Stainless will or won't be magnetic depending on the amount of nickel in it. If it has nickel, it will be less magnetic.
However, cold working can make it somewhat more magnetic again. Some heat treating procedures will also diminish the magnetic properties.
Basically, the 300 series of stainless is less magnetic as it has nickel whereas the 400 series tends to be magnetic as it does not have nickel.
I work with stainless and magnetics at my job so this has been a hot topic lately.
I'd imagine most stainless you see in guns is probably going to be magnetic. Nickel is expensive. Plus from what I understand, generally, the 400 series stainless materials are harder.
-Zach
Quote:
Originally Posted by rburg
I've only got one M60 left, and its 410014 serial number. It appears to have the in-service modification to flash chrome hammer and trigger. Its been my assumption all along that an original and unmodified gun with stainless hammer and trigger would be the preferred one for a collector.
While I've never been tempted to test it, I wonder if a magnet would stick to the flash chromed parts and not to the stainless parts. I know some stainless alloys are magnetic. Anybody got a clue?
Also, does anyone know the approximate cutoff for the polished guns? Or when the brushed/matte finish began?
|