in bullet jackets because I am currently using Lapua Scenars in the 6.5x55 and Berger VLD's in the 6.5 RM. But when you look in the bore of the 6.5x55 barrel, it is plain to see that the tooling marks are quite excessive when compared to the barrel on the 6.5 RM. My point is that they are both the same exact barrel made from the same exact metal, but due to the difference in quality of manufacturing, the amount of fouling each produces is very different. The 6.5x55 barrel was probably made at the end of a shift on a Friday when everyone was in a hurry to get home...

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

Chrome/Moly barrels can be just as good and any stainless steel barrel. In match quality barrels, stainless steel seems more prevalent probably because you do not have to finish these barrels by blueing them, you just chamber and fit them. For match rifles, barrels are consumables.

Also, because you can easily blast bead a stainless steel barrel, you will get faster cooling than from the same size chrome/moly barrel with its mirror finish.