Was Talking to a gunsmith in my local gunshop last night and he really had a dislike for stainless actions, is this the general feeling for all smiths ??

Do many people actually build custom guns on stainless actions ??

No. I build guns for all climates and stainless steel is a big part of the business.

There's been some serious cold weather hunters that have no use for stainless barrels. If you try to buy a Krieger stainless in a small taper, you can't. I've never heard of one coming apart in cold weather. But, some think they can?????

I've got some stainless barrels in my collection.

Yeh this guy mainly critizised Stainless actions.

The first time I heard of stainless barrel failure in cold weather was from famous barrel maker, Boots Obermeyer....I's a FACT! I'm truly amazed this problem is such a well kept secret. Lawyers might have a ball with this!

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
The first time I heard of stainless barrel failure in cold weather was from famous barrel maker, Boots Obermeyer....I's a FACT! I'm truly amazed this problem is such a well kept secret. Lawyers might have a ball with this!

Like I said, I build rifles for abusive climates and environments. I use both stainless and Chrome Moly. Those customers who's rifles I've built using stainless have been used in some pretty cold climates and without a single problem.

While I've heard stories, I don't have actual first hand knowledge of, or, experience with any failures. Duane, I would be interested in hearing any problems you've personally witnessed, or, experienced with stainless and cold temperatures.

www.crucibleservice.com says their version of 416 ,the most common stainless for barrels, is good to -40 F !!

This is a severly beat horse here on AR. The reason it's a problem is cause they use crap steel and the stuff is hard to machine too. Plus serious stainless is seriously expensive. Scrapping a couple thousand dollars worth of barrel is not an option for most.

I don't know what kind of "crap steel" is used in the barrels and actions, that you use, but, the steel used by most US custom barrel makers, and action makers, is very easy to machine.

quote:

Originally posted by PC:
Was Talking to a gunsmith in my local gunshop last night and he really had a dislike for stainless actions, is this the general feeling for all smiths ??

Do many people actually build custom guns on stainless actions ??

Stainless is a little hard on taps, hard and stringy.

Westpac: Maybe the problem has been corrected...thru use of some different alloys...Obermeyer experience was about 12 yrs. ago..I saw the barrel. split like a gutted fish. Further opinions can be sought from Kreiger, Lilja, Channlyn. For sporters, I never saw an advantage in stainless, so never use it.

Bill Soverns and I have been communicating on a M-70 Classic Stainless that we're going to make into a .264 Win Mag, with a few bells and whistles. I happened to have a stainless action, and figured stainless would extend the life of the .264 barrel. I'll have the whole thing wonder-coated in a ceramic finish which will match exactly the Leupold I glass it with. Bill is going to stock it in a lovely piece of English I have here.

Sako had some barrels that split in cold weather. I understand that they got a bad lot of Stainless. I know that Shilen and Kreiger have a minimum size for their stainless barrels. It is something like .200 total over groove size. Kreiger made some with 410 stainless for lighter contours for a while. I think that they have been discontinued.
Butch

I keep hearing that Lothar Walther stainless steel barrels is hard to machine.

I read that the stainless in Ruger 454 revolvers very difficult to machine.


But from personal experience, Shilen stainless cuts like buddah.


Linda Richman

Not all stainless is "hard and stringy". 416 stainless, (barrels and some rifle actions) is a pleasure to turn, chamber, drill and tap. Having said that, 304 stainless is a pain in the a$$ to machine or drill and tap, 303, on the other hand, is easily machinable. As for the Ruger actions and parts, they are investment cast, I don't know the alloy, but are almost impossible to drill or tap.