Stainless steel barrels and cold weather

[swamp]

Can anyone tell me what problems are that are associated with cold temps and staineless steel barrels...

a number 5 contour is the smallest outside diameter bbl that Krieger makes in a SS for 308 cal... see link below..

http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/RapidCat/catalog/pagetemplate.cfm?template=/RapidCat/common/viewPage.cfm&PageId=3390&CompanyId=1246

[Ol` Joe]

I`ve heard at extreem temps, well into the sub zero range, the stainless used in barrels can become brittle.
This is all I can offer.

[LampLighter]

Why on earth would you want a .308 ?

[swamp]

Why on earth would you want a .308 ?

308 refers to the caliber.. 308 Win refers to the cartridge... if i go 308 caliber will probably be in 300 WSM

getting back to the kreiger bbls... in 308 cal.. SS starts at #5 contour while chrome molly starts at #0 contour

[purple heart]

I've never had any trouble with my Browning stainless stalker in 30-06.

I've never had it out hunting in the real cold. Maybe 5 below that's all.

My guess is you would never be in conditions extreme enough to notice
any change in the barrel or it would be so slight as to not make a difference.

[Bushman]

I would shop some other barrel manufactures. When I wanted to build up as light a 7mm-08 bolt action as I could, I had Brown Precision put on a stainless #1 taper barrel from Shilen in Texas.

[LampLighter]

.30 covers the diameter of the projectile. The addition of the 8 I don't think fits into say 30.06, 300, etc.

[Bill Gunn]

.30 covers the diameter of the projectile..

LL gets a nervous twitch in his lower lip, his eyes blink, and his right hand starts trembling at the mere mention of a " .30- "

Cut the poor boy some slack :)

[swamp]

.30 covers the diameter of the projectile. The addition of the 8 I don't think fits into say 30.06, 300, etc.

30-06 spgf, 308 win, 300 Win Mag all shoot .308 inch diameter bullets

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.308_Winchester

[Hi Ball]

SWAMP......I have been shooting a Looong Range Winchester model 70 7mm mag for at least 15 years and never have I ever once had a problem with the barrel snapping off or cracks opening up on the barrel or receiver period. It has been in temps of -22 below zero. Make positive you don't have any oil or grease on that rifle in those kind of temps, just a little grafite will do wonders.

Now I have had a problem once upon a time with "Pitting" RUST in other words from the Alaska Coast line and salt-water air. Thus the reason I always PAINT my stainless guns before then go on a hunt, also to hide any flash that might be given off by sunlight and movement of the gun. Also have a stainless .270 Winchester model 70 Classic......it too gets a coat of flat black paint before a hunt.

[blaze]

Swamp,

I brought a stainless ruger mkII in 300 win to wyoming where it performed fine in sub-zero weather for several days. It did not give me any problems. One thing I would suggest is that you have the stainless steel bead blasted to cut down on the glare and reflection factor. The factory finish on my ruger was too shiny, but after I had all the steel components (barrel, action, trigger guard, rings, etc) bead blasted it looked like a dull light grey/silver which I felt worked much better.

[swamp]

i don't think the bbl would snap and crack but rather peel back like a bananna on firing if it did fail... there are different stainless steels and cutting methods... so work out better for thinnner bbls than others... krieger uses 416 staineless and single point cutting.. I think 410 stainless and forged bbls can have smaller contours... i leave that up to the engineeers

[swamp]

blaze, if i get a stainless gun it will be ceramic coated...