Question about handgun finishes/material

[MCgunner]

I read somewhere that nickel plating is more corrosion resistant than stainless steel. Is that true? I know it can't be as abrasion resistant, but was wondering about corrosion.

Thanks.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Nickel is harder than stainless so it is actually more abrasion resistant. However, nickel is just a coating and stainless is solid so you can scratch or wear through nickel, but you can't wear through the stainless.

Theoretically, nickel is more corrosion resistant than some stainless steels to some forms of corrosion. However since nickel is a coating, any (even microscopic) breech in the integrity of the plating (and even perfect looking plating examples have them) allows corrosive elements to attack the steel beneath. Once this happens, the nickel peels off rather easily.

This is slightly complicated by the fact that nickel is often not deposited directly onto steel. Usually there is an undercoat of copper plating. Ever heard of "triple chrome plating"? This is not three coats of chromium. It's copper plating, followed by nickel, followed by chromium. Nickel plating "sticks" to copper way better than it does to steel. Copper sticks to steel just fine. So most nickel plating jobs on steel involve an intermediate plating of copper. One of the benefits is that the copper can be built up and buffed off so that the copper fills scratches, pitting, and voids - leaving the final nickel plating looking as smooth as the proverbial baby's bottom.

Since many gun solvents (like Hoppe's) remove copper fouling, they also remove that pesky layer of copper between the nickel and the steel (the solvent gets at the copper through those ubiquitous breeches). This causes the nickel to come off in sheets. That's why you have to be careful what you use when you clean nickel plated guns.

The bottom line is: If you're not into cleaning and oiling your gun, you're better off with stainless. If you pretend that a nickel plated gun is bare steel covered with a thin, cracked coating of a very cool looking hard material (and treat it as such) the nickel will last you a good long time.


EDIT: Spelling

 

[ChristopherG]

Good answer and good post, Eddie. He's completely right, McGunner.

 

[MCgunner]

Excellent, thank you very much! Hmm, guess I'll have to quit using Hoppes #9. So far, the gun is beautiful. I was kinda wondering about using it outdoors, being a 4" .357, and how it'd hold up. But, heck, I've carried lotsa blued steel guns. I just like stainless cause I'm less worried about it. I've always taken good care of my guns.

I bought this Taurus M66 for 200 bucks used and it's excellent, extremely accurate, too accurate to leave in a gun safe for fear of finish wear. It is matte nickel, a beautifully finished gun with a little hint of holster wear on one spot on the cylinder. It's not that heavy, either, being basically a K frame. Been thinking of carrying it IWB from time to time. Heck, I guess I can get it replated if ever that is necessary. I feel like the thing was built to be used, not just be a range queen. It's too good a shooter to just leave alone and carry something else and of course being a medium frame .357, my only one right now, it's an extremely useful revolver for a lot of applications. I'm going to start carrying it more, I reckon.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Yeah, it's a good idea to stay away from the Hoppe's. No need to panic - It's not like it will strip the nickel off the gun just by being in the same room with it. However, if you were to leave it coated with Hoppe's when you put it away, you might not be happy with it when you take it out a couple of weeks later.

I have a bright nickel S&W Model 14 (.38 K frame) that was factory plated in the early 60's that still looks brand new. It's got a long barrel so I don't carry it, but I do shoot it a lot and holster it while I'm at the range. I use CLP to clean it.

 

[RustyShackelford]

Accurate Plating and Weaponry

I'd check the website for Accurate Plating and Weaponry. They have a detailed section about weapon finishes. I'm not sure of the website. They moved the entire company and are changing the site too.

RS

Robar can answer you questions too;

 

[ugaarguy]

If you did get a nickel finish that started flaking maybe look at hard chroming as a replacement. Jack Fuseilier (sp?) has built up a great reputation over at www.ktog.org for hard chroming Kel-Tec slides; everyone says he does very high quality work at reasonable prices. As I understand it HARD chroming, not plating, is a very durable and wear resistant finish. I think it looks very nice in a matte finish to boot.