Stainless or otherwise?

[targetman]

In recent years many more rifles come with stainless steel barrels, particularly in Target Rifle.

My question is this: is stainless steel a better material for accurate shooting ?

Secondary question: is it that stainless steel is prefered due mainly to it's availability?

[dromia]

I just think shiny appeals.

Personally I liked blued, brown, plum anything but shiny.

[Ovenpaa]

We have four stainless barreled rifles that I can think of in this house and all but one are blacked. I have noticed more and more shiny rifle showing up these days, polished receivers, barrels, rings and even 'scopes. Personally I like black.

Stainless is going to be less likely to corrode and some have told me it machines very nicely.

[kingburyshot]

Walk along behind the firing line at the Queens final, look at the kit the best 100 shots from the UK and many other counties are using. Those guys are not sentimental they just buy the best and its stainless.

[Steve E]

Its simple really. A modern stainless barrel will last between 5 and 10 thousand rounds before it is shot out. A black barrel(chrome moly) is probably shot out in half that time. I replaced a Lother Walther Stainless barrel on my target rifle at 14 thousand rounds. It was shooting very well but the groups suddenly opened up to such a size that it would not hold the Bull at any distance which meant time for a new barrel. Many TR and MR shooters change their barrels every 4 or 5 thousand rounds and that could mean a change every 18 months to 2 years. I doubt if any of the non stainless barrels could provide this sort of barrel life. If you were using a black barrel and trying to be competitve you would be changeing barrels so often it would be en-economic.
My gunsmith in Surrey would not even fit a non stainless barrel. A new black barrel costs marginally less than a stainless one but why would you bother as it won't last as long. Also try selling a Target Rifle with a black barrel on it. A serious shooter will ask for a price reduction equal to the cost of a new (stainless) barrel.

Steve E

[dromia]

Well that seems to be the current case with TR and MR. However when I used to shoot the 303 competitively I used non stainless barrels and would change them around 4-5000 rounds as well as that was from experience just before my averages would be affected.

The 303 isn't the 308, fortunately, so its a bit of apples and oranges but there are some parallels to be considered.

Also you don't have to leave your stainless barrels shiny.

[rox]

Also you don't have to leave your stainless barrels shiny.

Why go to the trouble and expense of a surface treatment when it is not required for protection?

..

[dromia]

Aesthetics, fun, the sheer hell of it.

One should live little now and then.