Currently purchasing components for an AR build for defensive purposes. I was recommended ballistic advantage for the barrel but the model I am looking at says it has a QPQ finish and is not chrome lined. Is it recommended to wait for a chrome lined barrel to be in stock from BA or another reputable company or is the QPQ finish adequate? Thanks.
Diz
Regular Member
Well you will get different opinions on this. Traditionalists insist on chrome-lined, and for good reasons. They are the gold standard. If you have high-use rifles in high humidity areas, it's pretty much a requirement.
However, with that being said, the new finishes do work. Especially if your firing schedule isn't that heavy and you don't routinely patrol in swampy areas. I've had several BA bbls with QPQ finish for over 4 years now and they have worked out just fine. No corrosion issues, even though I live in the deep south. And do a bit of woodland patrolling.
I recently switched one rifle to a BA 10.3" "Crane Spec" bbl, with is chromed lined, so now I'm running both, side by side. So I would say if you're building a "MK 18" type rifle, then get the "Crane Spec" bbl, which just happens to be chromed-lined, and drive on. If I was building another 14.5" model, I would probably buy another BA QPQ bbl.
This is just one man's opinion. I have had good luck with BA bbls in general and think the new finishes are going to prove out to be a valid alternative to chrome-lined. But you could say the jury is still out on that one. So chrome-lined, sure bet; QPQ probably gonna prove to be good.
However, with that being said, the new finishes do work. Especially if your firing schedule isn't that heavy and you don't routinely patrol in swampy areas. I've had several BA bbls with QPQ finish for over 4 years now and they have worked out just fine. No corrosion issues, even though I live in the deep south. And do a bit of woodland patrolling.
I recently switched one rifle to a BA 10.3" "Crane Spec" bbl, with is chromed lined, so now I'm running both, side by side. So I would say if you're building a "MK 18" type rifle, then get the "Crane Spec" bbl, which just happens to be chromed-lined, and drive on. If I was building another 14.5" model, I would probably buy another BA QPQ bbl.
This is just one man's opinion. I have had good luck with BA bbls in general and think the new finishes are going to prove out to be a valid alternative to chrome-lined. But you could say the jury is still out on that one. So chrome-lined, sure bet; QPQ probably gonna prove to be good.
For "defensive purposes" your range and accuracy requirements are greatly reduced, and while you should always go for the best performance possible, most of the issues with barrel life start showing up at 100 yards as the barrel wears out.
Barrel life is 100% dependent on firing schedule, and from talking to local ranges, melonited barrels with semi-auto use generally yield 20K lifespan, and 70K for CHF/CL barrels. Shot out being 4" at 100 yards be my definition!
Barrel life is 100% dependent on firing schedule, and from talking to local ranges, melonited barrels with semi-auto use generally yield 20K lifespan, and 70K for CHF/CL barrels. Shot out being 4" at 100 yards be my definition!
Diz
Regular Member
Interesting. I just watched a SOLGW interview with "Press Check" and they seem to think the QPQ bbls are just as good as the chrome-lined ones. In fact they have a life-time guarantee on their QPQ bbls. If you shoot it out, they will replace it. According to the vid, their destructive testing found pretty much an overlap in performance. So I guess opinions vary. I do know a chrome-lined bbl can be twice as expensive as a QPQ one.
They did mention that rd counts can vary widely; not so much whether it's chrome-lined or not, but what kind of firing schedule, whether it's suppressed or not, full auto, etc. So they don't guarantee a rd count, just if you shoot it out, they will replace it. Which sounds crazy at first but if you think about it, most guys never shoot out a bbl. And if they do, they figure that's the guy they want to have their bbl cuz he's a walking advertisement.
Disclaimer: I don't know SOLGW or Chuck; I didn't receive any money or other compensation to say this. I usually buy BA bbls. It's the internet and you don't know me or my motives. All I can say is I like my QPQ bbls so far and would recommend them to someone else. I've never shot over 10K rds through any one bbl in my life, so as long as it gets me there, I'm GTG.
They did mention that rd counts can vary widely; not so much whether it's chrome-lined or not, but what kind of firing schedule, whether it's suppressed or not, full auto, etc. So they don't guarantee a rd count, just if you shoot it out, they will replace it. Which sounds crazy at first but if you think about it, most guys never shoot out a bbl. And if they do, they figure that's the guy they want to have their bbl cuz he's a walking advertisement.
Disclaimer: I don't know SOLGW or Chuck; I didn't receive any money or other compensation to say this. I usually buy BA bbls. It's the internet and you don't know me or my motives. All I can say is I like my QPQ bbls so far and would recommend them to someone else. I've never shot over 10K rds through any one bbl in my life, so as long as it gets me there, I'm GTG.
Thanks for the replies. I have decided to go with a BA 16" mid length qpq barrel as I don't think my use case will be extreme enough to require the benefits of chrome lined over qpq. I don't even know when I'll be able to afford to put a significant number of rounds through the barrel considering ammo costs these days.
Diz
Regular Member
There are so many variables that go into these things; it sounds like you have a good handle on what your requirements are/may be and have procured accordingly. Some times it's hard for the average bear to process all the info out there and act on it. You have to separate the extreme use from what you would likely see. Although we would all like to have the best mil-spec stuff, shoot 10K+ rds a year, and be expert fighters, the reality is most of us fall far short of that. But it doesn't mean you don't try at all. We do what we can, with what we have.
On ammo costs. Regardless, buy as much ammo as you can afford. The money you paid will be far less compared to it's actual value when needed. It's just a number; don't think in terms on "when prices get back to normal"; think of it as that gas station sign that says: "Last chance for gas, 300 miles" (Obscure reference to the 60's; you guys probably don't remember anything like that).
On ammo costs. Regardless, buy as much ammo as you can afford. The money you paid will be far less compared to it's actual value when needed. It's just a number; don't think in terms on "when prices get back to normal"; think of it as that gas station sign that says: "Last chance for gas, 300 miles" (Obscure reference to the 60's; you guys probably don't remember anything like that).