mysticalflight
New member
I am in the process of building another AR. I am going heavy barrel on this one. Is there an accuracy advantage between stainless versus non chrome lined carbon steel?
Stainless versus steel
- Thread starter mysticalflight
- Start date
Widow maker 223
Well-known member
No but it sure is nice not having to worry about a SS bore rusting.
Coyotejunki
Well-known member
Originally Posted By: Widow maker 223No but it sure is nice not having to worry about a SS bore rusting.
SS rifle barrels do rust. Just not as fast as Chrome moly barrels.
SS rifle barrels do rust. Just not as fast as Chrome moly barrels.
Widow maker 223
Well-known member
I know they do, but it really takes some major abuse to make one rust. I have never lubed mine but it gets shot constantly rear round.
Coyotejunki
Well-known member
Some don't know this apparently.
I was at a Cabela's looking at a SS rifle that had some orangish colored rust specks on it. I mentioned that it looks like rust pitting, the guy behind the counter gave me the "your an idiot" look and loudly proclaimed that SS doesn't rust. He wouldn't believe me, until another guy behind the counter corrected him.
I was at a Cabela's looking at a SS rifle that had some orangish colored rust specks on it. I mentioned that it looks like rust pitting, the guy behind the counter gave me the "your an idiot" look and loudly proclaimed that SS doesn't rust. He wouldn't believe me, until another guy behind the counter corrected him.
Jamie-Z
New member
Stainless barrels hold their accuracy longer, they are more resistant to throat erosion.
Quote:Barrel Steel
Ninety percent of Lilja's customers want stainless steel barrels. A good percentage of those are hunters who want the resistance to weather provided by stainless steel. Lilja uses 416 stainless. A stainless barrel has a longer and more accurate life than the standard 4140-type chrome/molybdenum steel barrel because stainless steel resists heat erosion in the throat better. "I also get a better final finish with stainless," Lilja said.
However, there is still a demand for chrome-moly barrels. Most of the chrome-moly barrels Lilja makes are for high-grade custom hunting rifles with custom made wood stocks. And, some shooters still insist on having a blued barrel.
What steel works best depends on the makeup of the bullets intended for the rifle. For instance, for the 50 Browning machine gun cartridge a stainless steel barrel will last longer and foul less shooting conventional copper-jacketed bullets, such as the Hornady. But a barrel of chrome/moly steel will probably last longer firing lathe-turned bullets made from brass, bronze, copper or steel.
When Lilja orders the bars of barrel steel he tells the steel mill the steel is for rifle barrels. "I specify a narrower range of alloys in the steel," he said. Lilja also expects the mill to keep the metal clean and the bars round and straight when they are rolled.
Quote:Barrel Steel
Ninety percent of Lilja's customers want stainless steel barrels. A good percentage of those are hunters who want the resistance to weather provided by stainless steel. Lilja uses 416 stainless. A stainless barrel has a longer and more accurate life than the standard 4140-type chrome/molybdenum steel barrel because stainless steel resists heat erosion in the throat better. "I also get a better final finish with stainless," Lilja said.
However, there is still a demand for chrome-moly barrels. Most of the chrome-moly barrels Lilja makes are for high-grade custom hunting rifles with custom made wood stocks. And, some shooters still insist on having a blued barrel.
What steel works best depends on the makeup of the bullets intended for the rifle. For instance, for the 50 Browning machine gun cartridge a stainless steel barrel will last longer and foul less shooting conventional copper-jacketed bullets, such as the Hornady. But a barrel of chrome/moly steel will probably last longer firing lathe-turned bullets made from brass, bronze, copper or steel.
When Lilja orders the bars of barrel steel he tells the steel mill the steel is for rifle barrels. "I specify a narrower range of alloys in the steel," he said. Lilja also expects the mill to keep the metal clean and the bars round and straight when they are rolled.