41V50 steel?

[hoz53]

I am wondering what this 41V50 steel that GM and probably others use for barrels is? In particular Id like to know how it machines compared to the gun barrel steels we are use to using?
Thanks

 

[DaveTooley]

If they can hammer forge barrels with it I'd assume machining it wouldn't be a problem.

 

[Keith Kilby]

There is a "code" of sorts in steel nomenclature numbers. First 2 numbers tell you the family...IE all similar alloying components. Second number is amount of carbon....in the case of 41V50 it would be 0.5% carbon. I have installed quite a few Green Mountain barrels over the years. Mostly on vintage single shots such as the Winchester 1885. They machine pretty much like any other chrome moly 41 series barrel. In vintage calibers...32-40, 38-55, 40-65,45-70 etc their barrels shoot exceptional well with typical lead bullet loads for those cartridges. Their 22 RF barrels shoot great as well. For anyone re-barreling a 1885 an added bonus is that Green Mountain's octagon contours are spot on to original Winchester octagon barrels.

 

[Ggmac]

I've used it for many green mountain projects . At first it didn't like cutting slow like 4140 , it took some playing to get the chrome looking exterior cut =, high speed , carbide and sulfur . Chambering was the the same. It , 41v50 is usually an alloy required by the military for some barrels . Of course the v is for vanadium. This alloy is also used for wrenches ( hand tools and some Mauser markX actions ( according to the old sales literature)

 

[nicholst55]

This is the same steel that is used for machine gun (and more recently rifle) barrels for the military since WWII. The alloy was intended to be a bit more resistant to heat erosion than (at the time) standard 4140 steel. It is often referred to as 'machine gun steel,' or ChromeMoly Vanadium. Probably the most common commercial firearms application for it is in higher grade AR-15 barrels. There is a pretty good explanation at the link:
https://www.ar15.com/forums/ar-15/B...Chrome_Moly__Chrome_Moly_Vanadium/118-258045/

 

[hoz53]

There is a "code" of sorts in steel nomenclature numbers. First 2 numbers tell you the family...IE all similar alloying components. Second number is amount of carbon....in the case of 41V50 it would be 0.5% carbon. I have installed quite a few Green Mountain barrels over the years. Mostly on vintage single shots such as the Winchester 1885. They machine pretty much like any other chrome moly 41 series barrel. In vintage calibers...32-40, 38-55, 40-65,45-70 etc their barrels shoot exceptional well with typical lead bullet loads for those cartridges. Their 22 RF barrels shoot great as well. For anyone re-barreling a 1885 an added bonus is that Green Mountain's octagon contours are spot on to original Winchester octagon barrels.

Thank you Keith - Good info there.

 

[hoz53]

This is the same steel that is used for machine gun (and more recently rifle) barrels for the military since WWII. The alloy was intended to be a bit more resistant to heat erosion than (at the time) standard 4140 steel. It is often referred to as 'machine gun steel,' or ChromeMoly Vanadium. Probably the most common commercial firearms application for it is in higher grade AR-15 barrels. There is a pretty good explanation at the link:
https://www.ar15.com/forums/ar-15/B...Chrome_Moly__Chrome_Moly_Vanadium/118-258045/

Thank you for that info nicholst

 

[hoz53]

If they can hammer forge barrels with it I'd assume machining it wouldn't be a problem.

makes sense Dave— Thanks

 

[hoz53]

I've used it for many green mountain projects . At first it didn't like cutting slow like 4140 , it took some playing to get the chrome looking exterior cut =, high speed , carbide and sulfur . Chambering was the the same. It , 41v50 is usually an alloy required by the military for some barrels . Of course the v is for vanadium. This alloy is also used for wrenches ( hand tools and some Mauser markX actions ( according to the old sales literature)

thanks Grace- Good hearing from you.