i really don't understand why my pistol is magnetic they must not put enough chromium on nickel in there stainless i have welded and built machinery using stainless steel that was not magnetic .but was because it had to resist acid.
+ 1 on Flash's post. There are many different grades of stainless steel based on the materials present in it when it is made, and the intended use. The amount of magnetism is due to the amount of carbon it has. The stainless that you welded and built machinery out of was most likely 300 series stainless, which has 0% carbon. I bet you remember how hard it was to deburr, and it is tough as you know what to machine. It is used in the food industry and corrosion resistance products. Most all stainless firearms are made from 400 series or a higher series(and cheap cooking products too) as it is much easier to machine, heat-treat, and cast. The more carbon present in the SS the stonger the magnet will stick. On the SS firearms I've owned, a magnet would stick, but very lightly, not as strong as it would to mild carbon steel. Unfornunately, the amount of carbon present will also cause it to rust, but it is still far more corrosion resistant than blued steel. If you've ever shot black powder in a stainless muzzleloader and got lazy on cleaning it, you will find out real quick that it will indeed rust.(don't ask me how I know
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