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Author Topic: Chrome lined bores, fact or fiction?  (Read 621 times)

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Offline His lordship.

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Chrome lined bores, fact or fiction?
« on: October 03, 2004, 02:25:08 PM »
It has been my understanding that certain rifles and pistols have a chrome lined bore, examples include Chinese SKS's, Japanese Type 99's, and Makarov pistols.  Having owned the above, you can see the outer shine on the bore's crown, as well as the different sheen inside of the barrel.

At a gunshow yesterday I got into a heated argument with a fellow who said there was no such thing, only chrome lined bolt faces. :x   Who is wrong?  And if this really exists, how do the makers spray the chrome into the bore to keep it consistent on application?  If you shoot corrosive ammo and not clean the barrel, how long does it take before you do damage the rifling compared to a non-chromed bore?

Does the chromed bore last longer in wear resistance?  It seems to me that the black powder guns would benefit from a chrome lined bore, but the other option over blued steel is stainless steel in their offerings. :?

Thanks.
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Offline Prof. Fuller Bullspit

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Chrome lined bores, fact or fiction?
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2004, 04:29:20 PM »
Chrome lined bores exist.

I think chrome is an electroplate. It is deposited by the action of electicity in a bath rich in chromium. The electric action deposits the chrome and it seems to do it pretty evenly.

I don't know about wear characteristics. Chrome was applied to some guns to make the bores last better with the use of corrosive primers.
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Offline MI VHNTR

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Chrome lined bores, fact or fiction?
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2004, 04:50:45 PM »
My Colt AR-15 (and many other AR rifles) has a chrome lined bore/chamber. The military requested this feature on the M-16 after the initial M-16s in Vietnam had problems with feeding/extraction in the humid climate/dirty conditions there. This, along with the incorrect powder caused the above mentioned problems for the rifle. Furthermore, the chrome bore is more resistant to heat than a standard bore. This helps in a selective fire weapon. Winchester/Browning recently chromed the bores on the WSSM chanbered rifles in an effort to extend barrel life. IIRC, two of the drawbacks to the chrome bore are cost and the ability to apply it correctly. Some AR makers don't chrome the bore in order to sell a cheaper rifle. MI VHNTR
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Offline gunnut69

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Chrome lined bores, fact or fiction?
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2004, 05:27:51 AM »
The real drawback to chromed bores is that the electro plating process doesn't put down the most even coat in the world.  It has to do with the fields generated by the electric flow in the bore.  The process is used to allow the weapon to go longer without cleaning and not rust and to live longer in full auto use.  It has less friction and is more heat tolerant than bare steel.  You are correct, there are chrome lined bores, they are indeed quite common!
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Offline KN

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Chrome lined bores, fact or fiction?
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2004, 12:07:15 PM »
Be careful what you clean a chrome bore with. CR-10 and some other copper cleaners are a big NO-NO in them. It will etch the chrome.  KN
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