[SodaPop]

What kind of metals are used in firearms and which ones are the strongest?

What is the difference between stainless steel and blued metal? Can you blue stainless steel?

What kind of metals have firearms been manufactured in?

[Gabe]

Bluing is basically rusting. Except its done in a controlled way and the patination that forms will protect the steel from further rusting. Blued steel can still rust, but its better than nothing. Stainless steel can rust too, but I'm not sure how you can get it to blue evenly. When stainless steel rust, it tends to pit instead of forming patination. Both stainless and non-stainless steels can be protected by other means, like spray and bake coating, hard chrome, nitriding, etc.



416 stainless - okay strength mild carbon, high chromium stainless, used for barrels and receivers. Stainless steel is not as strong, but strong enough for most applications.

4140 - very strong medium carbon, low chromium steel aka Chromoly or ordinance steel, used for barrels.

4340 - super strong medium carbon steel (basically 4140 with added nickle), used for bolts.

8620 - Very tough but not hard mild carbon steel, (basically 4340 with half the carbon and nickle), used for receivers, triggers.

These are all high quality steels and they are pretty standard fare for modern US manufacturers. Rifles made pre-WWII or in the 2nd World may use cheaper steel like 1040 (basically 4140 with no chromium).

Some high quality custom guns use harder parts (like hammers) made from tool steels such as A2, A6, S7. These are complex steels usually used for cutting tools, dies, jackhammer bits respectively.

Besides steel, alumium alloys are somtimes used. They are however, not nearly as strong.

[Jaywalker]

Gabe,

What a great response! Thanks.

Jaywalker

[Nando Aqui]

Good, quick and to-the-point response by Gabe.

For more 'easy-to-read' details on the metals, go to www.mcmaster.com and for search, enter 'aluminum', or 'stainless steel', or 'steel'. Each one will bring up a list of the common varieties of these metals with easy to understand descriptions and details.

For yet more in-depth specifications, go to www.matweb.com and enter any of the metal designations in the search box (you don't have to login). Then click on any of that metal's configurations displayed to see all the specifications.

Alex

[SodaPop]

What a response!:D

[telewinz]

As the others have said, GREAT response. I have been looking for this information for months! Thanks

[C.R.Sam]

What Gabe and Nando Aqui said so well.

Plus....over the history of firearms, they have been made of nearly anything that didn't melt at room temperature. Including wood, bamboo etc.

Sam

[Nando Aqui]

Not to belabor the point, but in case someone cannot access the McMaster pages I mentioned, here they are. Do look at Gabe's list of what is used first, and then reference them here:

[Nando Aqui]

and here:

[Nando Aqui]

and here: (sorry - - I don't know how to attach all at once!)
Alex