M&P 15 Sport Melonite Question

[Trash Can Man]

Is the M&P 15 Sport's Barrel bore lined with Melonite or just the exterior?
Salesman said only the exterior is Melonite.

I recall ready [somewhere on line] that S&W ran 170.000 rounds through the M&P15 Sport to test the wear on the Melonite.And the conclusion was that is was as good if not better than a chrome lined barrel.

 

[Wraith413]

It's Melonite inside and out. Also Melonite is not a coating, it's a process done to the metal itself.

 

[oneyeopn]

If you look up at the sticky threads you will find one called barrel specs for sport.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-m-p15-rifle/213731-barrel-specs-sport.html
this will explain the melonite process, and the salesman at the LGS doesnt have a clue what he is talking about.

 

[S&WOkie]

...the salesman at the LGS doesnt have a clue what he is talking about.

They rarely do.

 

[Trash Can Man]

Yeah, that's what I thought. Just wanted to hear from knowledgable people here at the forum.
Thanks for the subject link...I'm going there now.

 

[JaPes]

From my limited experience....

Chrome lined barrels are just that, an additional layer of hard chrome added to the bore of the barrel. The barrels are manufactured to take into account the additional material that will be added to the bore. I'm told it adds additional manufacturing expense. The positive is that the hard chrome adds hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and lubricity, but at the expense of accuracy.

Chrome Moly Vandium non-lined barrels do not have a chrome lining, and have slightly less wear, corrosion, harness, etc. The upside is that since there is no additional material in the bore, the unlined barrel is inherently more accurate.

Now this is where Melonite (Salt Bath Nitriding) turns the two traditional options on their head.

Melonite is a treatment to the metal itself, not an additional layer so inherent accuracy is not degraded. The Melonite process treats a layer of the metal that is thicker than a layer of hard chrome. The Melonite process imparts upon the metal increased hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance. The Melonite process is also a less expensive manufacturing step than hard chrome lining.

Win-Win.

I personally own a 15-Sport with a Melonite barrel, and an RGuns upper with a non-lined barrel. Both are equally accurate to the same distance with the same ammo.

I haven't owned (yet) a chrome lined barrel for comparison.

Keep on reading about the differences, it's good stuff.

 

[oneyeopn]

I like JaPes also own a Melonite barrel and a non-lined barrel. I figure that if I do ever wear it out I have so little actual money in the rifle that I will replace it with a Melonite treated barrel. Glock Barrels are Tennifer treated, same stuff. I notice when reading my American Rifleman that more and more companies are offering Melonite treated barrels, even rifles that never had a chrome bore to begin with. It just makes for a better rifle barrel.

 

[oneyeopn]

One other advantage to melonite is the barrel throat erosion is seriously reduced because the melonite is so much harder than the chrome.

 

[Maddmax]

the salesman at the LGS doesnt have a clue what he is talking about.

You hit that nail square on the head. That's why I do tons of research before buying any "new" weapon and having all the info up front. At any LGS,I like playing dumb and quizzing the sales people/person about what I'm looking for. Amazing how many don't have a clue and try BS'n their way through. I prefer an "I don't know" person over a "smoke blowing know it all".

 

[shawn mccarver]

Is the M&P 15 Sport's Barrel bore lined with Melonite or just the exterior?
Salesman said only the exterior is Melonite.

I recall ready [somewhere on line] that S&W ran 170.000 rounds through the M&P15 Sport to test the wear on the Melonite.And the conclusion was that is was as good if not better than a chrome lined barrel.

Top 3 Rules to Remember When Dealing with the LGS (Local Gun Store):
3. Everyone in the place is dull and apparently has NEVER learned to read even the most basic information about the guns they sell.

2. Everyone in the place is dull and assumes you are also.

1. Everyone in the place is dull and will tell you ANYTHING to sell you a gun.

Conclusion: Do your own research and NEVER believe ANYTHING you are told by the ordinary salesman in ANY gun store.

These same rules apply to, in the words of Skeeter Skelton, the fat, cheeseburger-fragment spewing loud mouth behind the table at EVERY GUN SHOW who has the most valuable gun in the world on his table, and will sell it to you for 4 times the going rate, apparently thinking the BIG FAT LIE he tells about his prize firearm makes it worth it to you to get screwed without being kissed.

Never listen to armchair commandos, gun store guys who say they "used to be on the teams" (what they mean is the junior high football team, until kicked off for being an inept, out of shape fat-so, not the SEALS) or the "error-net" expert who knows everything about everything.

Thankfully, there are sites like this filled with people who will help you way above and beyond what ANY gun store employee will, and who have a combined knowledge about S&W equivalent to many of the people who have worked at the factory. I encourage you to always ask about any concern you have to the nice people here, and I would say that 99% of the time, you will get the correct advice.

Good luck.

Oh, and the barrel has the melonite treatment on the inside instead of the chrome lining on the pricier M&P 15s.

 

[Trash Can Man]

That's good advice Shawn...I did listen to the salesman's pitch [with one ear] but did know enough about the M&P15 before buying It.

 

[TangoFoxtrot]

If you look up at the sticky threads you will find one called barrel specs for sport.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-m-p15-rifle/213731-barrel-specs-sport.html
this will explain the melonite process, and the salesman at the LGS doesnt have a clue what he is talking about.

Amen to that