AK knowledge and help

[Knobgoblin]

Rule #2

Declare your source
Seen it
Read about it
Heard about it

As in ; I've read about the Mars Man pistol, and I actually saw one once.
Otherwise I wouldn't believe someone would weld a drum magazine into a Maadi with a short barrel and no provision for a stock. Unless I'd seen it.

Old goofiness from the 90s iirc

 

[Boboclown]

Ok so here's some interesting questions. Chrome Lined Barrel? Yes? Or not necessary? What purpose does it serve? Is it more accurate? Corrosion resistant? Better than Nitride? Better than melonite? Better at dissipating heat? Is your response factual or just your experience? Were AK rifles chrome lined originally? Is it possible that they were lined because of the US market?

AK barrels are not as easy to replace as AR barrels, get chrome lined for longevity. Not a necessity but a big help. Theoretically nitride or stainless is more accurate but its an AK, takes a bit of work to get it at or under MOA with good ammo, and that's not work any manufacturer is doing. Better corrosion resistance, the Russians do still use corrosive ammo as well. Almost all military AKs have a CHF barrel as well, people say CHF handles heat better. IICR they were originally chromed. Yugo AKs and SKSes were not chromed.

 

[Boboclown]

That is not true.

This.

Where does it show that the US Military Colt M16A2 had a chrome lined barrel? I know that they have retro makes that are chrome lined.

They were chrome lined before the A2. Only the original M16s were not as a cost cutting measure, then they realized their mistake.

 

[Boboclown]

The M16 was not nitrided or chrome lined initially as a cost cutting measure, but due to corrosion problems that changed and then military production started chrome lining them. I can't speak for current military production, but I would guess they are nitrided.

CHF and nitriding is preferable in my experience.

As for AKs, I think you will find most on the market are chrome lined. I have not kept up with the current production in AKs that are available in the USA, but most of the ones I have seen on the market have been chrome lined.

Current is still CL. Chrome handles repeated rapid fire better than nitride does.

 

[titsonritz]

Current is still CL. Chrome handles repeated rapid fire better than nitride does.

Yep. Phosphate finish and CL barrels.

My AKs as well, as my Ars and M1a, are CL with the lone exception of my 18" SPR which is nitride SS.

 

[AK0perator47]

This.

They were chrome lined before the A2. Only the original M16s were not as a cost cutting measure, then they realized their mistake.

I just remember that in the Army during the 90's that we were told that it was the chamber and not the barrel. Which is interesting and weird being they were already testing the M4 and we were stuck in the Stone Age it seemed like. SF was fielding the M4 in 96 at White Sands. Still nitride is more corrosion resistant and accurate. But military units are not as concerned with accuracy… at least not until after 9/11.

 

[titsonritz]

Still nitride is more corrosion resistant and accurate.

You're painting with too broad of a brush as that is 100% dependent on the product and is not universal truth.

Here's an example:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?203824-Figuring-out-a-new-Faxon-barrel

 

[Boboclown]

I just remember that in the Army during the 90's that we were told that it was the chamber and not the barrel. Which is interesting and weird being they were already testing the M4 and we were stuck in the Stone Age it seemed like. SF was fielding the M4 in 96 at White Sands. Still nitride is more corrosion resistant and accurate. But military units are not as concerned with accuracy… at least not until after 9/11.

I know a former army medic, we both work for the same trucking company. I know more about guns than he does, and he was an infantry medic IICR.

Now that's a person who gets issued it and all that, imagine what runs through the officer's head. And you begin to realize, military experience doesn't=gun knowledge.

That aside, CL is longer lasting than nitride, and does the job at resisting corrosion. There's a reason most militaries still use CL for standard issue and machine guns, while other barrels are reserved for guns with a specific role. Hell, Russians are stubborn and will use the quad rail zenitco over the removable rails one because quad rail works and is more reliable.

 

[AK0perator47]

You're painting with too broad of a brush as that is 100% dependent on the product and is not universal truth.

Here's an example:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?203824-Figuring-out-a-new-Faxon-barrel

Actually from the source

Frequenty Asked Questions: Nitride vs. Chrome Lined

Curious about the comparison of chrome lined vs nitride? We dig into the question more in this blog and discuss the right barrel for you.

faxonfirearms.com

 

[Boboclown]

Yep. Phosphate finish and CL barrels.

My AKs as well, as my Ars and M1a, are CL with the lone exception of my 18" SPR which is nitride SS.

My M1A needs dummy full auto toggle thing, a CL barrel, and a few more things to be a full fledged Mk 14 EBR clone. Unless I decide to just give up and sell it.

 

[AK0perator47]

Anyway… CL vs nitride

moving forward… what other things can we help new AK owners with?

 

[Knobgoblin]

 

[Boboclown]

Shoot first, then decide what to do. I'm okay with rails on all my AKs, but I leave my AK74 in wood cuz is fine as is.

 

[Knobgoblin]

 

[titsonritz]

Actually from the source

Frequenty Asked Questions: Nitride vs. Chrome Lined

Curious about the comparison of chrome lined vs nitride? We dig into the question more in this blog and discuss the right barrel for you.

faxonfirearms.com

View attachment 896856

LOL. If you consider those selling the product the "actually source"...

 

[titsonritz]

Hell, Russians are stubborn and will use the quad rail zenitco over the removable rails one because quad rail works and is more reliable.

Something to be said for quad rails, I have a couple and was thinking of converting them to Mlok but figured...Why? I'm getting ready to build a dedicated NV carbine and thinking I might just go with a quad rail for the rigidity to aid laser zero.

 

[titsonritz]

My M1A needs dummy full auto toggle thing, a CL barrel, and a few more things to be a full fledged Mk 14 EBR clone. Unless I decide to just give up and sell it.

Mine was made in what Lee Emerson called in his book, "The Golden Age of Springfield Armory", back when they were flush with GI parts. I've been eyeballing a Sage stock for years, but doubt I'd go full fledged clone, unless I shoot out the barrel.

 

[AK0perator47]

View attachment 896859

Hey I resemble some of those kind lol

 

[AK0perator47]

Great stuff so far

 

[AK0perator47]

What about magazines for the AK? All metal? Polymer? Polymer and metal mixture?