Is tikka t3x stainless really stainless?

316 (A4) would be a marine grade stainless for fittings on boats used in salt water, 304 (A2) maybe ok for fresh water. 416 that is used for rifle barrels and actions can be heat treated and machines nicer. I don't think it makes sense to try use 316 on a rifle. Think the Germans developed the 304/316 grade in ww2 called it VA 2&4 Stahl, Versuchsstahl.
My take, 416 needs a bit of time to wear in and let the chrome on the surface oxidise. Rub down with a oily cloth every now and then, it will rust less and less.
edi
 
I maintain all of my guns constantly oiling/cleaning/ checking for rust,etc and mt tikka t3 lite has a few dot sized rust spots in tight areas like scipe mounts and stocks.no problem because I catch it and clean it.But every single stainless gun I own does the same thing,even being oiled it will still pop up someplace.

The worst firarm I owned for rusting was a cheap wolf blued muzzleloader,that thing would rust and bluing flake off just looking at it.It actually rusted while coated in oil,which you would think impossible.Metal today is crap.
 
buck knife said:
I maintain all of my guns constantly oiling/cleaning/ checking for rust,etc and mt tikka t3 lite has a few dot sized rust spots in tight areas like scipe mounts and stocks.no problem because I catch it and clean it.But every single stainless gun I own does the same thing,even being oiled it will still pop up someplace.

The worst firarm I owned for rusting was a cheap wolf blued muzzleloader,that thing would rust and bluing flake off just looking at it.It actually rusted while coated in oil,which you would think impossible.Metal today is crap.
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Recon the steel might not be the issue. Maybe more lousy bluing job as well as lousy final treatment after bluing. All blued guns / rifles I get are washed inside and out with hot soapy water , almost boiling. Once blown off and dry re-apply good oil to the surface. No harm doing this once a year on hunting rifles that are well used.

edi
 
Jeffwz said:
I would like to hear some real experience. I know the question sounds stupid but I am 100% sure that I read somewhere in a comment that a guy complains about his stainless got rusted after two seasons.[/QUOTE

IT really doesn’t RUST it just browns a bit if you use it out in Bad weather a lot BUT. If you treat it and wipe it with G96 Gun Treatment
It won’t even brown ! RJ
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Jeffwz said:
I would like to hear some real experience. I know the question sounds stupid but I am 100% sure that I read somewhere in a comment that a guy complains about his stainless got rusted after two seasons.[/QUOTE

Yes it IS !
IT really doesn’t RUST it just browns a bit if you use it out in Bad weather a lot BUT. If you treat it and wipe it with G96 Gun Treatment
It won’t even brown ! RJ
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B said:
All stainless steel can rust. Why is this apparently news to so many people the last couple days??
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Not all. Very few modern rusty sinks, or spoons out there. There are actually large differences in the resistance of different stainless alloys. Winchesters New Haven M70s were near infallible, I subjected it to constant ocean salt spray guiding from the boat, and rain 3/4s of the time. It never dried, and nothing but some small internals or sights ever coloured on them. T3’s alloy however will, and we saw specs (mostly blackish however) on clients T3s, much better than blued rifles however. Ruger’s stainless is also really damn stainless.

nmo getting ambient with how those Winchesters lived all season.

k0FHgkd.jpg


AN38k2g.jpg
 
Ardent said:
Not all. Very few modern rusty sinks, or spoons out there. There are actually large differences in the resistance of different stainless alloys. Winchesters New Haven M70s were near infallible, I subjected it to constant ocean salt spray guiding from the boat, and rain 3/4s of the time. It never dried, and nothing but some small internals or sights ever coloured on them. T3’s alloy however will, and we saw specs (mostly blackish however) on clients T3s, much better than blued rifles however. Ruger’s stainless is also really damn stainless.

nmo getting ambient with how those Winchesters lived all season.

k0FHgkd.jpg


AN38k2g.jpg
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Great pics! Very happy with my Win model 70's and Rugers
 
Rugers rust and I'm nowhere near salt water. A week of rainy or dewy elk season living in a tent and you're likely to get rust. Same with Kimbers. There are some steels that are pretty much rust proof in any realistic scenario but they aren't used in firearms manufacture as far as I'm aware.

Pulled my Kimber Montana 338 Fed out yesterday to swap scopes on it and was saddened by the amount of rust speckling. Thing has been wet for a good percentage of it's life though.
 
Ruger MK II's with the polished/shiny stainless are one of the best for rust resistance, the Bead blasted Matte stainless Hawkeyes...not so much. There is a difference.
 
The mkii stainless are ####ing invincible lol

I found that the blued Tikkas I’ve owned were not prone to rust. I used one a lot in extreme cold; condensation in and out of the truck etc. Never subjected it to salt water though. I had another that experienced sal####er on rigid inflatables, temp fluctuations, rain etc and rarely collected any rust with routine maintenance

Took a stainless a7 on a couple week + long backpack and boat trips and it didn’t rust with pretty minimal maintenance; wet area but not coastal (salty). Assume that’s the same steel as a tikka


Using blued guns on VI and nw coast I found that modern remingtons and cheapo Americans rusted if you looked at them funny. I had a newer production model 7 I carried doing forestry assessment near kitimat and it looked like a Alexander Henry sealing rifle after a 12 day shift with constant oiling

I’m sure part of it is finish but machining marks and polish must play a big role? Maybe why Hawkeyes are apparently more prone to rust?
 
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conor_90 said:
The mkii stainless are ####ing invincible lol

I found that the blued Tikkas I’ve owned were not prone to rust. I used one a lot in extreme cold; condensation in and out of the truck etc. Never subjected it to salt water though. I had another that experienced sal####er on rigid inflatables, temp fluctuations, rain etc and rarely collected any rust with routine maintenance

Took a stainless a7 on a couple week + long backpack and boat trips and it didn’t rust with pretty minimal maintenance; wet area but not coastal (salty). Assume that’s the same steel as a tikka


Using blued guns on VI and nw coast I found that modern remingtons and cheapo Americans rusted if you looked at them funny. I had a newer production model 7 I carried doing forestry assessment near kitimat and it looked like a Alexander Henry sealing rifle after a 12 day shift with constant oiling

I’m sure part of it is finish but machining marks and polish must play a big role? Maybe why Hawkeyes are apparently more prone to rust?
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I'm a big fan of the blued T3(x). I've got one of the originals that's been rode hard and not a spot of rust.
 
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