The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: fightingquaker13 on October 12, 2010, 08:49:47 PM
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Here's a question. I got to thinking about bear guns, and guns in general, following joes post about a .44 mag question. I started thinking about my own perfect BFG revolver. In my head, its always stainless, just because bear country tends to be wet. Then it hit me (duh) so does Florida. My carry gun is in beautiful Glock Tennifer. The rest? Well, I've not a single stainless piece.
Here's the question:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of stainless over blued steel?
I get the obvious like corrosion resistance, price and the like.
Im asking about performance, longevity, accuracy and other such attributes.
As a baseline, let's start with two Ruger Redhawks in .44 mag. One blue, one stainless.
Are there any functional pros or cons? What about rifles? Shotty's?
FQ13 who is now curious
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I have a couple of stainless pistols, but not for any "practical" reasons. I just liked the way they looked. Stainless steel will rust just like blued steel, just not as fast. I've always prefered the look of blued steel and wood stocks, and most of my firearms reflect that. Is it practicle? That's what periodic maintainance is for. The pistols I carry most, when hunting (45Colt, 44Mag), are blued steel with faux ivory grips. I just make sure they're nice and slick when they go back into the safe.
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Blued can be pretty. But stainless will stay that way a lot longer if you plan on using it. Got a little wear from the holster, or a scratch? Spend 1 minute and just buff it out!
Yeah, yeah. Waiting for all the comments on the best way to "rub one out" now... ;D
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I like to rub one out on occasion. ;D I use a scotchbrite pad. It works great on my hard chromed pistol too.
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I leave em be. If they got there honestly, it just adds to the character.
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Stainless resists rust longer than Blued Steel.
But , When it does start to rust the Stainless will pit far quicker than blued, which will just show simple surface rust
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FQ, your in S. Fl. get the stainless.....Or plan a lot more maint. into your blued pistols, rifles...etc,...
I have blued pistols and rifles in the safe, dessicant, etc,....but I still keep pulling the blued ones out for a light oiling, and leave a very light amount of oil on the finish. More than the SS, at least once/twice a month.
Ah, I miss the swamp.... :P
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Here's a question. I got to thinking about bear guns, and guns in general, following joes post about a .44 mag question. I started thinking about my own perfect BFG revolver. In my head, its always stainless, just because bear country tends to be wet. Then it hit me (duh) so does Florida. My carry gun is in beautiful Glock Tennifer. The rest? Well, I've not a single stainless piece.
Here's the question:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of stainless over blued steel?
I get the obvious like corrosion resistance, price and the like.
Im asking about performance, longevity, accuracy and other such attributes.
As a baseline, let's start with two Ruger Redhawks in .44 mag. One blue, one stainless.
Are there any functional pros or cons? What about rifles? Shotty's?
FQ13 who is now curious
I have an original made Ruger Redhawk in Stainless (1984?)and I have shot it in some atrocious weather, still perfect. Only issue I had was a broken extractor and that was my doing.
That said they still need to be looked after, if you shoot in the rain then wipe it of and oil it like you would a blued one, there is no excuse for poor maintenance unless its a .22 of course, I dont cant remember the last time I have actually cleaned one of mine LOL
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We had a thread on gun finishing.
If I had the cash, I'd go blue then have the gun finished. I'd have said Armoloy but after reading the advice in the thread would research Metaloy as my first choice.
If I didn't like the whitish color, I'd "paint" it for cosmetic reasons.
I'd go stainless if the cost of the Metaloy treatment was to high.
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I'd go Stainless and not even consider "coatings".
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I'd go Stainless and not even consider "coatings".
Whatever works for you.
I've had some experience with Armoloy only on a Ruger Blackhawk .357 and the gun is impervious to rust or any scratches that cause damage to the finish. No cracking, pealing or wear ever.
The finish is used on high performance automobile racing engine parts with success giving the same benefits.
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I've always loved the looks of Stainless or Hardchromed Handguns & Rifles..
My two remaining J Frame Smith & Wessons are a 642 & a 940 which see the most use for carry of any other gun in my ever shrinking arsenal, Thanks Obama..
The Stainless Steel is corrosion RESISTANT & a bit harder than carbon steel & also has that look, TO ME That says OH YEAH!!
I recently aquired a paper weight Ruger P-89 9mm for $45 that has become my newest project, Called "Project P-89" at most of the Ruger forums I frequent..
I decided to give the frame a Re-Coat as the anodizing had worn 90% clean off from it's days as a Police Training weapon since 1993 & 50,000+?? Rounds of +P 9mm para..
I've had a few SIGs & HKs refinished in HardChrome & they came out great but the cost of the refinish can go in upwards of $150-$200..
Anyhow I got several people who suggested using a coating called VHT which is a Gas & Oil resistant coating applied to Automotive Headers that is a Silica Ceramic Coating, very similar to Cera-Coat that you always hear about..
I bought a can of the VHT in Matte Aluminum that I sprayed the frame of the Ruger P-89 with & after baking it several times up to 550 degrees the finish seems to be as hard as any spray on finish out there, IMO better than what S&W sprays on their aluminum frames & much more durable than Dura-Coat.. I also added a Parts Kit from Gunbroker & traded the grips for the Hogues & bought a P-95 trigger to modify as a short trigger for the Ruger..
I've always preferd stainless handguns to carbon even though I've "HAD" several of the killer blued specimens too..
My 10/22 is blued but my MKII is stainless, just happened that away being Bass Pro had the 10/22s on sale for $139..
This is one of my first posts on this forum & just wanted to say hey & post a few pics of what Obama has let me keep..
I bet if they knew there was $45 Ruger P-89s being sold in Illinois He'd shut that down..HaHa!! What a Deal..
Smith & Wesson 642 & 940, 642 is Converted to 9mm with 940-1 Cylinder
(http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/6526/942940.jpg)
Thanks to Craig Spegel for the Beautifull Smith Grips!!
Ruger MKII Target KMK678
(http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/1563/rugermkiikmk678t.jpg)
NOTE: 6000+ Rounds of Federal Wally World Value Pack Ammo!!
$45 "Project P-89" Before Refinish
(http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/3449/junkp89i.jpg)
"Project P-89" After VHT Coating, Also NOTE: Modified P-95 Trigger
(http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/3711/pa030017.jpg)
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Looks pretty good for a $45 gun. ;D
Welcome aboard
FQ13
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With today's alloys, it's a toss-up as to which is the better metal and all boils down to personal preference regarding appearance. I like the look of blued steel better, especially on revolvers.
Many years ago SS got a reputation for being 'soft' because they hadn't perfected the alloy and many early SS pistols experienced galling. That in turn led many people to shy away from SS guns. Now, the SS guns are as good or better than the carbon steel counterparts.
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I don't like Armaloy, haven't since I first worked at T/C.
Stainless and blued barrels are interchangable, You can put blue barrels on stainless Contender's and vice versa.
Can't do that with Armaloy, Armaloy barrels only fit Armaloy.
Having a modern fire arm plated with anything ( Reblueing excepted ) is a waste of money. the only reason that actually holds up to examination is coloring, like the TiN (Titanium nitride ) that supplies most of the "Gold" triggers, hammers etc.
TiN is a fantastic finish for cutting tools, I use it every day, but the only thing it does for a gun is supply a more durable replacement for gold plate.
That Ruger looks great. for $45 I have to ask, does it actually work ?
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Range Report DUE in a few weeks on the "Project P-89"
There's Gunshows for the next couple of weeks
BIG 2100 Table National Gunday/Ron Dickson Gunshow in Louisville this weekend
My Range Buddy also needs to test this PPS-43 He bought @ The Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot last weekend
So this will give me the chance to shoot the P-89 & a few 22s
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Range Report DUE in a few weeks on the "Project P-89"
COOL !
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Headknocker, What'd you do with that front sight band on the Mark II? Looks copper... Just a reflection?
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It is true, the earlier SS guns, had trouble with being machined as fine as chrome moly, and galling, the new alloys are much better, the same with knives, the early Rost Free German knives were hard to sharpen and did not hold an edge, no longer, I still give the edge, ( very slight ) to carbon steel, chrome moly barrels for longevity and accuracy, but you need to be real good to see the difference, and shoot a lot. SS is still much better in resisting the weather = moisture, than any carbon product.
I do my touch up on SS guns with white scotch brite, steel wool, and felt wheel with green chromate polish, depending on standard, high polish, and then again, glass bead blasting for that nice matte finish.
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I certainly prefer cleaning SS revolvers.
For carry, I prefer (against conventional wisdom suggesting SS) black—technically not true "blued". I give my firearms enough TLC that corrosion shouldn't be any issue regardless of finish.
I have to admit though, I really like the blue on my nearly 100-year-old Colt .38 Special. I haven't seen bluing that nice on any out of the box modern pistol.
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I like stainless, especially for a carry gun I'm gonna be sweating all over.
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Headknocker, What'd you do with that front sight band on the Mark II? Looks copper... Just a reflection?
Yeah that's just a reflection of all the brass that the gun is laying on..
I don't have many pics of this great plinker but here's one of it with my 10/22 "Stealth" before I changed the grips from the eagle Rosewood to the Rubber Hogues..
"Stealth 10/22" & MKII Target
(http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/1296/ruger22rimfires.jpg)
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I have both, there all 44spls and each one has a place in my safe. I take them all out and give them just what each one of them need. They all are wheelguns and made by S&W. Two of them are over 40 years old and I got them new and they still look new.
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I have several Stainless Steel guns, and prefer them to anything else. It took a while for Stainless to "grow" on me. When they first started appearing they had an unfinished look to them. Now I think they really look good. Especially the polished Stainless Ruger is putting on the new Vaquero's. I'm amazed they can sell them for what they do. That kind of polishing has to be done by hand, as there is no real way to automate it.
I don't use Scotchbrite to touch up Stainless. It is a bit rough. If a had a gun that was severely scratched I might give it a go, but I use Flitz Metal Polish. It removes very little material, but really brightens up the whole piece to better than new condition. Simichrome Polish is another good product for this. Here in Arizona rusting is not an issue, but I still prefer Stainless if I have the choice. I have 2 Ruger Stainless Super Redhawks. One is in .44 Magnum, and has the bright brushed Stainless finish. The other is in .454 Casull and has the Ruger dull "Target Grey" finish which I don't particularly care for. To me it just looks dull, and there is no way you can touch it up.
Stainless Steel is "gummy", and lacks the natural lubricity carbon steel has, and because of this you have to keep Stainless Steel very well lubricated or else parts can gall easily. This is especially true of high stress points like bolt lugs on bolt action rifles, and trunnions on over and under shotguns. In spite of this fact I still prefer Stainless Steel to any of the coatings currently being used in the firearms industry, with the only exception being Tenifer used by Glock. It simply has no current equal. Bill T.
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Bill, Try the Gray or white Scotch brite pads, they are much finer than the Brown, Red, or Green .