Posted by on 5/4/2022 to
Barrels need to be tough, and everything is relative, so barrels need to be tough relative to the rest of the gun. This is why they are made of steel. They tried making them out of aluminum but they needed something stronger. Steel barrels can be nitrided or stainless, and there are many reasons why you might prefer one over the other. They are both strong and rust-resistant though one may come out on top. Nitrided steel is treated so that it is rust-resistant and is one of the best types of steel for this, though stainless steel is a bit better at corrosion resistance. Unless you are carrying your rifle through rough stuff on the daily: mud, salt water, snow, rain, then you may not need to go for the stainless steel barrel to avoid corrosion. However, if rust is your primary concern then stainless steel is the way to go.
Nitride and stainless steel have different heating properties. Nitride heats quickly but dissipates that heat quickly as well. Stainless steel on the other hand will not heat up as quickly but also does not cool very quickly. It’s been suggested that the military prefers Nitride for these reasons in particular. Apparently firing a machine gun on fully automatic is better if the metal cools like nitrided steel as opposed to resisting heating like stainless steel. Fluted barrels whether nitride or stainless are interesting because they are made to dissipate heat quicker, yet they also heat up quicker since there is less material.
It might come down to how often you plan on firing your weapon and are in the elements. If you take your rifle outdoors often but mostly use it for a few precise shots then stainless steel might work for you. If you like to mag dump at the local range all the time then nitride might be for you. Chances are, whichever you choose will work well. Just keep in mind the barrel’s strengths and limitations, so you can take good care of the most important part of your rifle.