SS vs Chrome Molly Barrel

[bjlooper]

Does a SS barrel have a advantage over a CM barrel reguarding wear rates. ie which one will last the longest in 257 STW

[Ballistic64]

http://www.riflebarrels.com/faq_lilj...teel%20barrels

I think it more boils down to how a barrel is taken care of than CM vs. SS

[James Jones]

Kreiger says that their test have shown no significan't differance between the two. Like it was mentioned before if you shoot the barrel hot enough to fry eggs its not gonna last no matter what caliber.
I personaly feel the the SS barrels are easier to clean than the CM but I haven't realy ever cleaned a high end CM barrel like Lilja or Kreiger so its not realy a two sisded statment.

BUT , probably 95% of the competitive shooter I have see are shooting SS barrels so that has to meen somthing

[Fiftydriver]

More important then barrel material is rifling design. Generally the 3 groove rifled barrels will have the longest throat life because there is more steel in the origins of the rifling compared to the 4, 5 and 6 groove designs.

That said, again, it all depends on how you shoot the rifle.

For all the 257 STWs I have built, ever one has been fitted with a Lilja 3 groove barrel, 90% of which have been stainless steel.

The 257 STW is about as hard as it gets on throats. Why not take every step to get the longest throat life possible. To me that would mean a stainless 3 groove barrel.

There have been several tests that showed that there was no difference between stainless and chrome moly barrels reguarding barrel life, there have been several times as many more that say there is anywhere from 10% to 25% longer throat life with stainless barrels.

I have yet to see a study that said chrome moly barrels offered longer barrel life then stainless so for a chambering like the 257 STW, why not go with the percentages and get a stainless barrel.

If you like a blackened barrel you can always teflon coat it as well.

Kirby Allen(50)

[scottjohnson]

I agree with all and will add that stainless is way easier to clean and keep clean. From what I have been sampling there is no $ savings over one or other due to the cost of bluing. That in mind, just go with stainless unless you just like blue color on guns????
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[LB]

Throat life is the problem with high intensity cartridges. Stainless resists throat erosion better than CM. I have never heard a reputable claim to the contrary? High polish deep blue looks nice on some types of barrels, no doubt. There are several types of treatment for stainless to make it look black; but why? A bead blasted finish on stainless will show rubs and scratches. I prefer a vibratory finish for a hunting rifle. Chucked up in a lathe, using a jitterbug type sander produces an attractive crosshatch finish. This non glare finish never shows any marks, at all.

Good hunting. LB