Differences between stainless and blued steel barrels

I have read/heard that chrome moly steel handles extreme cold better than stainless steel. Other than that most of the technical differences tip in the favor of stainless steel. Classic looks aside.
 
Stainless has a lower tensite strength and is more prone to a barrel splitting from ovstruction, etc. Anyone remember all the SAKO fluted barrels that blew up? All stainless.

Stainless is a perfectly adequate material though if machined and heat treated properly. It WILL rust - I've seen it countless times. It just RESISTS rust more than cromoly barrels do. Don't believe me? Ask your gunsmith. Alot of guys figure it's rustprrof and don't clean after rain for weeks while the gun is cased. They get nasty surprises when they open those plastic cases...

Personally, I much prefer blued steel - but if I lived in a remote area where I was really going to abuse my kit, I'd likely have at least one stainless gun for long treks in wet weather.

In terms of wear, you won;t notice any difference - I'm quite sure.
 
Stainless has a lower tensite strength and is more prone to a barrel splitting from ovstruction, etc. Anyone remember all the SAKO fluted barrels that blew up? All stainless.
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The problem with the sako rifles was a problem with one particular batch of steel.If a bad batch of chromoly steel was used to make barrels,the results would have been very similar.
 
I like them both, bvut i did note in my experience with a Browning Stailess Stalker, that the barrel seemed to scratch easier than what I perceived a Chromalloy barrel would.
The action also had a gummy feel that bugged me.
Other than that, it was a good experience, and I'd buy another if I felt the need.
 
I haven't spent a great deal of time researching the cold temp properties of 416R stainless, but I have heard it is an issue.
The high sulfur content (which helps machining immensely) also attributes to potential stress concentrations. Toss in cold weather and you could have a problem. Seeing some charpy impact tests at -20/-30C would be interesting but not necessarily conclusive of good or poor performance.

I do understand that there is a tendency not to produce pencil barrels in stainless - 416R.

Lothar Walther is producing a supposedly enhanced stainless.

416R will rust....just not as fast as CR MO barrels.

Joe
 
stainless

got lots of blued steel and 2 stainless. blueing wears off sometimes not very evenly and it rusts sometimes despite best efforts-water gets into crevices where oily rags dont go. stainless will keep for a long time with a little care and seems to shoot ok too. kinda pretty too. my .02
 
Stainless and synthetic are for those people that use their rifles to hunt with.Blued steel and wood are for those that prefer to admire their rifles instead.:D
 
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Actually in some instances, the stainless barrel is less obvious in the field then the blued or black versions
 
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