Anybody else just not like stainless pistols?
- Thread starter prater
- Start date
I don't like highly polished stainless steel, but I do like matte or satin finish SS. Black "plastic" or black "plastic" and matte SS are my favorites from a practical perspective. Polished blue is beautiful but shows everything including small specks of perfectly dry dust - AND it requires more attention to careful maintenance.
SauerGrapes
New member
I like nickel on revolvers, not so much on autos. Love a nice hot blue finish.
I'm not a fan of the appearance of stainless.
The first stainless gun I owned, I gave it a spray 'n' bake black finish.
I've since bought another one, and it still appears as original . . . so far.
The most recent purchase has a stainless slide coated with some high-tech black to match the black anodized aluminum frame.
The first stainless gun I owned, I gave it a spray 'n' bake black finish.
I've since bought another one, and it still appears as original . . . so far.
The most recent purchase has a stainless slide coated with some high-tech black to match the black anodized aluminum frame.
I have mixed feelings. Used to stay away from stainless because of the galling issues. That was a long time ago and the stainless I see today I like. I don't care for really shiny finishes on stainless. I do like a high polish blue on a gun. For sheer ruggedness and ease of care, I even like the finish on Glocks. I guess I am not real particular. You gotta love a Python with Colt Royal Blue finish. They are about as pretty as it gets.
I own both but actually like the stainless better. They seem easier to care for. Not as concerned about the finish as I am with the blued guns I own. Still, there is nothing nice looking than a well cared for blue gun. Plastic will never have the allure of either blued or stainless steel.
I felt the same as the OP, for the first 30 years of my handgun experience, but finally made the acquaintance of a Ruger Flat Top .44 Special (4-5/8" bbl. too), and found that it was as accurate as my blued steel beauties, required far less maintenance, and I could carry it in most any holster, in any weather and not feel guilty at all.
For CC, I still think they're too bright, conspicuous if you will, read you can see 'em if your cover garment is a bit to flappy. But there's a flip side to that coin as well: if you need to complete a draw presentation, there is no doubt that you are armed...even in dim light.
However, SS does come from some makers with a coating that's almost as innocuous as parkerizing, and that should mitigate some of the "it's too gaudy" objections.
My Ruger is a good lookin' piece, the Sigs, less so, but that SS construction makes them better weapons. Rod
For CC, I still think they're too bright, conspicuous if you will, read you can see 'em if your cover garment is a bit to flappy. But there's a flip side to that coin as well: if you need to complete a draw presentation, there is no doubt that you are armed...even in dim light.
However, SS does come from some makers with a coating that's almost as innocuous as parkerizing, and that should mitigate some of the "it's too gaudy" objections.
My Ruger is a good lookin' piece, the Sigs, less so, but that SS construction makes them better weapons. Rod
Bob Wright
New member
Call me old fashioned, prejudiced, or hard headed, but I prefer color case hardened/blue over stainless.
Ten years from now, a stainless gun will look just the same, with reasonable care. But a blued revolver developes character. Wood grips show wear, darkening of the wood, scratches and dents. Ivory or stag yellows with age. Case colors fade in time, blue wears thin.
Yes sir, folks will look at that gun years from now and say "If only that gun could talk."
Bob Wright
Ten years from now, a stainless gun will look just the same, with reasonable care. But a blued revolver developes character. Wood grips show wear, darkening of the wood, scratches and dents. Ivory or stag yellows with age. Case colors fade in time, blue wears thin.
Yes sir, folks will look at that gun years from now and say "If only that gun could talk."
Bob Wright
Own 17 handguns, only six are not stainless/nickel.
My CZ SP-01 might get a nickel finish in the years to come, but already did the barrel, guide rod, and grip screws. My SIG P228 likely will stay stock, being I consider it a collectible. My two M&P40s (5" Pro and Compact) are mostly black... but barrels, controls, and magazines are nickel plated. And my two surplus pistols (Nagant revolver and Yugo Tokarev) are in their original finish.
I prefer stainless when I can get it. Not a fan of shiny, and prefer matte. Most of my carry guns are stainless and/or nickel plated for rust resistance. My LCP needed to be plated as soon as possible, as it would rust in my pocket.
I use two companies for refinishing; Robar and CCR. Robar is more costly, but do long guns (did my 870 and Ithaca) and alloy frames (did my 642-1, as well as the 9mm cylinder I got). CCR has better pricing, but don't strip anodizing. They did not do long guns (in their plating), but the have alluded to doing it recently. Would love to send my PW87 and IAC 97 in for that. But CCR did most of my guns. All of my polymer frames (except the M&P slides) were done by them. They did a ton of magazines, bolts in a few guns (have more to send them; Remington 7, probably the Tavor, and maybe the WASR), and clips for my Garand. I bought a SUB-2000 Gen 2 (.40 and already nickel plated) to use my M&P magazines, and got a few more to have matched to the rest.
Since I guess a few pictures are in order..
My CZ SP-01 might get a nickel finish in the years to come, but already did the barrel, guide rod, and grip screws. My SIG P228 likely will stay stock, being I consider it a collectible. My two M&P40s (5" Pro and Compact) are mostly black... but barrels, controls, and magazines are nickel plated. And my two surplus pistols (Nagant revolver and Yugo Tokarev) are in their original finish.
I prefer stainless when I can get it. Not a fan of shiny, and prefer matte. Most of my carry guns are stainless and/or nickel plated for rust resistance. My LCP needed to be plated as soon as possible, as it would rust in my pocket.
I use two companies for refinishing; Robar and CCR. Robar is more costly, but do long guns (did my 870 and Ithaca) and alloy frames (did my 642-1, as well as the 9mm cylinder I got). CCR has better pricing, but don't strip anodizing. They did not do long guns (in their plating), but the have alluded to doing it recently. Would love to send my PW87 and IAC 97 in for that. But CCR did most of my guns. All of my polymer frames (except the M&P slides) were done by them. They did a ton of magazines, bolts in a few guns (have more to send them; Remington 7, probably the Tavor, and maybe the WASR), and clips for my Garand. I bought a SUB-2000 Gen 2 (.40 and already nickel plated) to use my M&P magazines, and got a few more to have matched to the rest.
Since I guess a few pictures are in order..
Mike Irwin
Staff
I've always called it soulless steel, because to me it has none of the soul of a blued handgun.
I will not own a stainless revolver.
I do have one stainless semi-auto, my 4506. I'm willing to overlook the soulless aspect for that particular gun.
I will not own a stainless revolver.
I do have one stainless semi-auto, my 4506. I'm willing to overlook the soulless aspect for that particular gun.
I like stainless, or satin nickel. I'm going to buy a Rossi 92 357 lever soon, and since some of them have to be worked on to get them to the point they work 100%, I'm going stainless, as I don't want to have to worry about the blue being messed up before I shoot the thing. One side note, it seems like most of the new ones work ok right out of the box, and no work is needed, so maybe I'll gamble and get a blued one and save a few bucks.