Stainless shotgun barrels

J

johnwilliamson062

Moderator
Why are there so few stainless shotgun barrels? They are not very available at all. Even guns with stainless/nickel receivers often have blued barrels. A stainless Encore barrel is $100 more than almost any other caliber. Is it extremely hard to make stainless shotgun barrels? i have to imagine many hunters would like them.
 
Machining is a bit higher. Raw material is quite a bit more than carbon steels with the truly rust proof being even more expensive as well as harder to machine. But I think it has to do with lack of interest... Parkerized finishes abound...
Brent
 
The best example of the use of stainless and titanium in a shotgun is the Swedish Flodman - Got a chance to try one a few years ago, brilliant machining work, but not cheap.......
 
I really meant in a production firearm. A few have been made previously, but I don't understand why Ruger or mossberg or remington doesn't make one now.
 
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The Flodman is a production gun, just not that widely available here......yet......but it is priced upwards of a Kolar

stainless is usually harder to machine, therefore more expensive - not something that Mossberg, Remington or other price-point makers will even try to get into
 
You are right... and it took many many years selling SS pistols and rifles for a lot of money to recoup the R&D costs. There is a high demand for these as well. Just not enuff people using shotguns in need of a rust resistant shotgun. One drawback of a SS barrel is the brightness when the barrel is being swung on game... So I think the dull finishes will always win out...
Brent
 
Winchester made the model 12 in stainless for a while. It was effectively a flop.
When Ruger first brought out their SS Red Label it was bright stainless and nearly none sold. They then brought it out in a dull stainless and went a little better, but still not well.

Since the bulk of shotguns are sold for hunting (where bright stainless is not a good thing) or to target shooters (many of which are traditional minded) there is just not much of a market.

Gun makers market camo dipping as weather resistant to hunters and the new Remington 887 is marketed the same.

Just not a market
 
Ruger made a synthetic and stainless O/U. It was about the same price as the wood/blue model so I don't think cost was the big issue. It just never really caught on althouht I thought it was a good looking gun. I agree with a previous post that it is most likely an issue with the glare with most hunters and target shooters preferring a dull barrel. I'm not sure why a dull black finish couldn't be applied over the SS.
 
Browning made a stainless 525 with a laminated stock - marketed to the waterfowler and other who like to shooting the rain - marketing disaster, they were on CDNN for a song not too long ago.....might find one or two here and there.......

IF there are folks who want stainless and not camo covered, I would think it would still be wanted in a matte blue finish rather than a shiny silver one....maybe that's why they never took off??
 
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