Stainless Steel or Blued

[Dust]

I have decided on the model rifle I want, but have to choose between a stainless or blued model. What benefits will the stainless give. Location is Central Texas if that affects the decision.

 

[CJS3]

If it gets a lot of use in the field, the stainless would be a better choice. Conversely if you use it once or twice a year, and leave it in the safe untouched the rest of the year, it will be less likely to rust if it's stainless. Blued or stainless will rust, it's just that stainless is more forgiving of neglect.

 

[Texas1911]

Stainless steel will not rust, but the finish can corrode. It would require significant amounts of poor maintenance and a very humid condition to corrode stainless steel.

 

[jack7742]

The mini 14 I've got coming from Sportsmans Warehouse (hopefully) is the stainless model. :1zhelp:With 15 year old grandson as the primary user and abuser, I thought stainless would be a lot more forgiving to less than top notch care than blued. Blued however does provide a more classic look.

 

[kingofwylietx]

I like the deep dark look of blued barrels when the stocks are wooden. I prefer stainless for practical reasons.......but the blued ones look better (until you pull one out of the safe with a rusty fingerprint on it because somebody had sweaty hands when they last put it up).

 

[chevydeerhunter]

Blueing can wear off over time, but stainless is the same color throughout. If you're not going to use it much, save the money and get a blued model.

 

[kenj8172]

I'm a stainless guy myself. I wouldn't buy anything that I wasn't planning on having around for a while, and I figure I might as well pay a little extra for the stainless. Plus it's pretty

 

[Texas Patriot]

I've got several stainless guns and like them a lot. I usually clean after each shooting, but in the case of my Mini 14, if I don't have time to clean right then or even for a few months, I don't sweat it. Its still good to go when I need it and I can clean it when I get around to it.

 

[Nate C]

Stainless is worth the extra cost in terms of ease of upkeep.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I have both but I tend to use my stainless rifles more just because the upkeep is less. Lets face it, I don't want to put a scratch into the perfect blueing of my 1952 30/30 Winchester yet a scratch from hunting in my 700 Stainless BDL is not even going to show. Some guns are for the range and others are for use. Stainless is for use.

 

[perdurabo]

NO SHINY GUNS, EVER! I don't mind stainless as a material, but in terms of appearance, chrome nickel and stainless are tacky as hell. Firearms ought to be a dark matte, color, period. I've seen some dark matte stainless that was tolerable and I've even seen some flavor of matte black coated stainless that was well done... however the majority of bright stainless firearms just look uber fugly to me.

 

[chevydeerhunter]

NO SHINY GUNS, EVER! I don't mind stainless as a material, but in terms of appearance, chrome nickel and stainless are tacky as hell. Firearms ought to be a dark matte, color, period. I've seen some dark matte stainless that was tolerable and I've even seen some flavor of matte black coated stainless that was well done... however the majority of bright stainless firearms just look uber fugly to me.

So...you're calling my gun tacky?