The question we are often asked is, “why do you use 17-4 stainless steel for our aftermarket Glock and Springfield slides?”. The short answer is that we want to use the BEST material! 17-4 is arguably one of the highest grades of stainless steel available; offering strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance which, in our opinion, is hard to match by any other metal.
Corrosion Resistance
DV8 Dynamics wanted to use a material for our slides which has a superior resistance to corrosion and has high mechanical strength. 17-4 is even used in marine applications where its resistant to corrosion enables it to survive exposure to salty sea water. It is often used in seagoing vessel’s pump and valve parts.
In addition to the marine industry, 17-4 stainless steel is also used in the nuclear industry (containers for spent radioactive fuel), the food industry, used to turbine blades, the oil industry and, of course, the defense industry!
To summarize, 17-4 Stainless steel’s ideal combination of corrosion resistance, exceptional mechanical properties, high yield strength and excellent surface finish after machining make it an ideal material for pistol slides.
