# cold weather and SS barrels



## goosehunter29 (Sep 23, 2003)

I am looking into rifle barrels and read on the krieger site that it is not advised to use a stainless steal barrel in extreme cold weather. Well being from Saskatchewan the temperature comparision would be a moderately cool November morning chasing deer. 15 -20 degrees below freezing. Any input about this would be great.


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## muskat (Mar 5, 2002)

The main alloy that is used for SS barrel's is a martensitic stainless steel, usually a 416 or 416R. 
When the temperature of the metal reaches zero degree's, the fatigue resistance of the metal drops signifigantly. The lower the ambient temperature, the worse the mechanical properties will decline. 
I have no first hand experience with a SS barrel at that temperature, but the literature supports Kriegers stake of not using in "extreme" cold weather. 
Im sure repeated loading and unloading (constant firing in sub-zero temps) and the subsequent thermal stresses could cause failure.
However, as long as your not a "run and gun" type hunter, and can down an animal with one shot, you shouldnt have any problems.


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## mudstud (Nov 30, 2004)

Goose, don't loose any sleep over it, unless you have a Sako 
Finlite! Virtually all the rifles I've gotten in the last ten years have been stainless. Stainless rifles have been out for some years now (and stainless barrels for many years before that) and other than the Sako problem, which didn't have anything to do with temperature, there hasn't been a problem with stainless. Ignore the naysayers!


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## Bore.224 (Mar 23, 2005)

Sounds like Bull to me as well :wink:


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## muskat (Mar 5, 2002)

The fact of the matter is that the 416R alloy does lose signifigant mechanical properties at lower temps. 
Im sure there have been some instances that Krieger has encountered where the barrels have failed, and they are covering their a** by informing the public that failure has occured in these conditions.
Like I said before, unless you are repeadetly loading and unloading the barrel with stresses, you should be fine.


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