Looking at Bushmaster’s website, their standard, Plain-Jane A2/A3 HBAR’s with chrome-lined 20-inch barrels are listed as “Competition” models. I was under the impression that a chromed barrel gave up a bit in the accuracy department as compared to a stainless barrel.
Does the HBAR configuration offset this to some extent?
Just a marketing gimmack. Chrome is great for fighting guns but for target guns Stainless is more accurate.
Pat
Your impression is correct. The next time you go to a highpower match, check out what guns people are using. Most of the Service Rifle shooters will be using a stainless barrel (Krieger, Douglas, Obermeyer, etc.) with some using chrome-moly. Almost all of the Match rifle shooters will be using a name-brand stainless barrel. The only people using a chrome-lined barrel will be new shooters who are making do with what they have until they can get a rifle built.
If you already have a BM “competition” gun, go ahead and use it. But if you don’t have one, don’t buy one. Talk to one of the recognized ‘smiths (Frank White/CLE, John Holliger/White Oak, etc.) first. Then spend your money.
On the other hand, if you want a gun for hard, fighting, or full-auto use, you want chrome lined. The decrease in accuracy matters in highpower competition (and probably varmint shooting) but not 3-gun competition or real-world use.