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+--- Thread: Which aluminium alloy is suitable for making gun barrels? (/Thread-Which-aluminium-alloy-is-suitable-for-making-gun-barrels)
Which aluminium alloy is suitable for making gun barrels? - ZellaHyday - 07-02-2018
Don’t make a gun barrel out of aluminum.
There are certain aluminum alloys that would be able to handled the pressures generated by pistol rounds and certain older rifle rounds, but the other properties of aluminum need to be taken into account as well. Aluminum can’t hold an edge as well as steel can, as it is much softer. Because of this, the rifling of an aluminum barrel would wear out very quickly. As well, aluminum has a significantly lower melting point than steel (660 C compared to 1370 C). Gun barrels get hot, especially after numerous rounds. You’d run the risk of your barrel actually melting while you fire, should you craft a barrel out of aluminum.
You could maybe get away with running a very small caliber, like .22 short or perhaps long, possibly something like .25 ACP. I wouldn’t try it, personally, but if I were, that’s where I would start for determining how feasible an aluminum barrel would be.
I’m not trying to take an almighty dump on aluminum here, though. It’s one of my favorite metals to work with, but it has its place, just as steel does. Aluminum for frames, steel for barrels.
RE: Which aluminium alloy is suitable for making gun barrels? - ircasodle - 07-02-2018
7075 Aluminum alloy is a good choice. It has an ultimate tensile strength of around 83,000 psi and yield strength of 73,000 psi.
RE: Which aluminium alloy is suitable for making gun barrels? - askaluadmin - 07-02-2018
None! Unless you want to make airguns.
Google yield stress for aluminium and then google smokeless cartridge peak pressures in the same units.
Why do you think manufacturers use high grade steel alloys if aluminium would do?
They have been making them for hundreds of years and yetdespite all they spend on research, you think you have a better idea.
RE: Which aluminium alloy is suitable for making gun barrels? - Demoratics - 03-12-2022
It’s a good question. I like to read articles about weapons and hunting. I have been recently reading useful information at ballachy.com. I think it is not the best idea to make gun barrels from aluminum alloy. They are made from steel billets most often. It is heated to 840 degrees and then lowered into room temperature oil. Then it heated in a muffle furnace for about 4 hours. Such complex heat treatment can significantly affect the hardness, viscosity, and elasticity.