Hardened receivers

[Rangeball]

NEF/H&R receivers that are hardened are the SB2 for rifles and the 10g shotgun, right?  Everything else is not hardened?

[knight0334]

For the most part, correct.   SB2 receivers are the better grade and special version of the SB2 is used for the 10ga guns.  I dont know if its so much as they are hardened, but rather a different type of metal and casting process instead.

[Rangeball]

Thanks, that's what I was getting at, helps a lot

[quickdtoo]

Frames differences are discussed in the FAQs, in a nutshell, SB1 are cast iron, no heat treating, SB2 are heat treated investment cast alloy steel, both the  shotgun and rifle versions.

Tim

[Rangeball]

Thanks Tim.  I had gone through the FAQs but couldn't find specifically what I was looking for.

[miyata]

I know nothing about metallurgy, but are the stainless steel actions as strong as the regular sb2?

[quickdtoo]

I don't know, the only stainless framed H&Rs are the 444 and 45-70, I've never asked about their metallurgy.

Tim

[mechanic]

There are different ways of measuring "hardness" in metal.  Cast iron is hard, but brittle, and no way to keep it from being brittle.  It also cannot be heat treated.  Cast steel is much better because it can be treated to keep it from being brittle while maintaining a good degree of hardness. Stainless is also investment cast steel with anti rust additives, ie. nickle or chromium.  It should be as strong as the cast steel.  They now make anvils out of cast steel.  While they are better than cast iron, they will never be better than forged steel.  If the Handi had a forged steel receiver, the barrel would blow long before the receiver.  And we could not afford to buy them......

[gcrank1]

I believe the 'standard' frame, old and new, is what is (or used to be) called malleable iron rather than cast iron. As said, cast iron is brittle, and totally unsuited for a gun frame and could break at any time.
Malleable iron can be formed by hammer or dies as it is 'plastic' in property thus will flow under pressure. This melt is probably cast (thus really cast malleable iron), then finished in a number of die steps.
Again, perhaps a metalurgist could best answer this, but the above may provide the layman a better understanding.

[26-t]

 Tim-quickdtoo, Have you tested your stainless frame to see if it is magnetic? Some stainless will hold a magnet some will not. 26-t

[quickdtoo]

It has magnetic properties just like the barrels, I looked back in my emails, I never got a specific answer to the SS frames metallurgy, but he did state they normally use 400 series stainless w/magnetic properties for frames.

Tim

[26-t]

I( think) most investment castings in s/s is 17-4 ph type alloy and it is magnetic. Most 400 grade are also magnetic.  304, 308, 316, 340, grade will not hold a magnet.I will do some more research on the subject soon. 26-t

[26-t]

All that you could want to know and more on the Remington process or powdered metal. http://www.remingtonpmpd.com/  26-t