Why Stainless

[jmar]

Is there a reason 95% of revolvers these days are stainless polished or matte? What happened to beautiful blued carbon steel paired with wood grips? Stainless plus black rubber grips to me is just very unattractive. I've never had any interest in a raw stainless gun. I'm not opposed to the material stainless as long as it has been coated, in fact there have been numerous revolvers I like and would buy such as the Ruger Super Redhawk, the Ruger Blackhawk Hunter, and the Colt Cobra. But they are all stainless with black grips unfortunately... I hope we see wood grips and blued steel make a comeback. Or at least some alternate factory coatings.



I really like the Ruger Target Gray stainless finish .

 

[cfullgraf]

Blued and nickel finishes were developed and used to protect firearms from the elements.

Stainless probably does a better job at that than both blued and nickel finishes.

With a variety of economic pressures, I can only hazard a guess that the gun manufacturers have worked to reduce the number of less popular models and finishes to help save costs.

 

[Sunray]

There are lots of aftermarket wood grips available for Rugers. However, being pretty isn't as important as how the thing shoots. Large calibre stuff is easier to shoot well with rubber grips that help absorb the recoil. And SS can be darkened by either one of the coatings(paint) or anodizing.

 

[CPLofMARINES]

Cost effectiveness in the manufacturing process. I prefer a
rich royal blue finish as well.

 

[BobWright]

As to my own tastes, I prefer blued, preferably blued/case hardened, with either stag or hardwood grips. And prefer the hardwood to be walnut, South American rosewood, ebony, or mesquite.

As to the finish, I just would rather my gun show good honest wear of the finish as opposed to looking brand new twenty, thirty years down the line.

That's just my druthers.

Bob Wright

 

[CraigC]

It's a matter of taste. Folks can't be bothered with the minimal care required to maintain blued guns and prefer their guns to be dishwasher safe. Same for grips. That and the myth that rubber grips are more comfortable.

Large calibre stuff is easier to shoot well with rubber grips that help absorb the recoil.

Pure myth. The way the grip fits your hand is infinitely more important than the material used. Soft rubber is a crutch for one-size-fits-all grips.

There are lots of aftermarket wood grips available for Rugers. However, being pretty isn't as important as how the thing shoots. Large calibre stuff is easier to shoot well with rubber grips that help absorb the recoil. And SS can be darkened by either one of the coatings(paint) or anodizing.

You can't anodize steel.

However, being pretty isn't as important as how the thing shoots.

It ain't about being "pretty". It's about fit and shooting comfort. Looks are secondary but there is no reason why you can't have both. These grips are beautiful but I wouldn't own them if they weren't comfortable.






These grips are the most comfortable for this particular sixgun. Not because they're rubber but because of their shape. They are still a wee bit too thin and if I can talk my gripmaker into it, he'll be doing a set of Ropers for it and my .480.

 

[sabbfan]

Blued guns today don't look like the deep rich blues of the past. Given the option of a stainless revolver or a blued one that just looks black I'll take the stainless. And I'll freely admit I like shiny things

 

[Kleanbore]

I have been told that the cost of environmental compliance with the bluing process has become the big issue.

 

[CraigC]

Blued guns today don't look like the deep rich blues of the past. Given the option of a stainless revolver or a blued one that just looks black I'll take the stainless. And I'll freely admit I like shiny things

That's due to less work done in metal prep before bluing. The results of bluing are completely dependent on the polish before hand.

I have been told that the cost of environmental compliance with the bluing process has become the big issue.

I think that's the excuse they use for not wanting to properly polish the guns. Bluing can be done in huge batches with little skill or human intervention. Polishing must be done one at a time by a skilled worker. Surprisingly, Ruger still does a really good polish and blue job on some of their rifles but the handguns are a lackluster brushed finish that does little to stir the soul.

 

[stchman]

I guess I'm in the minority on this thread, but I prefer a stainless revolver with a matte or bead blasted finish over blued. As far as wooden vs rubber handles, I personally find rubber grips more comfortable, but wood grips look a lot nicer.

I for one don't know HOW one gets the burn rings on a blued revolver clean, I have to scrub my SS revolver cylinder face with a brass brush and Hoppe's #9 to get them clean.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

I guess I'm in the minority on this thread, but I prefer a stainless revolver with a matte or bead blasted finish over blued. As far as wooden vs rubber handles, I personally find rubber grips more comfortable, but wood grips look a lot nicer.

I for one don't know HOW one gets the burn rings on a blued revolver clean, I have to scrub my SS revolver cylinder face with a brass brush and Hoppe's #9 to get them clean.

I like a nice, even bead blasted stainless finish. I don't like the brushed finish or plain stainless.

 

[gotboostvr]

I'm a big fan of stainless. High polish if I can.

Fancy wood grips as well.

 

[Varminterror]

I'm one personally who will never buy blued if an equivalent model is available in stainless. It ain't for everyone, but I never have had a passion for blued rifles. Good wood is a different story, and it looks just as well at home on a stainless rifle as blued for me, but I just have no favor for blued firearms.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Blued guns today don't look like the deep rich blues of the past. Given the option of a stainless revolver or a blued one that just looks black I'll take the stainless.

I agree completely. MOST, not all, but most modern "blueing" looks pretty terrible to me and more akin to a chalk board than a properly blued gun should look. I prefer a stainless gun to the modern blackening I see offered.

Stainless steel is nice and easy to maintain, and the part I like about it is you can easily polish it by hand. This gives the end user the option to shine the gun up to their desired levels. If you worry about honest ware, it gives you the ability to polish some of that away too. Personally I like the shine you can give a gun, but not have to mess with nickel plating.

But it definitely isn't for everyone, and preference plays a big part.

Given the choice between a modern stainless gun, or a classic blued gun, I really prefer the look of the classic blueing. With a proper holster made with good materials and for a particular gun, damage to the finish over time can be greatly reduced.

Pure myth. The way the grip fits your hand is infinitely more important than the material used. Soft rubber is a crutch for one-size-fits-all grips.

It ain't about being "pretty". It's about fit and shooting comfort. Looks are secondary but there is no reason why you can't have both.

Absolutely agree. I have been very fortunate to find larger factory made grips that fit me properly, and have not needed to yet go down the path of true custom grips. New grips are something I start looking for almost immediately after getting a new gun. However, I have no doubt that my shooting and shooting comfort could be further enhanced by grips fit to my particular hand. I just don't make enough money yet.

On the same note, this grip fits me great and makes shooting this X frame tolerable. The rubber is the unfortunate material that was used to make it because it was cheap. I still plan to put a decent wood grip on this gun that fits my hand.
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[Armybrat]

Don't care much for the modern flat blueing/black,but do like both the matte & glossy stainless finishes.

Of course the old rich blueing of S&W & Colt is much prettier to me:

 

[CaptHank]

Two Smiths to compare the finish. Models 29-2 and 629-4.

 

[Walkalong]

The results of bluing are completely dependent on the polish before hand.

Yep, which takes skill and time.

 

[Walkalong]

As far as revolvers go, I prefer my Smiths/Colts blued and my Rugers stainless. I know, I'm weird.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I like blue one day, stainless the next. That is why I try to buy models of each when available.

 

[chicharrones]

I have been told that the cost of environmental compliance with the bluing process has become the big issue.

Interesting. So as lead bullets go, so will newly made blued guns?

 

[chicharrones]

I like blued and stainless. It only takes a spot of previously unseen rust to make me appreciate stainless more at that moment.

 

[gotboostvr]

My favorite guns to look at are blued.
They hold up well enough, and I do carry them often.

Much like carbon steel knifes. If you take care of them, they take care of you.

But I do find myself buying mostly stainless steel pistols lately. I like the look (especially in a polished finish) and love the longevity of it.

 

[Danoobie]

Blued doesn't fare so well here, in a high humidity environment.
Even Stainless Steel needs a good oiling, now and then. With all the new
coatings on guns, IMO bluing is a thing of the past. Some guns do look better in black.
A Desert Eagle in Tac-Black is a sharp looking gun.

 

[bannockburn]

CraigC

Surprisingly, Ruger still does a really good polish and blue job on some of their rifles but the handguns are a lackluster brushed finish that does little to stir the soul.

I would tend to agree with that though I have to say the bluing on my Ruger Blackhawk Flattop was definitely much better than quite a few other new Ruger revolvers I had seen.

 

[CraigC]

Blued doesn't fare so well here, in a high humidity environment.

Nonsense. I spent the first 32yrs of my life in Florida and never had an issue with rust. Of course, the humidity is just as high here as there.

I would tend to agree with that though I have to say the bluing on my Ruger Blackhawk Flattop was definitely much better than quite a few other new Ruger revolvers I had seen.

For some reason, Ruger does a better polish on the flat-tops than the standard Blackhawks.