The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Care of sig stainless pistol vs alloy pistol with nitron finish

BQBob · May 8, 2013, 11:42 AM

The stainless steel alloy commonly used in firearms is grade 416. This 400 series stainless is a martensitic grade where heat treating is used to enhance mechanical properties. It also has sulfur added to make it more machinable, ie. .15-.40% by weight instead of the usual .04 MAX. Chromium content is only 12.00-13.50% by weight. While 416 is classified as a stainless steel, it is NOT stain proof because it does not contain sufficient chromium. Therefore, left in normal atmospheres, it WILL rust, just not as rapidly as will carbon or low alloy steel.

If the material is polished, this provides additional help to retard rust and corrosion. So, while stainless guns, in general, may be able to take a little more neglect in care, make no mistake, they DO require care! I use a product called RustePrufe to wipe down ALL of my guns (blued or stainless) before putting them away and my guns look as good as the day I purchased them. There is no substitute for tender loving care.

May 8, 2013, 11:42 AM	#8
BQBob Junior Member Join Date: May 8, 2013 Posts: 1	when stainless is NOT stainless The stainless steel alloy commonly used in firearms is grade 416. This 400 series stainless is a martensitic grade where heat treating is used to enhance mechanical properties. It also has sulfur added to make it more machinable, ie. .15-.40% by weight instead of the usual .04 MAX. Chromium content is only 12.00-13.50% by weight. While 416 is classified as a stainless steel, it is NOT stain proof because it does not contain sufficient chromium. Therefore, left in normal atmospheres, it WILL rust, just not as rapidly as will carbon or low alloy steel. If the material is polished, this provides additional help to retard rust and corrosion. So, while stainless guns, in general, may be able to take a little more neglect in care, make no mistake, they DO require care! I use a product called RustePrufe to wipe down ALL of my guns (blued or stainless) before putting them away and my guns look as good as the day I purchased them. There is no substitute for tender loving care.