Carbon is the principle hardener of steel. Stainless steels, as a rule, are somewhat softer than "carbon" steels because they contain less carbon and are thus more rust resistant. (The more carbon, the more the steel will want to rust, as a general rule.) All you have to do to prove this is to take some 320 grit emery paper to a S&W stainless barrel. You'll be shocked at how easily the steel is removed. Then use the same paper on a S&W blued steel barrel and note the difference. Have you ever noticed how easily stainless guns scratch and dent? It all goes back to carbon. TOO much carbon, however, can make steel brittle, so metallurgists are always looking for a proper balance of elements. To add confusion to the mix, stainless steels are sometimes more difficult to machine. This seems contradictory, I know, but the answer lies in the various other elements that comprise the steel. Metallurgy is more involved, of course, and I don't want to present a treatise on the subject.
Of course, the Italian guns might be a different story, as I've heard the blued steel in their cap & ball guns is kind of crappy and not properly hardened. Their stainless might indeed be better.
Of course, the Italian guns might be a different story, as I've heard the blued steel in their cap & ball guns is kind of crappy and not properly hardened. Their stainless might indeed be better.
