Rifle finish question

I'd leave it.

Leave it alone. I like the look.

Top rifle in that configuration from the factory .

I work a few days per week on a larger rifle range with high volumes. I see a fair good number of rifles that have old blue receivers and new SS barrels. Matter of fact I have a Model 10 Savage that I hope soon will be receiving a new Shilen SS barrel. It now sits in a Boyds Sea Camp Thumbhole stock in Black Pepper.

What is your purpose for the rifle? If you want it “murdered out” in all black, obviously you need to paint the barrel in some way. If you want a traditional factory rifle blacked/blued look, then coat the barrel. If you’re going to shoot the piss out of this rifle and burn out the barrel in the next 6months, leave it uncoated.

I do prefer stainless all over, but my current primary match rifle was a “misprint,” I wanted DLC coating on the bolt and inside the action, but they did an all over black DLC. I use either machine finish or bead blasted barrel blanks on the rifle. Since I’m going through two per year, I’m not paying extra cost to finish/coat/paint the barrels.

Varminterror beat me to it.

I built a .243 from a Savage 11 and a stainless Criterion heavy varmint barrel. I left the action and barrel color mismatched.

It is not the Boyd’s stock (Bell & Carlson), but maybe the dark color is similar enough to give you a rough idea.

I like the look.

I started with a blued 110 action. I can’t remember the exact shade of black, but I had everything behind the stainless barrel Ceracoated. The same shop that did the ceracoat also engraved the cartridge name on the barrel. I also went with a Boyd’s stock. That one is the Nutmeg Laminate.

It's your rifle.

Is there a compelling reason for a new finish beyond aesthetics? If not, I suggest you live with it awhile before deciding.

The Winchester coyote light comes with a blued receiver and stainless barrel, not a bad looking gun.

To me it comes down to task/purpose.

Range toy, I'd leave it as is, especially if you plan on going through barrels, as some of the guys pointed out. For a a hunting rifle, it depends on your expected use, day trips, blued will be fine, extended trips, tents etc. I'd coat it. IF there's one thing I don't want to worry about after traipsing hill and dale it's rifle maintenance. I've also gone to all synthetic stocks for the same reason.

I recently had two rifles done with Cerakote and have a 3rd that was coated from the factory (Nosler M48). I'm very pleased with the results. I went with Graphite Black on one, and midnight blue on the 2nd. Graphite black on a Rem M7:







Midnight Blue on another M7:





Looks similar, but has a little more shine to it. There are numerous galleries available on line where you can see sample projects. Also a good CeraKoter can adjust mix ratios to give you more/less shine.

https://www.cerakote.com/project-gallery?htids=Hunting Rifle

I'm working on another project rifle now to be completed in fall of 23 that's all stainless and I'm probably going to have it coated in Graphite Black just for added measure.

I suppose there are those folks who would send out their gold bars to have them Cerakoted. I'm not one and it doesn't matter that I don't own any gold bars. Stainless steel is great and it doesn't really need any coating. It can be restored to whatever natural finish, or texture, if it gets worn or scratched. Painting or coating stainless is not an improvement, IMHO. But, you pay the money and make your choice. There's still stainless underneath if you get sick of the scratches, etc.

jak67429 said:

Will be primarily a hunting rifle. I am putting way too much time and money into to start with. Started with a savage 110 in 25:06 that I could not make shoot. ordered a barrel from shleen 24" 1in9 270 win. took the action and bolt to a local smith and had him true them. all the parts are supposed to be here this week. I may do like Dave said and see how I like it as is.

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Black /blue receiver with a stainless barrels have a cool factor.

jak67429 said:

Will be primarily a hunting rifle. I am putting way too much time and money into to start with. Started with a savage 110 in 25:06 that I could not make shoot. ordered a barrel from shleen 24" 1in9 270 win. took the action and bolt to a local smith and had him true them. all the parts are supposed to be here this week. I may do like Dave said and see how I like it as is.

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There's a lot to be said for a phased approach!

Easy to get it together, shoot/hunt with it for a year or two and assess where you want to go with it.

Out of curiosity, what profile barrel?

I'm in the procurement phase now and am probably going with a 24" Bartlein 2B and have the shank cut down to about 1" for my next project. That should get me about .630" at the muzzle.

I know what you mean about the cost. My last full up build took a little over a year and i just keep adding on as time went by.

Okay, stainless barrel, laminate stock....if I'm reading that right, you plan to take this rifle out in the weather.
How about having the bolt/receiver hardchromed? Metalife does a great job, it's extremely durable, and does not affect mechanical fit. Looks good too.
Not just esthetics; a really durable finish.
Moon

For hunting I recommend something that won’t shine. The camo one is a .243 I paid to have done after I had a coyote running in at 300 yards. I moved the rifle about 1 foot on the shooting stick and looked back up and he was running away as fast as he had been running in.

The last photo is one (22-250) I Cerakoted myself using a friend’s equipment. It has a flaw in it nobody except me will ever notice. I did it to look like a bluing job. Hindsight I wish I had gone with a duller finish.

I agree with kalielkslayer on the shine factor in a hunting rifle. A coating would help with that factor.

Holy boomer BS Batman! Far too many animals die every single year for far too many years for anyone to still believe the sorry lines like “glare from stainless rifles will spook game”…

2 tone looks good.

But modern matte bluing loves to rust, especially savage's and Remington's in my experience.

I would coat it.

Honestly, I would Rust-Oleum it.

Varminterror said:

Holy boomer BS Batman! Far too many animals die every single year for far too many years for anyone to still believe the sorry lines like “glare from stainless rifles will spook game”…

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That's why I hard chrome and rhinestone my rifles... Disco ball drops 'em... That's what I always say.

South Prairie Jim said:

Black /blue receiver with a stainless barrels have a cool factor.

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Agreed. It’s definitely a “customized factory rifle look,” giving the vibe of “it was good enough to spend enough MORE to make it even better.”

Another on the "leave it alone" side. When I still hunted I did so with a high polish blued rifle and never had anything pay any attention to ut.

If it worries you just before your hunt spray it with some flat black primer and when the hunt is over remove it with some lacquer thinner. I know it's a personal thing but I detest ceracoat or any of the other flat finishes on guns. It looks like a shortcut in the finish department. Maybe it's because I grew up in the era when even cheaper guns had a nice blued finish.