Blued vs. Stainless against the outdoors

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Willie D

New member
I'm looking to get a .308 do-everything go-to bolt action. Something in a hunting profile, reliably accurate but perhaps more importantly, durable. Truthfully, it will probably see more use at a range than anywhere else but I'd still like it to be something I don't have to baby and that my kids can use when I croak.
Currently leaning towards one of the Savage Accustock models.


My main question is: how necessary is a stainless barrel? Assuming I do get some extended exposure to the elements is stainless a no-brainer or would a regular blued barrel do ok provided I could keep it oiled?


Is a wood stock out of the picture as well on a "survival rifle"?
 
The blued will take more care to keep it from rusting. Stainless barrels are known to last longer as it relates to wear from powder and bullets. Either would likely last a lifetime, unless you are a competitive shooter. Quite a few years back I read in The American Rifleman that a 308 barrel would give good accuracy to about 10,000 rounds.

I have a 03 Springfield made in 1934 that looks like the original barrel that has been sporterized. It looks pretty worn, but will shoot .661 3 shot groups. The 308 and the 30:06 are very similiar.
 
My main question is: how necessary is a stainless barrel? Assuming I do get some extended exposure to the elements is stainless a no-brainer or would a regular blued barrel do ok provided I could keep it oiled?
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I live in Western Wa where we get a lot of rain, and I have blued hunting rifles. Most of my buddies do too. Some of them are very old and still very nice. Nothing wrong with stainless but I see more blued than stainless rifles in the field. In fact probably 1 in 10 guys in the woods has a stainless gun in our hunting camp. My point is that you probably don't need a stainless rifle. If you clean and oil your rifle, never put it away wet, and don't bang it up a lot climbing on the rocks or stashing it in vehicles without a case, then the blue will last a very very long time. Probably longer than you. I have no hesitation to use blued rifles in the elements while hunting or plinking. But for really rough use, like a bang around truck gun, or for a full time guide or any proffesion where you would carry it every day in a harsh or wet environment, then I would probably get a stainless rifle. But for hunting get the rifle you want to in either blue or stainless and you will be fine.
 
Stainless is helpful, but not necessary. I have some rifles with both blue and stainless metal, but wouldn't consider a rifle for serious hard work with a wood stock. It is really a matter of when, not if it will cause you problems.
 
I'm definitely with JMR on the wood stock, allthough I do have some and have never had a problem with mine personally. It does happen. Moisture and temperature changes cause expanding/contracting of the wood and in damp climates they can warp and cause accuracy problems. This happens because the stock can change contact points on the action or barrel or both. Imagine the forearm warping and putting unwanted pressure on the barrel and your rifle starts shooting wonky groups.That possibility can be worrysome but if you really like wood stocks I wouldn't let it stop you. Lot's of hunting rifles wear them and you can always replace it if you have a problem. Laminated wood is supposedly less effected by the elements and of course composite stocks are great. Unfortunately composite stocks are fugly in my opinion. I do like the hogue overmolded stock on one of my rifles a lot though, it is shaped and balanced nicely. Since you are aware of these possibilites the most important thing in my opinion is to pick the rifle you like best and take care of it regardless of materials or finish and you will be happy. You mentioned a new savage in .308. Right after the accutrigger came out several years back I bought a new savage 110 .30-06 blued with composite stock. I use this rifle the most for hunting and it has been in the elements plenty and it doesn't really show any wear to the metal parts. I have dinged up the composite stock a bit but no big loss there are plenty of affordable replacements. The savage is very accurate as well.
 
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Blued metal parts require more attention and need it quicker in terms of rust prevention than s/s. That said, most of my hunting guns are blued and a modicum of care (wiping down on a daily basis after use with a rag permeated with a rust preventive and a thorough cleaning/lubing after getting home from a hunting trip) has kept them rust-free. S/s is a little more forgiving in terms of inclement weather and for procastinators.
 
There are plenty of people that still use their fathers & even grandfathers wooden stocked, blued barrel rifles. Stainless doesnt corrode as easily as a blued finnish, but neglect any firearm & it will eventually stop working.
 
I've got both, so I use the SS on the rainy days. If it's just one, a Weather Warrior is hard to beat. I love mine in 260.
 
Well, you said durable so I would go with stainless. If that's your criteria go all the way. I (stupidly) didn't disassemble my Ruger M77 Mk II all-weather (ss) for 18 years and it looked like brand new underneath when I finally got around to it this year. I expected rust and all kinds of junk but it was immaculate. And it's seen plenty of rainy (or snowy) days over all that time.
 
Living here in Washington, you have to be on top of rust... Blued, plus constant cleaning/oiling does a good job on the exterior, but were I run into problems is in the chamber and barrels... Thus, if given the choice I would go with stainless... Yes, it will cost you a bit more but it is definately more rust resistant than blued, especially when considering the chamber and barrel.
 
I sweat alot, so I lean toward stainless. That doesn't stop me from looking at blued guns. I have several of those too. Keep them oiled and dry and you will be fine.

BTW, with the right conditions and neglect, the stainless can rust too.....not as quickly or as severely (usually) as blued steel, but it can happen.
 
Used to be, you didn't have the choice. If you are going to use the rifle hard... by hard I mean take it hunting in the moutains where it might be exposed to rain or melting snow every day and never really dry out until the hunt is over (example Goat or Elk hunt), then I would choose stainless. Otherwise, I choose a blued finish rifle because I like them better and have never had a problem with rust in 20+ years. But if you like the look of the stainless rifle, go for the looks.
 
Rattle Can
if you can't strip the paint you don't deserve to own the rifle/handgun
 

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.308 blued

You should seriously consider a Remington 700 Varmit SPS. I have one, its a heavy barrel (round), not the shaved octogon barrel. It has a synthetic rubberized stock, and it absolutely awesome. Throw on a nice scope (which is usually more important than the gun) and a Harris bipod, and you will have yourself a GREAT shooter. Hope this helps
 
That's why they call it stain-LESS.
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How about: Canrstsum II?

I have both, as in barrel material and stock material in both, and normally prefer the blued with wood.

I clean, allow to dry, and coat with Barricade on the blued exterior (including under the barrel and action) when exposed to moisture, also the bore and chamber/interior (for these I use Tetra Gun oil) and for the trigger group usually blast it with Remington Wonder Lube.

Also with wood stocks: I refinish, or actually finish since often they are not from the manufacturer, the "inside" of the stock/under the barreled action; in essence "sealing the rest of the stock" from moisture.

If you are really looking for the lowest maintenance, kick it around/abuse it in the great outdoors and still have it function I would vote stainless/synthetic stock.

If you live in a house with a water tight roof and heat and not in a leaf debris hut, I vote blued and wood.
 
I live in the tropics and after owning both blued/wood and stainless/synthetic rifles, I will never own another hunting/field rifle that wasn't stainless/synthetic or stainless/laminate. The last thing I feel like doing or even remember to do is wipe down my rifle when I get back to camp after walking around all day (especially in the mountains) in 100 plus degree heat. When I go hunting it is usually for at least a whole weekend (2 or 3 days) or for a week or two and all I ever do if go hunting use the rifle and when I get home clean the bore and give it a wipe over with a lightly oiled rag. When I was hunting with a blued/wood rifle I alway had to watch they way I handled it (so I didn't touch the metal) or if it got lightly rained on without a doubt the next day it would show some sort of surface rust and when in the bush you can't help the little dings that you get in a wooden stock. Since changing to a stainless/synthetic rifle I havent had to worry about that, some people say that stainless rusts and I can tell you it does but its nothing like blued metal and when stainless does rust you just give the rust a real light going over with some really fine steel wool and you would never know it was there.
 
A blued gun will rust if you leave moisture on it. But, I've been hunting with my blued Savage 30-06 in snow (melted on the gun). When I was done, I wiped it down, sprayed it with WD-40, wiped it down again and put some oil on it. No rust.
 
Just go ahead and get the stainless. I have both blued and stainless and both work just fine, but when it's raining and muddy and hot and nasty, the stainless goes to the woods with me. The stainless rides in the Kubota RTV and on the 4Wheeler, and I don't worry about rust or scratching the synthetic stock or getting mud on it. That's why I call it my muddy weather gun. Care and upkeep (and concern) is far less on the stainless rifle with synthetic stock. Only problem of any note is that I didn't know that to avoid a fashion disaster I would need to put a stainless scope on it also.
 
People have been using Blued rifles in all types of weather for 100+ years. Only recently (within the last 10-15 years) did stainless rifles become somewhat popular. There are blued rifles of yesteryear are still in good condition because they have been well cared for.

To me, stainless rifles are for people who don't want to take the time to properly clean their rifle after an outing in wet weather... Not saying this applies to everyone...
 
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