I'm about to purchase a new 9 mm. I'd like to know what the pros and cons, if any, of a stainless finish vs. a black finish? I plan to carry it concealed from time to time. Tell me what you have, stainless, matte stainless, two-tone, black, one of each? I like to hear your thoughts on the various finishes. Thanks in advance.
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Which finish?
- Thread starter squire
- Start date
There are probably a dozen "black" finishes out there, from simple bluing and parkerizing to high-tech stuff (some of which is even less durable than good bluing and some of which is more durable than stainless).
Hmm...maybe I should put together a dozen-tone 1911. Bet it's doable.
I didn't answer that at all, did I?
Hmm...maybe I should put together a dozen-tone 1911. Bet it's doable.
I didn't answer that at all, did I?
lonegunman
New member
Armor-Tuff kind of sucks; unless it has been improved in the last 2 or 3 yrs.
I used to think stainless was superior to about anything out there, til I had one get kind of rusty on me.
Nowadays, I dont really care too much what finish it has on it. Personal preference is blued.
I used to think stainless was superior to about anything out there, til I had one get kind of rusty on me.
Nowadays, I dont really care too much what finish it has on it. Personal preference is blued.
The finish isn't important, how you take care of the finish is important. I have a SIG Sauer P226 with the standard blue finish that is six years old, and was my daily carry gun for three and a half of those years, and the finish is in 98+% condition. I field-strip my carry gun and wipe it down with CLP every night before I go to sleep. Keeps my guns looking like new.
Kentucky Rifle
New member
Squire...
You live in Florida. If you sweat like I did when I lived in Florida, I'd recommend two choices. A stainless steel pistol or a Tennifer Glock. (I'd go for the Glock, but then I'm a little biased on the subject of Glocks.) A Glock doesn't care how much you sweat on it. JMO
KR
You live in Florida. If you sweat like I did when I lived in Florida, I'd recommend two choices. A stainless steel pistol or a Tennifer Glock. (I'd go for the Glock, but then I'm a little biased on the subject of Glocks.) A Glock doesn't care how much you sweat on it. JMO
KR
Kentucky Rifle
New member
Squire...
One more thing, if you've chosen stainless steel. Buy a "Sentry Marine Tuf-Cloth" (if you can't find one at a gun shop, you can buy one at the Sentry website) and wipe down your pistol per the directions. You can buy a "regular" Tuf-Cloth and it will be OK too, but the "Marine" model has more of the stuff that keep's your pistol rust free. (Especially, in a salt water enviornment.) When I lived in Florida, I had stainless pistols pit and rust a little while in my pocket. All my pistols, especially the blue ones, are wiped down with the Marine Tuf-Cloth. (Except the Glocks, of course.) Cheap protection that lasts a long time. When the cloth dries out a little, you just pour a little mineral spirits in the aluminum bag and the Tuf-Cloth is renewed! I'm sure everyone else will agree on ths one.
KR
One more thing, if you've chosen stainless steel. Buy a "Sentry Marine Tuf-Cloth" (if you can't find one at a gun shop, you can buy one at the Sentry website) and wipe down your pistol per the directions. You can buy a "regular" Tuf-Cloth and it will be OK too, but the "Marine" model has more of the stuff that keep's your pistol rust free. (Especially, in a salt water enviornment.) When I lived in Florida, I had stainless pistols pit and rust a little while in my pocket. All my pistols, especially the blue ones, are wiped down with the Marine Tuf-Cloth. (Except the Glocks, of course.) Cheap protection that lasts a long time. When the cloth dries out a little, you just pour a little mineral spirits in the aluminum bag and the Tuf-Cloth is renewed! I'm sure everyone else will agree on ths one.
KR
ALL guns can rust regardless of finish. How you care for them is more important than the finish.
I have guns with a variety of finishes. The best wear seems to be the ones that were hard chromed. Worst is standard blueing or those "painted-looking" finishes like some of the factory guns come with or some place put on. The color and finish on Glocks wears to a shine quickly and looks cheap(or should I say cheaper than a Glock already looks) although it is only cosmetic and still retains it's corrosion resistance.
The highly touted K-kote my SigP226 came with wore right off and looked horrible. I had it hard chromed by Accurate Plating and it served several years in a duty holster and now in IDPA and still looks the same as when it was done. My Para 45 and 38 Super were both hard chromed several years ago by Checkmate and still look great. A friend had a P7M13 done with NP3 and it looks oh so fine.
Look over several guns that have been used a lot and compare the finishes on them. Then judge for yourself what you can live with when the wear monster attacks your guns. You will be able to pick a finish that you can live with much better that way.
I have guns with a variety of finishes. The best wear seems to be the ones that were hard chromed. Worst is standard blueing or those "painted-looking" finishes like some of the factory guns come with or some place put on. The color and finish on Glocks wears to a shine quickly and looks cheap(or should I say cheaper than a Glock already looks) although it is only cosmetic and still retains it's corrosion resistance.
The highly touted K-kote my SigP226 came with wore right off and looked horrible. I had it hard chromed by Accurate Plating and it served several years in a duty holster and now in IDPA and still looks the same as when it was done. My Para 45 and 38 Super were both hard chromed several years ago by Checkmate and still look great. A friend had a P7M13 done with NP3 and it looks oh so fine.
Look over several guns that have been used a lot and compare the finishes on them. Then judge for yourself what you can live with when the wear monster attacks your guns. You will be able to pick a finish that you can live with much better that way.