AR556 Barrel

[Ruger Nut]

I'm seriously thinking about swapping out my AR556 barrel, or having it Nitride coated, inside and out.
Opinions? (Try not to beat me up too bad.)

 

[Mobuck]

ASSuming you have the proper tools, swapping AR barrels isn't normally a difficult task. The Ruger barrel nut may be somewhat different vs the "mil-spec" version so maybe check that out before getting into the job and not having the right tool. Having the original barrel "nitrided" is probably not cost effective.
Why are you swapping and/or what do you expect the replacement barrel to gain? I do a fair amount of AR tinkering and as many have noticed, I'm not bashful about offering opinions.

 

[Ruger Nut]

I have taken my AR556 out in the very early morning humidity here in Louisiana, just to get very small patches of surface rust on the barrel. And, I am very anal about keeping the whole gun lubed with Ballistol or Hoppes gun oil. I have built 7 AR's prior to owning my AR556, so I do have the tools. And, am very familiar with the AR556's barrel nut. I have replaced OTHER AR556 barrels for friends.
A company in Ohio will Nitride my barrel, inside and out, for $85. And, they pay return shipping.

 

[Mobuck]

That's a decent price although a complete new entry level nitrided barrel is in the $125 range. Your barrel is "phosphated" now? That will have to be polished off before the new finish is applied.
I'm a bit surprised that the original finish isn't doing the job. I have a couple of AR's that live outside, are handled frequently in all sorts of conditions(including humidity and rain), and have not shown any surface rust. The military chose phosphating as a durable non-reflective finish.
Nitride is both slicker and harder which I've found may(?) improve ballistic performance. If you're satisfied with the performance of the original barrel and don't have any intention of changing length or contour, the $85 refinish might be the answer.

 

[Ruger Nut]

What are you putting on your barrel to keep the surface rust free? I would like to try some of what you're using.

 

[Mobuck]

Dust is the only thing on the barrel. The UTV rifle gets a bore snake once every month or two and I try to keep the boys from grabbing the barrel with sweaty hands but that's the sum of the care. About twice a year, I bring it inside and give it a full internal and bore brush cleaning. At that time, I wipe the exterior with a rag spritzed with whatever spray lube stuff is sitting on the bench(usually RemLube spray).
My coyote calling rifle has a nitrided barrel which I do like as it seems to need less bore cleaning and holds it's accuracy between cleanings. Suppressors create a very dirty bore quickly unless the bore is super slickery.

 

[Ruger Nut]

I have never used REMOIL. Doesn't it have Teflon in it?

 

[Mobuck]

I haven't paid much attention to the ingredients. I bought an entire case of the stuff on a promo sale years ago and using the last can now to spray on the "wipe down" rag. I'm not a gun lube connoisseur. I use CLP/Mobil 1 (0W20)/Remlube/wheel bearing grease/WD40 depending on purpose and convenience.
I have been considering your specific issue with the surface rust and suspect that the "parkerizing" (phosphate finish) on your rifle is thin or not properly applied. If the color is a very light gray, you may need to get it well warmed up (like laying in the sun on a hot day) and give it a good wipe down with some sort of "dino oil". This will darken the surface and may help with your surface rusting issue. At this point, I'm out of suggestions as I've just not had to deal with this problem.

 

[daveg.inkc]

Why change? My AR 556 shoots great. Several 100 yrd targets that a dime will cover the groups. I've posted pictures here before. 1/2 MOA with M855 ammo.