Stainless or Blued?

[gamestalker]

I love the look of a nice blued wheel gun. What I don't like is the fact that the finish gets worn rather quickly when you carry in a holster. And blue will also develop surface rust quite easily from being exposed to a humid environment. So my answer is stainless for the most part.
GS

 

[CraigC]

I lived in Florida for 32yrs and Tennessee for 6yrs. I know all about humidity. I carried numerous blued guns in holsters over the years. With reasonable care, I have never had any issues with holster wear or rust. I have blued guns with more finish wear from handling than holster use. Not a big deal.

 

[tarosean]

I own more Stainless Revolvers than Blue. More Black, Blue semis than Stainless.. In other words I like the gun and not the finish.

 

[skoro]

I like blued, but it's a slight preference.

 

[back40]

depends on the firearm for me. i have more stainless than blue wheel guns, and more blued/black than stainless semis. that seems to be my preference. although i can appreciate just about anything.

 

[Hokkmike]

Because some things are worth the effort, real or perceived. Personally, I never considered it any effort at all but I treat all my guns the same. ..CraigC

I hear you. I DO keep my guns clean all of the time. I tell my newbie friends that the dis assembly, cleaning, reassembly, and functionality testing are part of the fun of gun shooting and ownership.

 

[murf]

blued steel and walnut....only way to go.

murf

 

[Boxhead]

Nickel.

 

[Hokkmike]

Dang! I forgot nickel. Very sorry....... (I guess it would go in the "other" category)

 

[Drail]

I love high polish bluing and color case hardening but neither are very durable out in the real world. For a "working gun" (any type) I prefer Parkerizing. It takes a long time to wear that off and it holds oil onto the metal better than anything else. All of my stainless guns have been bead blasted. Nothing can beat the durability of industrial hard chrome. Too bad they can't make it black. ( they do of course but it's about as hard as bluing) Most plating shops that offer black chrome will try to talk you out of it if they're honest. It looks beautiful but just will not hold up to wear.

 

[Target008]

I have often considered this myself and yet i always come back to stainless. I like the extra strength which in my opinion it adds as well as the luxury of not having to worry so much about preserving a finish

 

[CraigC]

Here's what a blued "working gun" looks like. It's nearly 50yrs old and I've had it for 13yrs. It has seen countless holster miles, around 25-30,000rds, has been dropped, dunked and slip hammered more than any other firearm I own. There is only a little more finish wear than when I bought it and zero rust. The bright spot on the grip frame was like that when I retrofitted it to the gun several years ago. I have to wonder what all the folks who complain about the fragility of bluing are doing to their guns. Using unfitted holsters?

 

[loose noose]

I have both stainless, and blued and several have both, don't worry about the humidity out here or for that matter rust. I do prefer blued like my Colt Peacemakers with a deep blue and rich color case hardening.

 

[Steve CT]

Well, I have three to choose from



All Dan Wessons, back to front

Bright Nickel (custom refinish)
Factory original blue
Stainless

There is actually a fourth one, another stainless slowly going to high polish

That bluing still looks pretty darn good 40 years later.

The winner is-Blue

 

[skidder]

I have a couple blued revolvers, but I prefer stainless. Stainless is much easier to care for.
Scratch?... no worries. A couple swipes with a Scotchbrite and she's good as new, or even better with an additional half-hour with Mothers Mag.

 

[JohnM]

I was going on about how I preferred blued.
Dang if I didn't just buy a nickled Uberti Dakota 45 Colt.
Well, wadda ya gonna do?
I was over at a friends house and it just wanted to come home with me

 

[spm]

blued steel and walnut....only way to go.

murf

Ditto.
I've said it before in other posts; Guns are blue steel and wood, and holsters are leather. Old school and proud of it.

spm