What are the advantages of using 316 Stainless Steel over 302 for spiral rings in marine environments?

While 302 stainless steel has higher tensile strength due to its higher carbon content and work-hardening rate, 316 stainless steel contains 2-3% Molybdenum. This addition significantly improves resistance to 'pitting' and 'crevice corrosion' in chloride-rich marine environments. In spiral retaining rings, where the overlapping turns create natural crevices, 302 would likely fail due to localized corrosion. 316 is the standard for subsea sensors and offshore oil platform equipment, even though the allowable thrust load is approximately $15\%$ lower than 302.