Chrome moly vs Stainless Steel

M

Michael J. McCasland

New member
Not long ago this subject came up but while doing a search I could not find it.

Which barrel actually lasts longer. I know what the common wisdom is on this subject but last week while having a stainless steel 22-250AI barrel installed my rather old fashioned gunsmith went on and on about how the barrel would not last as long as a chrome moly barrel and that I was going to get about 600 rounds out of the barrel etc, etc, etc ............ honestly the diatribe on how I was using the wrong equipement (a 700 Remington action as apposed to a pre-64 model 70) and parts (JGS reemers, Darrel Holland recoil lug, the wrong shaped stock with cooling vents, a twist rate that was to quick, not having a fire forming action .......) got rather old.

I seem to remember that there actually was some discussion on this subject a little while ago here. So, is there any truth in the story that a chrome moly barrel will out last a stainless steel barrel in a case like the 22-250AI?
 
Hardness test both the barrels. I would assume that the harder barrel will be more wear resistant.

Generally speaking SS (12%+ Cr) is not as hardenable as carbon steel. This is why most carbon steel knife blades will take/hold an edge better than a SS knife blade. Also True SS and stain "resistant" steel are not the same. I've seen many knives that are marketed as stain resistant. This is done as an attempt to combine the desireable properties of both types of steel.

There are multitudes of different steel alloys, but not knowing exactly the SS alloy you purchased or it's properties I can only speculate.

If you spent $$$ on the barrel it will last a long time. SS has come a long way. I heard that early attempts to make firearms using SS resulted in increased wear and galling.

I'll guess your alloy is 440C.
 
Almost all SS barrels are made from 416R or a close relative.

All I know about the subject is what I hear - "conventional wisdom". Although, I have personally worn out several .22-250 barrels, two ChroMo and one SS. They all lasted about the same, being completely toast (and I mean completely) at about 2500 rounds.

All else being equal, I think shooting and cleaning habits probably have far more to do with barrel life than SS vs. ChroMo.

- DAA
 
I'd think that it has more to do with treating processes done to the barrel during its manufacture. This will have a lot to do with how the barrel ultimately wears.
 
Mrgunslinger - I care, if I didn't I would not have asked the question. I'd bet that someone looking at the purchase of a new barrel might care. It was widely believed that a stainless barrel would resist heat errosion much longer than chrome moly. If this is simply hype some folks might be interested. I like a stainless barrel because it does not need to be blued, this can save quite a bit of money when it comes to a rebarrel job. But it would be interesting to find out that an SS barrel actually does not last as long.
 
As long as there is no rapid fire, you probably can not tell the difference. Some people think the SS will last a bit longer because the wear(burn) pattern is more uniform.

If there is going to be much rapid fire shooting, the chrome moly lasts better. The CM conducts heat faster than SS. That keeps the bore temperature lower with CM. the military marksmanship teams used to use all SS barrels, but have gone back to CM for the rapid fire matches to try to get more life out of the barrels.

Jack
 
I just finished reading an article by Steve Hanson, in the book "Precision Shooting At 1000 Yards" published by Precision Shooting Inc., where he interviews some barrel makers etc.

He interviewed:
Bruce A. Thom, president of BAT Machine Co.
Doug Shilen, of Shilen Inc.
Chris Dicter, President of Pac-Nor.
Darrell Holland, Holland's Gunsmithing.
Dal Lilja, Lilja Precision Rifle Barrels Inc.

They all feel that stainless lasts longer, although is more easily damaged by improper cleaning. Of course, they are talking about slow fire at long range, not rapid fire.

Darrell Holland said stainless might have slightly better machine-ability.

Dan Lilja said he can get a little better internal finish with the stainless.

Jack
 
I don't want to take away from the discussion at hand but I have a few questions... I just bought a SS rifle, I thought because it was stainless that it would be harder to damage while cleaning. Cleaning from the chamber end using a bore guide with all brass tipped accesories and a ram rod with a thin plastic coating, I think, I was thinking that the possiblities of damaging the barrel would be minimal. Is there something I should be watching for? I don't want to damage the barrel so what do you guys do when cleaning?

Rapid fire??? Would you say that shooting 5 shot groups one after the other would be too hard on a barrel...or are we talking about unloading a 20 round clip as fast as possible? I have noticed that my barrel heats up pretty quick and stays that way, should I wait a certain amount of time between shots? Any advice would be appreciated...
 
Your cleaning setup looks good. The free-machining stainless used for barrels is pretty soft, softer than the chrome moly steels, so easier scratched. The barrel stainless is designed to machine well. It is not corrosion resistent at all, maybe slightly better than chrome moly, but not much. The corrosion resistent stainless steels are notoriously hard to machine, and making a quality barrel with them is pretty much impossible today.

In match shooting, rapid fire is 10 shots in 60 seconds. Slow fire is 10 shots in 10 minutes. Ripping-off a 20 round magazine, is probably equivalent to 1000 rounds of slow fire, as far as barrel wear goes.

Jack
 
243=death,
I didn't see the article that Jack read, but they could also be talking about cleaning products such as using Sweets and Shooter's Choice together without useing some type of neutralizing agent first. I believe that stainless barrels are more prone to see problems when this combination is used without running a patch of gun oil between using Shooters Choice for cleaning, then using Sweets for copper fouling.

-MP
 
That's good for me to, I don't use any harsh cleaners, just EEZOX.

Thanks for clarifying Jack, I'll have to slow down a bit on the bench just to be on the safe side...
 


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