Titanium barrels?

D

Dangus

New member
Why does nobody make these? Or do they? If so, what are the pros/cons? I assume light would make recoil worse, but strength would make lifespan greater.
 
I've a Taurus 85 Ultralite. These have titanium barrel shrouds in which a standard stainless barrel is pressed in.
Apparently, the titanium doesn't have desirable mechanical properties for rifling. If I recall, it's too elastic.
Not to mention the cost, if you miscut (ruin) the barrel. I've read Taurus has scrapped quite a few forgings for their Ti guns, due to miscuts.
Reckon someone will make one, sooner or later. Using Ti might well be a good sales ploy.
 
Too elastic? You can do some pretty crazy-ass things with titanium hardening if I remember correctly, like either super hard/brittle, or so flexible you can tie it into knots....

If elasticity is really that big a problem they could put chrome or TiN along the rifling...

Anyone know the heat transfer properties of titanium?
 
The metal Ti (Titanium) is unique for its strngth to weight ratio. It is ideal for use in Guns where there is need for strength and a tolerance for its elasticity. The problem with using it for barrels is an effect called galling. When Ti rubs against other metals, it tends to have little pieces come off which is called "galling." Some forms of stainless steel also do this alot. I have read that Ti barrels tend to gall very badly, one account reporting that early tests for making Ti tank barels caused a "splat" of Ti gall that looked "like a sparkler."

I would like to see someone develop an alloy of Ti that could get around this property and give us lighter, stiffer rifle barrels.
 
Another problem is that while titanium is legendary for its strength-to-weight ratio, it's not outstandingly strong in absolute terms.
 
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