How to tell a carbon barrel from stainless steel
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Jim Watson
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Apply a spot of cold blue. If it colors the metal it is carbon steel, if it won't it is stainless.
If on a finished rifle, I never heard of anybody selling a bare carbon steel barrel, it is just too subject to rust.
If on a finished rifle, I never heard of anybody selling a bare carbon steel barrel, it is just too subject to rust.
KriegHund
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In sooth, it is unlikely you will find such a bare barrel.
If it has blueing it is carbon, if not it be stainless.
If it has blueing it is carbon, if not it be stainless.
Cesiumsponge
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All carbon steels should be magnetic to my knowledge. I don't know what grade stainless steels are used for gun barrels, but stainless can be found in magnetic and non-magnetic varieties.
Cold blue would be a great idea but if turned out to be carbon steel and you didn't want to blue the barrel, you'd have a spot of blued steel on there. I don't know if that affects it if you refinish the barrel using a different method later on. I think bluing can come off with steel wool but I'm not sure how much material you'd need to remove. All my guns are evil black
Cold blue would be a great idea but if turned out to be carbon steel and you didn't want to blue the barrel, you'd have a spot of blued steel on there. I don't know if that affects it if you refinish the barrel using a different method later on. I think bluing can come off with steel wool but I'm not sure how much material you'd need to remove. All my guns are evil black
BobCat
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Most stainless barrels are 416 or 416R, which is magnetic. 300-series stainlesses are not magnetic, but no one would make a barrel out of them.
Put a drop of 50:50 nitric acid:water in an inconspicuous spot. No rxn = stainless. Fizz and dark spot = carbon or low-alloy steel. This is from an old ASTM STP - Identification of Metals and Alloys by Spot Test or some similar title. Dark spot easily removed with 600 grit paper / steel wool.
Regards,
Andrew
Put a drop of 50:50 nitric acid:water in an inconspicuous spot. No rxn = stainless. Fizz and dark spot = carbon or low-alloy steel. This is from an old ASTM STP - Identification of Metals and Alloys by Spot Test or some similar title. Dark spot easily removed with 600 grit paper / steel wool.
Regards,
Andrew
entropy
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Five seconds on a polishing wheel gets blue right off. So will Muratic Acid, but it will leave a dull grayish spot.
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