Welding electronics for producing low carbon bainitic ferrite weld deposits

Welding electrodes useful for gas metal-arc welding of low carbon steels such as HSLA and HY steels are provided. Those welding electrodes have a carbon content of up to about 0.05 weight percent, and form weld deposits with a low carbon bainitic ferrite microstructure and yield strength in excess of 80 ksi. More particularly, the welding electrodes have the following elemental composition ranges: 0.01 to 0.05 wt. % carbon, 0.7 to 1.8 wt. % manganese, 0.2 to 0.4 wt. % silicon, 1.0 to 9.0 wt. % nickel, up to 0.8 wt. % chromium, 0.4 to 1.5 wt. % molybdenum, up to 1.0 wt. % copper, up to 0.03 wt. % titanium, and up to 0.035 wt. % aluminum. The weld deposits resulting from those welding electrodes resist hydrogen induced cracking and may be used for welding naval hull materials without substantial preheating.