Rearden Steel

[Ironworker]

I just ordered a BBL from Larue Tactical, they say their Barrels are machined from "Rearden Steel"

 

[rijndael]

Rearden Steel

Rearden Steel is a steel manufacturer owned by Henry Rearden in Ayn Rand's book Atlas Shrugged. It is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. In addition to making steel, it also makes Rearden Metal, a special alloy of copper and steel which is a critical plot point in the book...

fictionalcompanies.fandom.com

 

[Evlshnngns]

Melted down rail track from the John Galt line?

 

[jackieschmidt]

Maybe it’s an inside joke.

Ask them for a SAE NUMBER, or ASTM designation.

 

[LVLAaron]

It's definitely a joke.

 

[JTEX]

Its a joke every freedom loving human being "should" understand!!!!!

 

[Herzo]

Read Atlas Shrugged 60 years ago and Rearden steel rang the bell almost instantly.

 

[AccelR8]

"special alloy of copper and steel"
Hmph. I've got barrels like that already.

 

[Ironworker]

Seriously I asked an A. I whatever. It said they use LW-50 stainless steel with Polygonal rifling.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Seriously I asked an A. I whatever. It said they use LW-50 stainless steel with Polygonal rifling.

Tough stuff.

I did one barrel quite a few years from Lothar Waltham, the LW-50 is a (I think), age hardenning stainless in the same family as 17-4.

Most that fool with this steel use carbide tooling.

years ago, an outfit in Houston was pushing Lothar barrels. They claimed to employ some type of micro polishing of the barrel’s ID to help in every aspect of performance. The problem was the majority of Gunsmiths were not used to working with this type of steel with it’s less than desirable machining qualities.

Lothar issued a memorandum on how to have the best results. One step Included polishing the throat area after chambering, since there were usually burrs left by reamers that were not sharp as new. Another suggested higher surface feet per minute cutting speeds and carbide reamers.

Most Gunsmiths simply said…..”I’d rather not”.

I think we have come a ways since then.

I would think that LW-50 would be at home in the Precision Rifle game, since by all accounts it does outlast regular 416R oR even Crome Moly in round count.