Stainless Steel, BRIGHT Nickel, or Both?

[Confederate]

Yes that is kind of strange and also that I never noticed it before! I believe my Model 70S was one of the early ones being imported into the U.S. When I had problems with the bluing Beretta acknowledged that some of the first imported models (like mine), had this same problem and that Beretta would reblue them free of charge. When the problem reappeared some years later I decided that I had enough of this bluing nonsense and had Metalifed by Ron Mahovsky. Best gun refinishing decision I ever could have made!

Sounds like your gun was like mine then and was one of those early ones they imported. Never came across a flap holster for it but still have an older Uncle Mike's nylon holster for it that has served me very well for many years on a lot of backwoods hikes.

Just out of curiosity, where was the rust problem on your gun, and did it reappear at the same place? Did Beretta ever say what caused the rust to appear and reappear? My rust began on the frame just to the right of the takedown lever. BreakFree is the best rust preventaive I know of, and I was amazed to see it pop up on the same place right through the CLP! When nothing worked, I decided to have it hard chromed.

Yes, stainless steel can be plated. Bright nickel, sulfamate nickel, eletroless nickel will all work. I worked in a plating shop for a few years and at that same factory for 15 years. No, copper does NOT have to be applied first, not to bright nickel or to chrome. My question is why one would want to go to the expense of plating a stainless steel pistol/revolver with any coating?

Just for the shine!

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[bannockburn]

Confederate

The rust on my Beretta was mainly on the left side of the slide nearer to the muzzle. Strangely enough around this time my brother had a Browning Hi-Power which exhibited the same kind of rust forming on his gun's frame. When I showed him how great the Metalife finish turned out on my gun, he had his Hi-Power hard chrome plated by Ron Mahovsky as well.