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How to Test a Chrome Moly Ice Blue Stainless Steel Barrel

Chrome moly barrels and stainless steel barrels are both used on guns ranging from hunting rifles to personal protection handguns. Manufacturers like Krieger Barrels say that there's effectively no difference between the barrels in shooting, but if you want to test the barrels, there's only one way to do so. Take the gun to a firing range and fire some test rounds to see which barrel works better for what you want.

Things You'll Need

Bore light
Ear protection
Eye protection
Ammunition
Gun cleaning kit

Instructions

- 1
  Check the guns to be sure they're unloaded. Test using two of the same weapon, one with a chrome moly barrel and the other with a stainless steel barrel. Examine the exterior of the barrels for dings, scratches and rust. Use a barrel light, or any small flashlight, to look inside the barrels. If the barrels are oiled, clean them by lightly spraying them with barrel cleaner and swabbing them out. Oil can sometimes hide imperfections and barrel problems. Once they're clean, examine the inside of the barrels to be sure there aren't pockmarks or spots of rust.
- 2
  Set up a target at a range within your skill. Ten to 15 yards is a typical range for handguns; at least double that range can be used for rifles. Put on ear protection and eye protection, and load the gun.
- 3
  Fire at least 50 test rounds with each barrel, changing targets as necessary. Evaluate the feeling of shooting with the stainless steel or chrome moly barrel, and check the groupings for your shots on the separate targets. When finished, unload the guns and examine the barrels to see if any damage or noticeable changes have occurred. If you're evaluating for personal use, it will largely come down to which barrel you feel performs better and fits your shooting goals.

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