The earlier guns that I owned where all blued, then I upgraded to stainless, so much easier to take care of and doesn't show the wear as much. But now, I have gone full circle and think the best lookers are in blue, with leather accent of course. 
What does she look GOOOOOOD in?
- Thread starter Flashpoint
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Hand_Rifle_Guy
Member
Blued Steel and Polished Walnut.
The finish on my 20's-vintage Colt 1903 reflects well enough to read through, and is midnight black everywhere except the details like the safety and trigger. THOSE are brilliant cobalt/electic blue mirrors.
And as for wood, well, I'm a professional woodworker. I like the stuff.
That said, stainless can be cool. My 1066 would look kinda funny in blue. The Monster is nicely "over-the-top" shiny. It's supposed to be seen. An Automag wouldn't be an Automag unless it was a stretched stainless monstrosity. Big stainless revolvers make the holes in the barrel and cylinder look bigger when you point 'em at unfriendlies, and they don't rust.
But against bluing and color case-hardening, stainless is flat boring. And then there's a finish I like to call Honest Wear, the ancient dull gray patina on well-used-but-not-abused antique cowboy guns.
Elmer Kieth had a Colt SAA that'd been heavily copper plated, that tarnished a heavy brown-black with bronze highlights. It didn't rust. That finish intrigues the heck out of me.
And where do you put Target Gray? I saw a GP-100 with that finish, and it looked pretty stylish. Almost better than my blued GP-100.
I guess I like most finishes, except for cheap nickel plating, and powdercoats. Plastic frames are, well, plastic. It's boring as all get out, unless you color it, which is kind of unsettling on guns. (Although my Colt .22 Auto looks snazzy in matte stailess with a black plastig grip frame.)
I saw a Glock with a nickel-plated slide once. It looked like a Jennings/Bryco POS. MOST undignified, really. Almost vulgar.
The finish on my 20's-vintage Colt 1903 reflects well enough to read through, and is midnight black everywhere except the details like the safety and trigger. THOSE are brilliant cobalt/electic blue mirrors.
And as for wood, well, I'm a professional woodworker. I like the stuff.
That said, stainless can be cool. My 1066 would look kinda funny in blue. The Monster is nicely "over-the-top" shiny. It's supposed to be seen. An Automag wouldn't be an Automag unless it was a stretched stainless monstrosity. Big stainless revolvers make the holes in the barrel and cylinder look bigger when you point 'em at unfriendlies, and they don't rust.
But against bluing and color case-hardening, stainless is flat boring. And then there's a finish I like to call Honest Wear, the ancient dull gray patina on well-used-but-not-abused antique cowboy guns.
Elmer Kieth had a Colt SAA that'd been heavily copper plated, that tarnished a heavy brown-black with bronze highlights. It didn't rust. That finish intrigues the heck out of me.
And where do you put Target Gray? I saw a GP-100 with that finish, and it looked pretty stylish. Almost better than my blued GP-100.
I guess I like most finishes, except for cheap nickel plating, and powdercoats. Plastic frames are, well, plastic. It's boring as all get out, unless you color it, which is kind of unsettling on guns. (Although my Colt .22 Auto looks snazzy in matte stailess with a black plastig grip frame.)
I saw a Glock with a nickel-plated slide once. It looked like a Jennings/Bryco POS. MOST undignified, really. Almost vulgar.
rayra
member
my guns are tools. don't really like the shiny silver stuff, too much pimpin' / "bling"
A parkerized finish, after 19yrs of wear & use -
A parkerized finish, after 19yrs of wear & use -
10-Ring
Member
Keep classic lines classic! Those accessory rails on the Beretta Vertec, SIG & some 1911's is down right blasphemous! 
As far as what looks good...carbon fiber grips on stainless 1911, nice wood grips on medium/large frame revolver, hard chromed P7M8's, and one ragged hole from a mag full of shots from my favorite pistol
As far as what looks good...carbon fiber grips on stainless 1911, nice wood grips on medium/large frame revolver, hard chromed P7M8's, and one ragged hole from a mag full of shots from my favorite pistol natedog
Member
I love love love a 1911 like the Springfield Champion. That would be my ideal pistol, if only it came with a 5" barrel
Zach S
Member
Looks matter?
All of my pistols are stainless, but I prefer the looks of bluing...
All of my pistols are stainless, but I prefer the looks of bluing...
Smoke
Member
I believe thats called a full size.
I like stainless autos and wheel guns. I also like a rich dark blue. None of the flat "Tactical black" finishes for me.
Long guns should be blue with wood stocks.
Guns should be shiny! Thats it....as long as its shiny.
Sean Smith
Member
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- Dec 28, 2002
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I think deep blue is the prettiest, but I now have a matte hard chrome gun that I like too.
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
Make mine blued carbon steel, please, and my holsters match my belts match my shoes.
Pinned&Recessed
Member
Blued. Especially sixguns. I can see the utility of a SS gun in some instances, but I'm not a big fan od Soulless(Stainless) Steel.
Rob62
Member
I like revolvers in satin stainless steel (don't hate me ;-). Semi auto pistols in blue or 2 tone - stainless lower with a blued upper.
Rifles in blued steel with a good synthetic stock.
Rob
Rifles in blued steel with a good synthetic stock.
Rob
rajaniblue
Member
Over and Under shotguns: High grade walnut, receivers finely engraved with no bluing on the receiver (I've got that toxic sweat that is hard on bluing, even tho I love the look of it)
Rifles: Nicely grained wood... always. Can't stand composite stocks, UNLESS they are camo! Receiver can be any color, I have gorgeous rifles both blued and nickel finish and like 'em all. But again, the nickel finish ones seem to stay nicer, longer.
Revolvers... color case hardening! I love the swirly multi color thAng.
Semi Auto pistol: Black! Black pistol, black holster, black belt, black mag carrier, black jeans, black top, black boots. Black black black!
Rifles: Nicely grained wood... always. Can't stand composite stocks, UNLESS they are camo! Receiver can be any color, I have gorgeous rifles both blued and nickel finish and like 'em all. But again, the nickel finish ones seem to stay nicer, longer.
Revolvers... color case hardening! I love the swirly multi color thAng.
Semi Auto pistol: Black! Black pistol, black holster, black belt, black mag carrier, black jeans, black top, black boots. Black black black!
Edward429451
member
I'm with Clyde Barrow on this. Deep blue or blackened.
I do like the SS look on my Mini-revo.
Color case hardening looks cool too FWIW.
I do like the SS look on my Mini-revo.
Color case hardening looks cool too FWIW.
Black Snowman
Member
Handguns? It depends on the style. Never liked the Nickle Glocks but the SS H&Ks look good. Probably because of the more interesting slide shape.
1911s always find a way of looking good. I've seen very few ugly 1911s. Probably because they don't have much else going for them J/K
Revlovers I usually liked blued or browned but the grey that Ruger came up with for the Super RedHawks really looks mean and fits the gun well. Lots of autos I like in two-tone. Even some of the AirWeight and Titanium series revolvers with their differing frames, barrels, and cylinders look pretty cool. CZs I like browned. Especially the CZ97B.
Desert Eagle, the old stainless frames on black uppers are my favorites followed up by the plain black. Everything "fancier" just makes an already obsurd gun look silly to me.
Derringers should always be nickle
Target pistols should be colorfully stained laminated wood with parkerized barrels and stainless steel and aluminum parts.
That's the trends I prefer anyway
1911s always find a way of looking good. I've seen very few ugly 1911s. Probably because they don't have much else going for them
J/KRevlovers I usually liked blued or browned but the grey that Ruger came up with for the Super RedHawks really looks mean and fits the gun well. Lots of autos I like in two-tone. Even some of the AirWeight and Titanium series revolvers with their differing frames, barrels, and cylinders look pretty cool. CZs I like browned. Especially the CZ97B.
Desert Eagle, the old stainless frames on black uppers are my favorites followed up by the plain black. Everything "fancier" just makes an already obsurd gun look silly to me.
Derringers should always be nickle
Target pistols should be colorfully stained laminated wood with parkerized barrels and stainless steel and aluminum parts.
That's the trends I prefer anyway
igor
Member
I definately prefer blue and wood....but I own both, and like them all. The older S&W blued revolvers are works of art....some are ALMOST too nice to shoot though. I was messing with my Para P-14 Stainless tonight, and have to admit that it's high on bling.
asiparks
Member
Used to think the bead blasted matt stainless finish on my Kimber was the coolest, then thought my 2 tone CDP was the dogs bollocks.. then I got my first real blued gun..ahhhh..
So, that's 'nother vote for a deep and lovely bluing, then.
Thanks Igor BTW, I hurt myself falling out of my chair when I clicked on that link.......
So, that's 'nother vote for a deep and lovely bluing, then.
Thanks Igor BTW, I hurt myself falling out of my chair when I clicked on that link.......
aerod1
Member
To me, all guns look better blued with wood furniture. I have some stainless guns because they are durable.
Jim Hall
Jim Hall
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