High strength austenitic stainless steel having excellent galling resistance

A nonmagnetic drill collar produced by hot forging an austenitic stainless steel consisting essentially of, in weight %, greater than 0.05% to about 0.10% carbon, greater than 16% to about 22% manganese, about 12.5% to about 17% chromium, about 1.5% to about 5% nickel, about 0.2% to about 0.4% nitrogen, about 0.2% to about 0.7% vanadium, about 1% maximum copper, about 1% maximum molybdenum, greater than 2% to about 4% silicon, about 0.05% maximum phosphorus, about 0.03% maximum sulfur and balance essentially iron with said collar having a 0.2% yield strength of at least 690% N/mm.sup.2 (100 ksi), a magnetic permeability not greater than 1.004 at 500 oersteds, a resistance to galling up to a stress level of at least 138 N/mm.sup.2 (20 ksi) when self mated and acceptable intergranular corrosion resistance as measured by the ASTM A-262 Practice E test.

Stainless steel plate, sheet, strip, bar, rod, wire and forgings exhibiting acceptable resistance to intergranular failure as measured by the ASTM A-262 Practice E test, having a magnetic permeability of less than 1.004 at 500 oersteds, having a 0.2% yield strength of at least 690 N/mm.sup.2 (100 ksi), freedom from harmful carbides and nitrides at the grain boundaries, and a resistance to galling up to a stress level of at least 138 N/mm.sup.2 (20 ksi) when self mated, said stainless steel consisting essentially of, in weight %, greater than 0.05% to about 0.10% carbon, greater than 16% to about 22% manganese, about 12.5% to about 17% chromium, about 1.5% to about 5% nickel, about 0.2% to about 0.4% nitrogen, about 0.2% to about 0.7% vanadium, about 1% maximum copper, about 1% maximum molybdenum, greater than 2% to about 4% silicon, about 0.5% maximum phosphorus, about 0.03% maximum sulfur and balance essentially iron.

An austenitic stainless steel having a 0.2% yield strength of at least 690 N/mm.sup.2 (100 ksi), a magnetic permeability not greater than 1.004 at 500 oersteds, acceptable intergranular corrosion resistance as measured by ASTM A-262 Practice E and a resistance to galling up to a stress level of at least 138 N/mm2 (20 ksi) when self mated, said steel consisting essentially of, in weight percent, from greater than 0.05% to about 0.10% carbon, greater than 16% to about 22% manganese, about 12.5% to about 17% chromium, about 1.5% to about 5% nickel, about 0.2% to about 0.4% nitrogen, about 0.2% to about 0.7% vanadium, about 1% maximum copper, about 1% maximum molybdenum, 2.25% to 3.75% silicon, about 0.05% maximum phosphorus, about 0.03% maximum sulfur and balance essentially iron.