Poll: Stainless or Blued?

[MarkSBG]

I have always liked the look of stainless firearms and wondered why people seem to buy so many blued guns. The blueing eventually wears off in some places leaving the steel unprotected. Stainless are stainless!

So, here is your chance to set me straight! Are you a blued gun kind of guy? If so, why so? eace:

If stainless is better, back me up! (PP, I'm looking at you.)

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[Bon Sauvage]

I prefer blued steel and wood; for the looks if nothing else. I have three S/S revolvers and there is no denying that the upkeep is easier for them yet I find them anything but attractive. Maybe I'm just showing my age.

 

[durango#95]

I prefer stainless my self for the same reason, but they are not as easy to find in my neck of the woods so I have learned to settle for what I find.

 

[claypigeon]

It depends on the firearm. I absoulutly love the looks of the blued guns with a really nice piece of wood for grips. And when they are new, a nice blued job is beautiful. But I also realy enjoy the looks of stainless guns with black grips. As far as upkeep stainless hands down. Now the Sig Equinox is really nice with some bright metal as well as darker but not sure it is a blued finnish. I like the Bi-Tone though. I guess I just love guns

 

[Malibu38368]

I'm a very vintage guy, and as such love blued guns with wooden bits to hold onto.

Yeah sure it wears off eventually, but a worn-in blued gun looks better to me than a worn-in stainless gun. Also, with a blued gun, the areas of the finish that wear through fastest are probably in constant contact with other objects: holster, hand, or what have you. This same contact inhibits corrosion formation even after the finish has rubbed off, if the gun isn't living in long-term storage. And since both finishes require at least some upkeep to prevent corrosion in most cases, I just prefer to go with the more classic look of blued steel because for me, it's basically aesthetic.

In terms of pure ease of maintenance, I acknowledge a properly-treated Parkerized finish to be superior to both other options.

 

[MountainBear]

Because nothing is sexier than a finely polished and blued rifle with a full figured walnut stock. Look at custom rifles from Dakota and other high-end custom builders. Blued (when done right) is just gorgeous.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

Although I think blued guns are beautiful, I buy stainless only because they are more durable and practical. Blue guns scratch too easily and cannot be repaired as simply and the added corrosion resistance of the stainless is a must in wetter or humid climates.

 

[finch6013]

I like blued or black finish guns for hunting just because of the shine off of the gun with stainless. For a target or carry gun I like the ease and durrability of stainless.

 

[warnerwh]

I prefer blued guns because I think they look better. Stainless gets stained and is more difficult to keep looking new, something I try to do with all of my guns. Another reason I don't care for stainless is because if you hunt the last thing you need is shiny metal.

I own a stainless S&W 617. It will be up for trade for a blue one soon.

 

[spider]

I like all of my guns to be ss, except maybe some parkerized ones.

 

[swoop]

All my auto's and carry guns are stainless except a Glock..I like blue on my revolvers.

 

[tionico]

Some types I prefer stainless so much I have not bought yet, because I've had a hard time finding SS. Other types I definitely prefet a blued or parkerised finish. Some (not many)I have also have a lot of acreage dedicated to plastic.... which is mostly utilitarian and rarely beautiful.

Some of the prettiest guns I've got are polished stainless and use significant amounts of gorgeous figured wood (White Gold Medallion)

But then, I've also got some very beautiful blued guns with nice figured wood.

Blued does have the advantage of not being bright, desirable in many hunting situations. And yet most of my hunters are SS.

Someone mentioned Parkerising, and this is a very good presetrvative surface treatment. Far more durable than bluing, it also has what I feel is a very nice look to it.

Chrome or nickel are also nice.... particularly when set off with nice wood.

I guess its the guns I'm interested in. Material used for construction, while important in certainn situations, is not THAT important...... quality and overall aesthetics are.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

I prefer blued guns because I think they look better. Stainless gets stained and is more difficult to keep looking new, something I try to do with all of my guns. Another reason I don't care for stainless is because if you hunt the last thing you need is shiny metal.

I own a stainless S&W 617. It will be up for trade for a blue one soon.

I will have to say that this is the first time I have ever heard anyone claim that stainless is "more difficult to keep looking new" than a blued gun.

I tell you what. Lets go to the range. You shoot your blued gun and I will shoot my stainless gun. After 200 rounds we will clean them and see which one still looks like new with less effort. Winner keeps both guns.

 

[littlecars]

If it is a carry gun SS, no question about it.
if it is not going to see much use I dont reall care, I buy what I find. Blued looks better when in great condition, but will look worse and worse the more I use it. SS will look good all the time, know matter what.

 

[SigOryGunner]

IMO I find nothing sexier than a SS frame and a nice set of wood grips. Blued finish when done right can be breathtaking but SS looks good day or night.

 

[NK777]

I'm to cheap for stainless and thats the only reason I can think of as to why I go with blued. I also like dark guns I guess. I'm not even a fan of wood grips.

 

[Parker]

I voted blued, but really I'm OK with either.

 

[Searcher451]

I guess that it depends on what I'm using the gun in question for. If it's strictly a carry gun, I prefer stainless. If it's not a carry gun, then I generally prefer the look of a nice blued firearm over a stainless version every time.

 

[JUSTIficatioN]

blued barrels with walnut stocks are just classic lookin, but i'm a big single six/ lever action guy myself so thats probably the reason why i like blued barrels so much