Cutting oil for SS barrels?

[Hannibal]

I only chamber barrels for myself and so far they've all been CM. I've been using dark thread cutting oil with no problems.

Getting ready to do my first SS blank and was wondering if the dark thread cutting oil will work fine or if that's asking for trouble?

Thanks in advance.

[country gent]

A good dark sulfur oil should work fine.
Ive never tried it chamber reaming but regular reaming drilling and machining, Anchor lube works very well and is meant for stainless and other hard to machine high pressure applications. Its a cream / paste so it stays where you put it better.

I have several shot out barrels here both stainless and CM when trying something new I cut a section from one and test before going to the new barrel. This way if it dosnt work Im only out time and a few materials.

[Hannibal]

A good dark sulfur oil should work fine.
Ive never tried it chamber reaming but regular reaming drilling and machining, Anchor lube works very well and is meant for stainless and other hard to machine high pressure applications. Its a cream / paste so it stays where you put it better.

I have several shot out barrels here both stainless and CM when trying something new I cut a section from one and test before going to the new barrel. This way if it dosnt work Im only out time and a few materials.

Excellent idea. I have CM but no SS. Have to keep an eye open. Thank you.

[Nobade]

It's what I always used. Works great. Usually the Rigid brand I could get from Home Depot.

[Hannibal]

It's what I always used. Works great. Usually the Rigid brand I could get from Home Depot.

Good to know. I have Oatey but I bet it's the same stuff.

[deltaenterprizes]

I have used on about 5 SS barrels with no problems!

[akajun]

ridgid dark or oaty dark, all I use for stainless and cm barrels.

[Hannibal]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Sounds like I'm good to go.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Moly Lube is the best out there, but it is black and messy. Do Not Feed that Reamer Under Power.! !t needs to be ran by Hand! You can't clear the chips fast enough if you run it under power. also running it vertically over a Trash Can will keep the mess in check and blowing it out with air frequently will help keep offending chips out of the process.

Hope this helps.

Randy

[Chill Wills]

Quote Originally Posted by country gent View Post
A good dark sulfur oil should work fine.
Ive never tried it chamber reaming but regular reaming drilling and machining, Anchor lube works very well and is meant for stainless and other hard to machine high pressure applications. Its a cream / paste so it stays where you put it better.

I have several shot out barrels here both stainless and CM when trying something new I cut a section from one and test before going to the new barrel. This way if it dosnt work Im only out time and a few materials.

Excellent idea. I have CM but no SS. Have to keep an eye open. Thank you.

You might be tapping for a scope or barrel sights in SS too. country gent advised me to get the Anchor Lube when I was fighting drilling and tapping some small diameter SS rod and I was surprised what a big improvement Anchor Lube made. I am sold. You want some just to have around. It works better than I would have guessed. Good Stuff!

[Hannibal]

Moly Lube is the best out there, but it is black and messy. Do Not Feed that Reamer Under Power.! !t needs to be ran by Hand! You can't clear the chips fast enough if you run it under power. also running it vertically over a Trash Can will keep the mess in check and blowing it out with air frequently will help keep offending chips out of the process.

Hope this helps.

Randy

Always hand fed my reamers. It takes me a long time to cut a chamber but I'm not interested in production. I don't pre-bore either. I doubt any reamer I ever buy will cut more than a half-dozen chambers so I'm not concerned about reamer wear. Most only cut 2 or 3. I don't have a flush system so regularly clearing chips is a must.

Never had a chip weld or cut an oversized or non-concentric chamber. So it's working fine for my needs and expectations. If that changes then I'll make changes. But not before.

I do my own gunsmithing projects because that's my hobby. Some guys play with cars or trucks, some chase women, some gamble. I enjoy amateur gunsmithing. It's not to save money. I enjoy it. If I didn't I wouldn't do it and I sure don't want it for an occupation. Fastest way to ruin a hobby is to try to make a living at it.

So it goes.

[Nobade]

Wise man. Keep it up!
We used to say in the shop that fitting up the first couple hundred barrels was pretty fun but eventually it turns into work.

[John Taylor]

The stainless used for barrels is 416. It has a bit of iron in it and is softer than a 4140 steel barrel ( it machines easier) and a magnet will stick to it. The reason for using SS barrels is that it won't flame cut the throat out as fast as chrome moli ( can't cut it with a cutting torch). Douglas Barrels use to say it was less scratch resistant than chrome moli, don't use a stainless brush for cleaning. Under certain conditions it will rust.

[Slugster]

I have always used Brownell's Do-Drill when chambering barrels. It is high Sulphur and works well.

[Willbird]

The stainless used for barrels is 416. It has a bit of iron in it and is softer than a 4140 steel barrel ( it machines easier) and a magnet will stick to it. The reason for using SS barrels is that it won't flame cut the throat out as fast as chrome moli ( can't cut it with a cutting torch). Douglas Barrels use to say it was less scratch resistant than chrome moli, don't use a stainless brush for cleaning. Under certain conditions it will rust.

I agree that it cuts nicer them CM in my experiences so far. I use the Brownells Do Drill which is just as others have said a good dark sulfur cutting oil. Rigid oil from the local hardware store pipe threader would work fine I bet.

Bill

[W.R.Buchanan]

FYI guys,,, All 400 Series Stainless Steels are Magnetic and will Rust if out in the rain and not dried . The Nickle and Chromium content, which is what makes them stainless, is much lower than in the 300 Series Stainless Steels. 400 Series Steels also machine much easier than 300 series materials. The higher the number in the 300's, the more resistant to corrosion the material is. 303 has Selenium and is free machining, 304 is Generic, 316 is for salt water use, and 347 is for Acid Lines .

400 Series Materials are also less expensive than 300 Series due to the lower content of Chromium and Nickle.

Randy