Grade dossier
414 Stainless Steel
414 stainless steel is a nickel-bearing chromium martensitic grade identified as UNS S41400. It is closely related to 410, but the 1.25–2.50% nickel addition increases hardenability and toughness, supporting heat-treated parts such as high-strength bolts, nuts and other loaded components where moderate corrosion resistance and high mechanical strength are required.
Identity before substitution
Define 414 by product form, heat treatment and strength requirement
414 is not simply “410 with a different name.” Its nickel addition increases hardenability and notch toughness and allows higher heat-treated strength. For purchasing, state the controlling standard, product form, dimensions, annealed or hardened-and-tempered condition, target mechanical properties, surface condition, inspection requirements and the service environment.
414 stainless composition
UNS S41400 chemistry reference
Nickel is the key distinction from 410
A U.S. government stainless-steel reference lists Type 414 / UNS S41400 at 11.50–13.50% Cr and 1.25–2.50% Ni, with 0.15% maximum carbon. The nickel addition increases hardenability and toughness. Use the exact ASTM/AMS specification for the ordered product form, and verify the heat analysis on the MTC rather than accepting a generic grade table as the release criterion.
| C | 0.15 max |
|---|---|
| Mn | 1.00 max |
| Si | 1.00 max |
| P | 0.040 max |
| S | 0.030 max |
| Cr | 11.50–13.50 |
| Ni | 1.25–2.50 |
| Fe | Balance |
414 stainless properties
Treat heat-treatment condition as part of the 414 material definition
Annealed + cold-drawn bar — published reference values
| Tensile strength | 795 MPa |
|---|---|
| 0.2% yield strength | 620 MPa |
| Elongation | 20% |
| Hardness | 235 HB |
16 mm bar · 980°C / 30 min · oil quenched · low-temperature tempered
| Tensile strength | 1795 MPa |
|---|---|
| 0.2% yield strength | 1013 MPa |
| Elongation | 15% |
| Hardness | 48 HRC |
These are condition-specific published reference values, not universal minimums for every 414 product. The high-strength example is for a specific 16 mm bar heat-treatment route, while the annealed/cold-drawn values represent a different delivered condition. Require the order specification, heat-treatment condition and heat-specific test report/MTC to control acceptance.
Selection boundary
Use 414 when heat-treated strength and toughness justify the nickel-bearing grade
414 is intended for applications that need more hardenability and toughness than a basic 410-type martensitic grade while retaining moderate corrosion resistance. It is not a substitute for high-alloy stainless grades in severe chloride or chemical service, and strength cannot be specified independently of heat treatment.
Good reasons to evaluate 414
High-strength bolts and nuts requiring a heat-treatable martensitic stainless steel.
Bars, shafts, pins and loaded machine parts where the nickel addition is useful for hardenability and toughness.
Components needing moderate atmospheric or fresh-water corrosion resistance together with high strength after heat treatment.
Projects that can define and verify the exact quench-and-temper condition on the purchase order and MTC.
Stop and review before release
Severe chloride, marine-immersion or aggressive chemical service without application-specific corrosion data.
Continuous high-temperature service above roughly 649°C; Carpenter historical data notes scale formation begins above about 1200°F / 649°C.
Welded fabrication without a qualified martensitic-stainless welding procedure, preheat/interpass control and post-weld heat-treatment review.
Any substitution based only on “400-series stainless” without checking chemistry, product standard, heat treatment and required toughness.
Heat treatment, machining and joining
Build 414 properties through controlled hardening and tempering
Published reference data include a 16 mm bar austenitized at 980°C for 30 minutes and oil quenched. Do not transfer this cycle to other section sizes without a qualified heat-treatment procedure.
Final strength and toughness are set by the tempering condition. State the required property window rather than ordering only by grade name.
414 has fair machinability in suitable conditions, but it is not a sulfur-enhanced free-machining grade like 416. Plan tooling and machining allowance accordingly.
Because 414 is martensitic and hardenable, welding requires procedure control to manage hydrogen cracking and heat-affected-zone hardness; preheat and post-weld treatment may be necessary.
Supply definition
Order 414 by form, standard, condition and verified test evidence
A 414 stainless supplier should identify the exact product form, size, tolerance, surface condition, heat-treatment condition and governing specification. Published references associate UNS S41400 with bar/shape, billet/bar, forging and wire specifications, while other forms can require separate standards. Do not publish a universal “stock size” claim unless live inventory evidence is available; confirm current dimensional availability at quotation stage.
Common specification routes: ASTM A276 · A314 · A473 · A580
Aerospace / federal references include AMS 5615 and historical QQ-S-763
UNS designation: S41400 · nickel-bearing martensitic stainless steel
European cross-reference often listed as 1.4008 / X8CrNi13 — verify standard-by-standard
MTC / test-report checkpoint
Verify heat number and traceability, UNS S41400, governing specification and edition, chemistry including 11.50–13.50% Cr and 1.25–2.50% Ni, ordered form and dimensions, annealed or hardened-and-tempered condition, mechanical test results required by the order and any supplementary inspection. A useful MTC excerpt should tie the heat identity, chemistry, mechanical results and delivered heat-treatment condition to the shipped lot.
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Interactive procurement check
Test 414 against the controlling procurement question
Procurement FAQ
Questions to close before ordering 414 stainless steel
What is 414 stainless steel?
414 is a nickel-bearing chromium martensitic stainless steel identified as UNS S41400. Compared with a basic 410-type chemistry, the nickel addition increases hardenability and toughness while retaining moderate corrosion resistance.
What is the EN equivalent of 414 stainless steel?
1.4008 / X8CrNi13 is commonly listed as the closest European cross-reference. Treat it as a cross-reference only: confirm the exact EN product standard, chemistry, mechanical condition and dimensional specification before substitution.
Can 414 stainless steel be hardened?
Yes. 414 is martensitic and heat-treatable. Published reference data show very different strength levels between annealed/cold-drawn and quenched-and-tempered conditions, so the heat-treatment condition must be part of the purchase specification.
What are the main limitations of 414 stainless steel?
414 is not a high-alloy chloride-resistant stainless grade. Historical Carpenter data also notes scale formation above about 1200°F / 649°C, and welded fabrication requires martensitic-stainless procedure control.
What should a 414 RFQ include?
State UNS S41400, product standard and edition, form, size and tolerance, surface condition, annealed or hardened-and-tempered condition, required mechanical properties, service environment, MTC requirement and any supplementary inspection or testing.
Sources, scope and RFQ
Trace 414 chemistry, condition and source evidence before release
UNS S41400 identity, Type 414 chemistry, ASTM A276 / A314 / A473 / A580 references, AMS 5615 and the note that 414 has somewhat better corrosion resistance and higher heat-treated mechanical properties than S41000.
Martensitic nickel-bearing chromium classification, representative use in high-strength bolts and nuts, moderate corrosion resistance and the historical note that scale formation begins above about 1200°F / 649°C.
Published 414 data for annealed/cold-drawn bar and for a 16 mm bar hardened at 980°C, oil quenched and low-temperature tempered show why heat-treatment condition must accompany any property claim.
Use the current ASTM/AMS or project specification for the actual product form. The heat-specific MTC, agreed condition, dimensions and acceptance tests—not a generic web table—control release.