[dbshabo]

Does anyone know if you can put one of the many different coatings on a stainless steel gun? I am thinking of getting a S&W 1911 but don't like the looks of stainless on a gun. I would like to have the properties of stainless but the looks of a tactical weapon.

Shabo

[Sean Smith]

Sure. Most of the polymer coatings can be applied to stainless steel just fine. Also, Robar has a process for blackening stainless steel.

[Black Snowman]

Depending on the metal treatment (Glocks come to mind) there is almost no advantage to stainless steel over conventional steel. Now, if it's just a cheap coating and not a treatment, ya, stainless is much more resistant to environmental damage. However stainless is also softer on a whole than conventional steels and may not carry the mechanical longevity.

So, high use get hardened steel, harsh environment get stainless.

What specificly did you have in mind? I know a lot of the earlier SIGs were available in a blackenned stainless.

[Wildalaska]

Hi stainless steel, in a modern good quality firearm, is as durable as chrome moly, so one can have a high use stsainless gun

WildoldrumoursdiehardAlaska

[B27]

I am this week sending a SIG P229 Sport (all stainless construction) to http://www.bearcoat.com/ after seeing their work on other peoples SIG's.

[Obiwan]

Wow...I had never heard of Bear Coat

They are 1/2 mile from me!

[Black Snowman]

I agree Wildalaska, there were a lot of unknowns in the equation so I tried to qualify it a little and just go "rule of thumb".

Only pistol I have ever had even surface rust on is my Desert Eagle, and that's just because I neglected it badly (left it in a foam pistol case handled and unoiled, oops).

My Glock, Buckmark, and Taurus seem immune to such mis-treatment. None of them are stainless.

Let me qualify it differantly this time.

Strength is cheaper to get in corrosion resistant treated steel. Corrosion resistance is cheaper to get in hardened stainless.

How's that :D

[jarhead]

Here is a Kimber Custom Stainless... all stainless, all GunKote'd - little over 4000 rounds and around 300 kydex holster presentations later...

http://www.lenderscc.com/PA150667.JPG

[Prodigalshooter]

My SA loaded was stainless and I had it done up in NP3 & Roguard by Robar about a year ago. Can't see any wear at all, very slick action, very pretty, I am glad I did it.

[10-Ring]

I would think that just as long as you get somebody that knows what they're doing, you can put a finish on stainless steel.