Different metals?

[grymph]

My question is. Titanium is way stronger than steel right? Why aren't more revolver cylinders made of titanium.

The S&W 327PD is light allow with titanium cylinders. This is not what I'm talking about. That gun only weighs 24 ounces. I mean guns like the Redhawk or Super Redhawk being heavy yet having cylinders that are made of titanium. I wouldn't like a light 454 casull or 44 magnum.

Also, I've heard that Titanium may be stronger but with heavy use the cylinders can suffer from erosion. I guess they need a steel sleeve in there. The reason I ask is that I've seen a lot of blown up gun pictures online. There are cylinders of every brand splitting apart out there.

 

[GhosT]

COST.

 

[jimbo1096]

Materials are much more expensive and titanium is harder to work or so I'm told

 

[Sonnytoo]

...and the cylinder erosion is real, although it may not happen to every gun. I think it depends upon the ammo: not to exceed a particular weight of bullet. I had a 325PD, shot three times before I owned it. I shot it 10 times and sold it. Pretty gun, light gun, absolutely awful recoil. And I shoot a Linebaugh .500...
Sonnytoo

 

[maxpress]

harder dosnt always mean "stronger". GOOGLE temper. the rockwell of titanium is well above 65 which causes it to be brittle whereas the rockwell scale of most cylinder material is down around the 40s which lets some expansion and contraction. for example i make knives and if i cold quench one it is extremly hard but snaps like a pane of glass before tempering.

anywho this is just a guess

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

My question is. Titanium is way stronger than steel right? Why aren't more revolver cylinders made of titanium.

Howdy

No, Titanium is not way stronger than steel. Titanium's value is that it is much lighter than steel with roughly the same strength. Guns with Titanium cylinders and such are made to be lighter than normal steel guns, not stronger.

 

[gwnorth]

^^^

What i was going to say - Ti is not stronger then steel, that's the fundamental myth that many seem to hold to. It has a great strength to weight ratio though, which makes it popular when trying to reduce weight (like in aircraft) and it has great resistance to corrosion (so is used in marine applications for that).

 

[sebtool]

Not to mention it's a royal PITA to machine. :evil:

You have to use carbide cutters for everything, and if your speeds and feeds are off just alittle bit, ti will eat those expensive cutters up in a heartbeat. Don't ask how I know....

 

[Sugar River]

Taurus went thru this experiment with their Total Titanium series starting about 10-12 years ago. They had Ti guns in every conceivable caliber.
They no longer make any of them.

Reason: Erosion.

Pete

 

[rugerguy]

yes cost, appears thats what made Ruger make up their minds to "exit the business" in 2007..................they were casting titanium parts for about ANYTHING back then............medical, tools,sporting goods, etc......

 

[WESHOOT2]

(rumor has it that the new boys at Ruger noticed their significant stockpile of Ti and sold it to increase stock value....)

 

[CraigC]

What i was going to say - Ti is not stronger then steel, that's the fundamental myth that many seem to hold to. It has a great strength to weight ratio though, which makes it popular when trying to reduce weight (like in aircraft) and it has great resistance to corrosion (so is used in marine applications for that).

Yep, for some reason folks believe that titanium is stronger than steel but it is not. It's also a cheap material to procure. The expense comes from manufacturing with the stuff. Its biggest draw is that it is 60% the weight of steel, while aluminum is roughly 40%.