Chromoly Barrel Accuracy?

I decided to rebarrel my 308 10T to a 6.5 Creedmoor and started my research on what barrel to buy. I planned on going with stainless but stumbled upon a good deal for a chromoly that is otherwise just what I was looking for at $100 cheaper than what I was expecting to pay. This barrel is made by Apache so I have full confidence in the craftsmanship after reading his customers' testimonials on here. I have dreams of shooting 1/2MOA at 100 and ringing steel at 1000yrds with this gun and I do reload. I tend to reload on the hot end. I would eventually like to get into competition shooting as well. Might drop this action into a chassis at some point.

I understand that SS tends to be more accurate than chromoly, but if you were in my shoes - does the cost savings outweigh the potential compromise in accuracy? Should I even expect less accuracy from the chromoly barrel? I see that chromoly is offered by many of the top barrel makers, so I assume it can't be all that bad? What kind of accuracy hit can I expect?

Thanks all!

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Originally Posted by Chrazy-Chris

I decided to rebarrel my 308 10T to a 6.5 Creedmoor and started my research on what barrel to buy. I planned on going with stainless but stumbled upon a good deal for a chromoly that is otherwise just what I was looking for at $100 cheaper than what I was expecting to pay. This barrel is made by Apache so I have full confidence in the craftsmanship after reading his customers' testimonials on here. I have dreams of shooting 1/2MOA at 100 and ringing steel at 1000yrds with this gun and I do reload. I tend to reload on the hot end. I would eventually like to get into competition shooting as well. Might drop this action into a chassis at some point.

I understand that SS tends to be more accurate than chromoly, but if you were in my shoes - does the cost savings outweigh the potential compromise in accuracy? Should I even expect less accuracy from the chromoly barrel? I see that chromoly is offered by many of the top barrel makers, so I assume it can't be all that bad? What kind of accuracy hit can I expect?

Thanks all!

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Let me put you in my shoes. Bought a Savage 116 for the action. Dropped it in an MDT ESS chassis. Chamber is a 260 Dingo(wildcat based on 6.5-06). Vortex Razor Gen II 4.5-27x56. I had the same issue deciding between stainless and chrome moly. Go stainless and don't go back. I did testing on the two different barrel blanks (SS vs CM) and found the stainless to be a better choice for accuracy and barrel longevity in this cartridge. The BIG issue you have is twist and twist pattern. I went with a PacNor 3 groove. Made a HUGE difference and is much easier/faster to clean.

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You will be fine, his work a+

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Originally Posted by Chrazy-Chris

1) I understand that SS tends to be more accurate than chromoly, but if you were in my shoes - does the cost savings outweigh the potential compromise in accuracy?
2) Should I even expect less accuracy from the chromoly barrel?
3) I see that chromoly is offered by many of the top barrel makers, so I assume it can't be all that bad?
4) What kind of accuracy hit can I expect?

Thanks all!

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1) The only way that is true, is if they took more care in the production of it; Heat treating, tooling, etc
2) Only if you think he has different grades of products he sells.
3) CM is the original barrel material, Stainless is relatively new. Stainless can tend to be more brittle in extreme cold weather.
4) Ask Apache.

I personally don't have any preference between materials, and have shot heaps of both. Since you like to shoot hot loads, if you actually shoot a high volume of rounds, the Stainless could offer longer life. Stainless work hardens, so will wear a bit longer perhaps. But remember barrels are like tires. They have a purpose, and wear with use. The harder you use them, the faster they wear out. There is no 80,000 mile tire that offers any real performance grip for the track. Likewise if you want a barrel to shoot 50,000 rounds of overloads, don't expect the accuracy to always be 0.25 moa.

When I asked the barrel maker I use, "which should I get, C/M or SS, the answer was "either one". When pushed they told me that they preferred SS mainly because it was a little easier to machine on their end but both were the same for accuracy and longevity.

For Actions I would consider C/M for the simple fact that SS is more prone to galling in the bolt locking lug area.

FWIW, the actual differences are probably so small that most shooters will never notice the difference, even among the "top guns".

That is my take as well.

As you are going to wear a barrel out, and with your hot shooting even more so, take the CM and shoot it out. You will be money ahead as no barrel material will get you the $100 you save.

Then get a Lothar Walther and see if it does better (they use harder stainless and CM.)

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet, and you didn't specify in your original post, is whether the CM barrel comes already blued or not (most don't). If not there goes your cost savings as you will have to pay a local gunsmith to blue it for you.

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Originally Posted by MrFurious

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet, and you didn't specify in your original post, is whether the CM barrel comes already blued or not (most don't). If not there goes your cost savings as you will have to pay a local gunsmith to blue it for you.

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True, but that gives him the opportunity to polish it to a mirror finish. And there's nothing that looks better than a mirror blued firearm.

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Originally Posted by MrFurious

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet, and you didn't specify in your original post, is whether the CM barrel comes already blued or not (most don't). If not there goes your cost savings as you will have to pay a local gunsmith to blue it for you.

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Actually if you can keep it dry or put a bit of oil on it, you can leave it in the white.

Not a good idea for a hunting gun but for target and bench rest, saves some money.

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Originally Posted by RC20

Actually if you can keep it dry or put a bit of oil on it, you can leave it in the white.

Not a good idea for a hunting gun but for target and bench rest, saves some money.

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And depending on his relationship with his smith, he could barter the work. That's what I do. Got my Remington 41 reblued for the price of boring muzzle brake blanks.

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