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This isn't one of those which-is-better threads but, rather, which is your preference? Me, I love the classic Colt and S&W blued revolvers, but when the edges and cylinder ring begin showing wear, or when there's holster wear, the value of the guns tend to head south.
Still, a blued revolver has its charms. For autos, however, not so much. Well, except the Ruger .22 autos, which is hard not to like. A downside of the S&W stainless is that it often looks like a bunch of chimpanzees finished them with sandpaper. And some folks think that stainless reflects more, and while that may be true out in the sun with a polished finish, it's not true of a sandblasted stainless finish. At night I've taken both blued and stainless revolvers into dark and semi-dark situations and I can't really tell a difference. In the dark, both guns are...well...dark. Any polished surface can reflect a pinpoint flash, even blue, but neither one seems to be a problem.
Stainless also resists gas cutting better than blued steel because of the chromium or nickel content. When magnum blasts keep hitting the forcing cone, it leeches out the carbon, eventually making it brittle. Stainless resists this better, though I have seen cracked stainless cones -- so they're not invulnerable.
New bluing also doesn't do much for me. For ecological reasons, and I suppose to cut corners, S&W went to a different bluing process. It's kind of a dull black and not very reflective, or beautiful IMO. And it may be more durable than the older bluing. (Anyone have any observations on that?)
So what's your choice in revolvers and autos? I got a S&W 457 not long ago and the finish was a lot like the Glocks -- like it had been applied with black magic markers.
For me, make mine stainless in both. Still, I'd love to have a mint Model 19! I had a blued Ruger Security-Six once in a 4-inch barrel, and a S&W 559, but got rid of them both (and regret it).
This Beretta 70S started off as a blued gun, but developed
a spot of rust that just couldn't be buffed out with a copper
penny and then leather soaked with oil. I encountered others
with the same problem in the same place with the same gun
and finally had the gun hard chromed. It was a great job.
The only auto I love in blue is the old Ruger .22LR auto. I got
rid of mine for stainless and now wish I'd kept one blued model.
Both shot just fine.
.
Still, a blued revolver has its charms. For autos, however, not so much. Well, except the Ruger .22 autos, which is hard not to like. A downside of the S&W stainless is that it often looks like a bunch of chimpanzees finished them with sandpaper. And some folks think that stainless reflects more, and while that may be true out in the sun with a polished finish, it's not true of a sandblasted stainless finish. At night I've taken both blued and stainless revolvers into dark and semi-dark situations and I can't really tell a difference. In the dark, both guns are...well...dark. Any polished surface can reflect a pinpoint flash, even blue, but neither one seems to be a problem.
Stainless also resists gas cutting better than blued steel because of the chromium or nickel content. When magnum blasts keep hitting the forcing cone, it leeches out the carbon, eventually making it brittle. Stainless resists this better, though I have seen cracked stainless cones -- so they're not invulnerable.
New bluing also doesn't do much for me. For ecological reasons, and I suppose to cut corners, S&W went to a different bluing process. It's kind of a dull black and not very reflective, or beautiful IMO. And it may be more durable than the older bluing. (Anyone have any observations on that?)
So what's your choice in revolvers and autos? I got a S&W 457 not long ago and the finish was a lot like the Glocks -- like it had been applied with black magic markers.
For me, make mine stainless in both. Still, I'd love to have a mint Model 19! I had a blued Ruger Security-Six once in a 4-inch barrel, and a S&W 559, but got rid of them both (and regret it).
This Beretta 70S started off as a blued gun, but developed
a spot of rust that just couldn't be buffed out with a copper
penny and then leather soaked with oil. I encountered others
with the same problem in the same place with the same gun
and finally had the gun hard chromed. It was a great job.
The only auto I love in blue is the old Ruger .22LR auto. I got
rid of mine for stainless and now wish I'd kept one blued model.
Both shot just fine.
.
), but is subject to wear if used very much. Stainless steel is more practical and utilitarian. I like stainless for a "working" gun that I plan to shoot and carry (which leaves it subject to holster wear) a lot, blued for collector's items.
