CM vs. SS barrels

[burneyr]

Does anybody have any idea how chrome moly and stainless barrels differ in stiffness or hardness? Say 4130 CM vs. 416 SS?

I'm trying to understand how much bigger a stainless barrel would have to be to be as stiff as a chrome moly one. Say for instance is a stainless #7 contour as stiff as a Rem Varmint chrome moly barrel?

This may be a totally dumbass question, but I'm no metallurgist. Would just like the Hide opinion as to stiffness and hardness of the respective metals.

 

[greentimber]

Re: CM vs. SS barrels

Don't know about hardness, but the expansion rate when heated and resistance to bursting due to an obstructed bore are significantly different- in favor of CM. I still run SS because I'm more concerned about corrosion and ease of maintenance than either of those. I haven't found the heat expansion to cause any troubles in a properly- made rifle. We have some good folks on here who can chime in about the hardness, though I suspect that may not be the best term.