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Posted: 4/4/2006 2:02:55 PM EDT
| If you have a gun that is 100% stainless steel, a semi-auto, could you use corrosive in it and not have it rust? Or am I taking the idea a little too far? I've read that stainless steel can't rust so I was just curious as to the limits of this. |
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I know all about cleaning corrosive ammo, I have 4 Mosin Nagants, I know that the salts attract water and cause rust. What I want to know is if I shoot an all stainless steel gun with corrosive ammo, is it likely to rust? The gun is (I will shamefully admit) a stainless Ruger Mini-30. |
Yes, if you shoot corrosive ammo in a stainless gun without cleaing it propertly afterwords it will rust. Stainless.....its rust resistant, not rust proof. Given sufficient time it will rust if not cleaned properly. |
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The 300 series stainless steels (like 316) are what most people think of when they think corrosion resistant. Unfortunately the 300 series steels can not be heat treated to obtain high strength. They have to be cold worked to get the high mechanical properties. The 400 series stainless steels can be heat treated to obtain mechanical properties, but they are not as corrosion resistant as the 300 series stainless steels. They have less or no nickel content. All guns are manufactured as a series of compromises. Material, machining, surface finish, etc. That's why parts are cast, as opposed to machining from a solid block. Not because cast is better, but for cost reduction in manufacturing. If I could have a firearm made out of any material and I didn't have to worry about material, machining, heat treating costs, etc., my gun would be nickel based Inconel 718. You can get super high mechanical properties, great corrosion resistance - you don't even need a finish on it ,as it has approximately 19% chromium and 52% nickel. Jaymor  |
If you are shooting corrosive ammo, I would strongly reccomend clening immediately after your range session, then follow up with a second cleaning a couple days later. |
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