Aluminium versus steel

[ntsqd]

Those who think that 7075 is just another aluminum need to re-think that. Anyone who has machined it can tell you it is different. And 7075 isn't even an exotic aluminum alloy any more.
6061 T6 properties
7075 T6 properties

It does machine more like mild steel than like, say, 6061, so I'd expect there to be a cost increase. This based both on increased machining time and on increased base material cost.

 

[73driver]

Hi what is the cost I'm wanting four of them

Stainless Steel rail are $125 and titanium $190. Its a small American company and the two I have acquired are great, I like the finish and look. - murphyprecision.com -

 

[tribb]

Stainless Steel rail are $125 and titanium $190. Its a small American company and the two I have acquired are great, I like the finish and look. - murphyprecision.com -

Thanks

 

[robert6715]

For a Weatherby MKV it's very hard to beat Near manufacturing out of Canada. Richard Near makes rails, rings, & a very nice hunting set up that is a rail with integral rings.

His web site is kinda hard to navigate & calling him is the way to go to get what you want.

 

[D-mon]

+1 for near manufacturing. The way to go for a Weatherby.

 

[ajkellerusmc]

I used to think that way before I discovered 7075 aluminum.

When most people think of aluminum, it's 6061, or possibly 20xx if you are into aircraft.

I've had lots of problems with scarring, deformation and stripped screws with older 'traditional' 6061. All that goes away with 7075, so be careful with generalizations.

I really like the EGW HD rails

Whatever mount you use the screws will always be steel and if You strip them its because you over torqued them or the screws were soft steel and made in china. The screws should never strip on you even if you are using and aluminum rail.

 

[ntsqd]

I think Hand Skills is saying that threaded holes in aluminum have striped in the past and that with 7075 that problem goes away. Not necessarily that the screws themselves are striping.

 

[73driver]

We all have an inch/pound torque wrench right?

 

[ntsqd]

In the softer aluminum alloys max torque can still strip the threads. Not always, but often enough to require lowering the torque spec below the max for the screw itself.

 

[ajkellerusmc]

What has threaded aluminum holes? the receiver is steel! thats where the threaded holes are. The base maybe aluminum but the holes are threaded into the steel receiver and the screws are steel. I am confused.

 

[ntsqd]

First possibility that comes to mind is that most aluminum scope rings have threaded holes. I'm sure that if I sat here long enough I can come up with others.

 

[ajkellerusmc]

scope rings for sure but we started out with an aluminum rail vs steel.

 

[Hand Skills]

Sorry for the confusion guys.

I was speaking to the general properties of aluminum as @ntsqd surmised.

I've never stripped a screw or a thread in a HARDENED steel receiver, that's hard to imagine. Might be possible with a cheap fastener but I'd bet the head would shear off before the threads failed in that situation...