stainless or blued - accuracy?
- Thread starter popcan
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beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
Gotta' have stainless to be KEWL eh ???
Nipple rings, tats, Doc Martins in camo, anything else ???
Nipple rings, tats, Doc Martins in camo, anything else ???
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Republic of Alberta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- ,location, location
Slimbo said:
I have noticed this as well and asked around. Some people are claiming that some stainless is hard to machine smooth and if you do get it smooth it won't always stay that way with use.
I can see some truth to that. I know with stainless steel pipe fittings if you bugger up the threads a little bit (wich is easy to do besause they gull up) that fitting is NFG. The tread never smooths back out like a carbon steel one will if you work it, it just gulls up worse and worse.
- Location
- Guelph, Ontario
I cannot speak directly to accuracy as i have never fired a rifle with a stainless barrel but i can speak to the material pptys as I have a degree in mechanical engineering.
Stainless steel is an alloy containing chromium, nickel, carbon and iron. Carbon steel (blued) barrels are composed of carbon and iron only. This creates some unique differences between the two alloys. For one the harndness of SS is much higher and the UTS (ultimate tensile strength) is less than carbon. This effect explains why a new rifle in stainless is more "rough" than a carbon as it takes longer to wear the components down and produce that smooth action that is a characteristic of older worn in rifles. The lower strenght of SS means that the barrel must therefore be thicker than the carbon. This can be partially corrected through geometry. Hence fluted barrels.
Lastly SS is a less effective conductor of heat. This coupled with greater wall thickness could POTENTIALLY cause higher levels of warping due to heat if the barrel is excessively hot. I do not really believe that this is an issue for the average user. Now if you are carrying an LMG and putting serious rounds down range then maybe. So there is a quernel of truth but i wouldnt worry about it.
Pipe.
Stainless steel is an alloy containing chromium, nickel, carbon and iron. Carbon steel (blued) barrels are composed of carbon and iron only. This creates some unique differences between the two alloys. For one the harndness of SS is much higher and the UTS (ultimate tensile strength) is less than carbon. This effect explains why a new rifle in stainless is more "rough" than a carbon as it takes longer to wear the components down and produce that smooth action that is a characteristic of older worn in rifles. The lower strenght of SS means that the barrel must therefore be thicker than the carbon. This can be partially corrected through geometry. Hence fluted barrels.
Lastly SS is a less effective conductor of heat. This coupled with greater wall thickness could POTENTIALLY cause higher levels of warping due to heat if the barrel is excessively hot. I do not really believe that this is an issue for the average user. Now if you are carrying an LMG and putting serious rounds down range then maybe. So there is a quernel of truth but i wouldnt worry about it.
Pipe.
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Let's not forget that there are many different stainless alloys out there.Most stainless pipes and fitting are made from non magnetic 300 series stainless which offers the highest corrosion resistance but is the softest and galls quite easily.On the other hand,most rifle actions and barrels are made from 416 stainless which is not as corrosion resistant ,but is much stronger and does not gall nearly as easily.416 stainless is also magnetic.As far as glare goes,I have seen much more glare from highly blued barrels than from bead blasted stainless.
If the quality of workmanship is the same, there will probably be little or no difference in accuracy. However, the stainless, as used in rifle barrel manufacture (with an exception), is more easily machined than is 4140. It is easier to maintain dimensions and easier to attain a good surface finish than it is with chromoly. This is why all of the select match, BR grade barrels are 416 stainless. It is easier for the barrelmaker to make a fine barrel and easier for the gunsmith to do a good job of fitting and chambering. Another way of putting it would be that the best barrel of stainless or chromoly would be equal but the average would favour the stainless steel and the percentage of "best" barrels would be much higher.
The exception I mentioned earlier is the stainless steel used by Lothar Walther. This steel is not easier to machine and, in fact, machiniability is relatively poor. LW seems to think this is a reasonable trade for better barrel life but the BR gunsmiths and competitors appear to disagree with this.
In a hunting rifle, any accuracy advantage would be difficult to prove so it boils down to what you like. I mostly use chromoly on my own because I like blued steel on a sporting rifle. Regards, Bill.
The exception I mentioned earlier is the stainless steel used by Lothar Walther. This steel is not easier to machine and, in fact, machiniability is relatively poor. LW seems to think this is a reasonable trade for better barrel life but the BR gunsmiths and competitors appear to disagree with this.
In a hunting rifle, any accuracy advantage would be difficult to prove so it boils down to what you like. I mostly use chromoly on my own because I like blued steel on a sporting rifle. Regards, Bill.
