316 vs 304 Stainless: A Machinist's Comparison

5/15/2026 · 7 min read

## Composition at a glance | Element | 304 | 316 | |---|---|---| | Chromium | 18–20% | 16–18% | | Nickel | 8–10.5% | 10–14% | | Molybdenum | — | 2–3% | ## Corrosion resistance 316's molybdenum gives it the edge against chlorides — that's why marine hardware, medical implants, and food-grade equipment specify it. ## Machinability 304 cuts about 15–20% faster than 316 with the same tooling. If your application doesn't need chloride resistance, 304 is the cheaper, easier choice.