Which is best, SS or Carbon Steel?

[JellyJar]

Other than corrosion resistance is there any other advantage of SS over the best carbon steels for handguns?

Which would be best if you had a corrosion resistant finish on your handgun?

 

[Drail]

Most machinists would pick carbon tool steel over stainless. Stainless does not machine as cleanly as carbon. Carbon will wear longer but it can corrode easily if not protected and cared for. The best finish for either type is hard chrome.

 

[420Stainless]

Kind of along the same lines as corrosion; you can buff a scratch out of stainless if you like and refinish it at home if you're reasonably patient and like a bright shine. Also no finish to flake off.

I'm somewhat old fashioned and still prefer blue steel, but I don't think there are any practical benefits these days. Early production stainless sometimes had galling issues and were of inferior strength, but as far as I can tell not so much today. Scratches don't bother me and I generally keep my arms lightly oiled. I don't care if blue wears, however it does bother me when other coatings and platings wear or flake off.

 

[Pistol Toter]

IMHO, NO. I carry stainless for only the reason afore mentioned.

 

[weisse52]

I would say no. As has been mentioned, a good hard chrome beats them both.

 

[Venado]

As far as barrels go, I will stick with carbon steel. Stainless can be brittle. I love to hotrod cartridges, and have broke the lug off of two after market stainless barrels in my xd .45 acp. My factory carbon barrel is going strong.

 

[KJS]

One disadvantage to SS is that is really shows dirt, which on a revolver means you're going to have an eternally black front on your cylinder unless you're really into cleaning.

On a blued revolver you don't even notice as it's black even when new.

 

[P97]

I have both but prefer Stainless.

 

[Confederate]

Anyone who knows knife blade steels knows that carbon steel will (depending on other ingredients) hold an edge better, but for firearms, make mine stainless.

Stainless steel resists gas and flame cutting much better than carbon steel. It absorbs blast better and yes, resists corrosion.

In the early days, stainless gauled against stainless, requiring heavy, sticky lubes to work. Now they work very well with each other with almost no lube.

The only downside to stainless is that it tends to reflect more, a problem for hunters. For homeowners, not so much a problem. I've taken stainless and blued guns into dark rooms, and stainless guns did not stand out as I'd originally thought.

For regular shooting, either will do well. For magnum shooters, go stainless. Hard chrome is good for 1) wear and tear and 2) resisting corrosion and scratches. Parts that are hard chromed wear phemenonly, especially on small moving parts like hands/pawls.

 

[rmfnla]

One disadvantage to SS is that is really shows dirt, which on a revolver means you're going to have an eternally black front on your cylinder unless you're really into cleaning.

On a blued revolver you don't even notice as it's black even when new.

You can clean that off with a bronze or brass wheel chucked into a drill without hurting the gun in the slightest.

 

[Ala Dan]

Old Fashioned Here Too-

as I prefer blued carbon steel~!