Blued vs Stainless

[Borngeechee]

So since i couldn't find anything in the search, I guess ill pose the questions...

Is stainless really much better than blued? If you clean your rifle after you return do you even need to worry about corrosion? Would an anti corrosive like tuff cloth negate the stainless advantage? How bad does the weather have to be for you to see rusting while in the field and is that type of weather even huntable by the sane?

[Buckmaster7600]

In my experience a quality blued rifle is much better than a cheap "stainless." I am terrible about maintaining my rifles but I have never had a problem with my blued guns rusting but I have seen some "stainless" not fair as well. The worst finish I have seen is the newer remingtons those things are rusting before you can feel a rain drop.

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Edited April 18, 2016 by Buckmaster7600

[ATbuckhunter]

If you clean it after you get home, I don't see an advantage of stainless over blued. 

[Elmo]

I always wondered if stainless cast more light reflection and animals picks up on it easier?

[airedale]

Most of my firearms are made of the chrome moly blued steel and from what I have seen if taken care of properly they will hold up extremely well. I do like stainless and under certain situations I would prefer it over chrome moly because it is definitely more resistant to corrosion.

 

I just put together a black powder rifle and went with a stainless Green Mountain barrel over chrome moly more than anything because of it's resistance to rust and corrosion.

 

Also stainless barrels in the high velocity calibers like a 220 swift and the fast over bore magnums hold up somewhat better to throat erosion having a longer life, almost all top end target rifles these days utilize stainless barrels.

 

In the end a lot of the decision will come down to the looks, some like it and some don't.

 

For me today if I were to buy a target rifle, a black powder gun or a varmint rifle that would be shot a lot I would buy stainless if it was available in the particular firearm model I was wanting.

 

 

Al

Edited April 18, 2016 by airedale

[NFA-ADK]

Those stainless hold up very good when you are stuck in a tent for over a weeks with rain and snow at times.  My other guns not so much!  I try to clean and dry them out but rust is always a threat once humid weather comes into play.

[Pygmy]

My preference for blued finishes is purely cosmetic. I don't care for the looks of stainless.

I have done several hunting trips in remote areas when my blued rifles got literally soaked day after day. They did rust some, but I cleaned them up as soon as possible, and they are no worse for the wear today. Hunting around home it is not an issue, as I wipe down and dry my firearms daily.

If I were doing a lot of wilderness hunts with limited opportunity for gun care, ESPECIALLY in a salt water environment, I might bite the bullet and buy a stainless firearm.

BUT for the present, there are no stainless long guns at my place, although I do have a couple of stainless revolvers.

[dbHunterNY]

seems my stainless guns hold up better in lousy weather with no issue and my other blued guns not so much.  definitely like the look of blued better.

[chas0218]

I would be more concerned about a good stock. A synthetic stock gets the nod for back country wet and humidity. I love blued with wood but I would be concerned my wood stock would swell in extremely wet and humid environments and causing my gun to shoot off. My next rifle will be stainless with hogue synthetic stock, not for looks but for functionality. One nice thing about stainless is it can take more shots to heat up the way a blued barrel does. 

 

Anyone know if the throat in a stainless rifle will last longer than a blued?

[ants]

I like the looks of blued better. I also like wood stocks. As far as stainless vs. blued, when it comes to weather resistance, It doesn't take a lot to maintain a blued gun. You can throw it in a pond and as long as you dry and clean completely it will be fine.

I still have my first shot gun that I got when I was 13 or 14. There is not a speck of rust on it.

[Five Seasons]

there's some research out there that shows over cleaning guns can be worse than not cleaning. it's really funny how varying the methods are.

[Curmudgeon]

I don't clean a firearm after every use but I always wiped them down with oil at the end of a day. That was until I got a stainless 10-22. I guess I took "stainless" for granted and got lazy. You know, stainless can and will corrode. A bit started to show on the 10-22. I wipe it down every time now.

 

Given the visibility of stainless, I am not sure I would want it for serious hunting.

[DirtTime]

I am not a fan of stainless on a rifle. Handguns? Sure.

I am also not a fan of the camo on a synthetic stock for a shotgun or rifle. If you need to go synthetic go black with blued metal. It might not look as awesome as a nice wood stock with blued metal, or like the best turkey gun.

I just love the look of a rifle or shotgun with a wood stock and bluing on the metal. Makes me think of the roots of hunting, before cell phones and the web. Just my opinion.

[stoneam2006]

Every gun I own is black syn stock blued barrel and action...always wiped down after day out and cleaned within a week or so...stored with a good coat of oil and some dry bags to help. Never had a issue....only ss I want is 45/70 lever wood stock....someday

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[Five Seasons]

Only stainless gun I own

[Jaeger]

I always wondered if stainless cast more light reflection and animals picks up on it easier?

Yes and no.  Depends on the type of "stainless" finish.  Bright or brushed.

 

I have an older win 70 classic stainless and its a frosted type finish that does not reflect light, looks sort of gray from a distance and in pictures although to me sitting with it in the woods, it does look kinda bright.  Friends say it does not stand out at all.

 

But my rossi stainless '92, that's a different story.  It's bright highly polished stainless finish stands out like a beacon.  My buddy said he could see it and track my path across the adjacent mountain up in the Adirondacks!!  Looking to get that one coated.

[Jaeger]

And yes, if not cleaned they will develop a corrosion spot or two on the outside.  Can's say about the bore as I always try to wipe mine out.

[chas0218]

Most of my firearms are made of the chrome moly blued steel and from what I have seen if taken care of properly they will hold up extremely well. I do like stainless and under certain situations I would prefer it over chrome moly because it is definitely more resistant to corrosion.

 

I just put together a black powder rifle and went with a stainless Green Mountain barrel over chrome moly more than anything because of it's resistance to rust and corrosion.

 

Also stainless barrels in the high velocity calibers like a 220 swift and the fast over bore magnums hold up somewhat better to throat erosion having a longer life, almost all top end target rifles these days utilize stainless barrels.

 

In the end a lot of the decision will come down to the looks, some like it and some don't.

 

For me today if I were to buy a target rifle, a black powder gun or a varmint rifle that would be shot a lot I would buy stainless if it was available in the particular firearm model I was wanting.

 

 

Al

Good to know, I wanted to get an ol' wildcat round but was a little weary about the throat eroding quickly. I was looking into  the tikka t3 lite stainless in 25-06 but didn't want the barrel to burn out too quickly. I don't shoot a lot but around 50 rounds/year and I wanted it to last until my son was old enough to use it.