Worn blued guns...

G

gators52

Inactive
I've finally decided on my first gun, the Ruger Single Six. I'm deciding on blued vs SS. I've done many searches on here about the differences. Blued guns are supposedly more rust prone, more prone to holster wear etc.

I plan on shooting this single six a ton and hopefully own for a very long time and pass it down a few generations when I get hold enough for that. I want to know a blued gun will stand the test of time and what kind of maintenance will be needed to achieve that.

If would be appreciated if anyone has pictures to what a slightly worn to extremely worn blue gun looks like.

Edit: I also live in Florida with high humidity, should that be a factor in my decision against blued guns?
 
This is a loaded question. Some people like the look of a worn blued gun. BUT the blued usually is the older piano black. They don't make that any more and the newer blued (Eco friendly) version is flat and not nearly as pretty. SS rule supreme as a gun that will hide its age for generations. Its alot more durable and even if you get minor scratches on it, you can buff it out. if you have a blued gun and get a gash, it can be touched up but you will always see it. Now days, the SS is worth the extra $$ for what you get.
 
Just keep a thin coat of Breakfree CLP or Eezox on it. I use a small stenciling brush to put it on and then wipe any excess off with a rag. The whole gun should only take 4 or 5 drops of oil when applied with a brush. The brush allows you to get right up to the grips and will get oil into the nooks and crannies. All of my blued guns look just like they did 20 years ago. If you use a holster very much the bluing will wear away. Bluing is very thin and not very hard. But it is still the best looking finish to me.
 
"You don't shoot bluing." So said a gun guru to me 40 years ago. As others have said, proper storage and use of lubricants, depending on your climate.
 
Stainless guns are less prone to rust in humid environments. Some people feel stainless guns stand out more tactically... bling. IMO I think there is something to that but don't give it much value if at all. You can get blued stainless guns... but it does not look the same as traditional bluing.

All my guns are blued, not necessarily by choice. I wish on at least one I would have got stainless... because I live in a damp environment. I've owned my guns for years... they have been exposed to heavy condensation mostly from the cold outdoors. Hot, cold, hot, cold, a little bit of rain... the bluing is wearing, the edges are naturally dehorning.... there is no rust, I take care of them but once the bluing wears off it will rust there after exposure quickly and you must take care of it. I should re-blue mine soon. They shoot as good as anything new and will last a lifetime...
 
Based on what the OP said, the nature of the gun, type of gun, "shoot it a ton" (more chances for something to occur) "pass down to generations", etc etc etc, I think SS is the only choice here.

Given everything mentioned, a blue gun could easily look like crap in not so long a time. Now of course, blue doesn't really rust on its own (I know blue is basically a type of rust) and blue doesn't wear on its own, but blue is DEFINITELY less durable than SS. I say definitely spend the extra few $$$ and get SS in this situation.
 
Well, to jump off the SS bandwagon, I will say this:

Stainless steel is heavier, and that can add to avoiding carrying the gun due to weight.

Stainless steel, like nickle or chrome, can be bright enough to be a problem shooting in bright sunshine (i.e. the glare off your gun may cause problems to the shooter).

Brushed stainless steel shows holster wear faster than a good blued gun.

Carbon is harder to remove from stainless steel.

Stainless steel is not rust proof, so care must still be taken to avoid rust.
 
If would be appreciated if anyone has pictures to what a slightly worn to extremely worn blue gun looks like.

Edit: I also live in Florida with high humidity, should that be a factor in my decision against blued guns?
Click to expand...
Tell you what...
You open to a little game?
I have some pictures I'll post.
You tell me which guns are older and try to guess how many shots have gone through them.
Sound like fun?
I'll post the pictures in a thread in the general handgun forum under the title of "Pears or pairs?"

Lots of use and lots of rounds and old don't always mean "worn".
It all boils down to putting out a little timely effort to maintain it.
 
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O.K. the bottom gun is my Ruger Blackhawk with holster/use wear, with my brand new Uberti above:

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And here is an old Ruger Blackjawk .357 that I bought used. There is more wear at the trigger guard due to the fact that the grip frame was cold blued only. It is a steel Old Army grip frame.

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These are about as worn as my guns get.

Bob Wright
 
Thanks for the last few pictures guys!

I love the way those older blued guns look.

I'll take a look at that thread over in the general handgun section.
 
I love the way those older blued guns look.
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And that is the whole point :) . I prefer blued over SS just for that very reason. They gain character as they 'age'. A SS gun is just so .... what's the word ... sterile? cold? ...
 
Old and/or used a lot doesn't have to equate with worn.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=508805

The pair of High Standard Sport Kings shown are both guns that date back to 1979. The top gun has several thousand rounds through it and has spent many hours in the field & at the range. It's serial number is XXXXX05.
The bottom gun ibelonged to my late father in law. He liked the looks of mine so much, he bought one just like it. It's serial number is XXXXX09. It's never been fired. He bought it and put it in his safe and it only came out of the safe a couple of years ago when my mother in law was getting rid of his old belongings. It now belongs to my wife.
You have to carefully look at them to tell the difference.I can only tell the difference by looking at the front sight to see if it's been filed down or not.
They're nickle finish, not stainless by the way.

The second pair of Ruger .22/45's are about 5 years apart in age. The top one I bought in the late 1990's. I shot that gun heavily for about three years, averaging about 600 rounds per week or more.
I estimate it has over 100,000 rounds through it.
The bottom gun I bought in 2005 or 2006. I estimate it only has a couple of hundred rounds through it, if that.
Other than a very slight mark near the muzzle and slight discoloration of the chamber, you can't tell them apart.
Other than normal routine cleaning, the top gun hasn't had an special treatment.
It's never been in a holster either which would probably account for the lack of wear.

The third pair of S&W Model 17's date back to the 1970's and early 1980.
I've owned them since about 2000.
I bought them used.
They haven't been shot in that time more than - maybe- 200 rounds each. I have no idea how many rounds in total they've been fired. Possibly ony the couple hundred rounds I put through them, possibly more.
There's only a very faint drag line on the cylinders so I don't believe they were used that much.

Whenever I shoot or take the guns out for any reason, and this applies to all of them, I always wipe them off with a silicone cloth after I'm done with them.
If I've been to the range, I wipe them down and wrap them in an old t-shirt and stick them in a carry bag.
I give them a good cleaning ASAP after they've been fired.

Bottom line is if you take care of the gun and don't holster it, excessive wear to the bluing isn't something to worry about. You should only get some drag marks on the cylinder.
If you holster the gun and carry it around - say carry it as a hiking gun or walking around gun - then some additional wear is bound to happen.
Blue or stainless is fine in either regard.
Stainless will be more forgiving though and depending on how close to ocean you are, it would be better for salt.
 
rclark pronounced:

And that is the whole point . I prefer blued over SS just for that very reason. They gain character as they 'age'. A SS gun is just so .... what's the word ... sterile? cold? ...
Click to expand...
.......Blah.

My sentiments exactly!

Bob Wright
 
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The upper model 17 has been shooting a lot since 1959. It has some holster wear around the muzzle, but otherwise bluing is quite OK.

The lower gun was my first revolver, bought new in 1980. I was 14 then, and you know how a teenager can shoot- it has several tens of thousands of rounds under its belt. Never has been in a holster, and the bluing is nearly perfect.

All of this in the rain forest climate of northern Venezuela. I'll guess they'll be passed along to the next generation all right. So much for delicate bluing.
 
Awesome! just what I was looking for!

Since I'm buying my first gun in a .22 I dont plan on using it in a holster (dont live in a farm or anything). I do plan on putting many thousands of rounds a year through it. But my GF and I love to shoot.

I am very close to the ocean, I live 5 minutes from the Gulf of Mexico.

I'll do some more research on storing the gun. It seems that humidity could be more a problem with bluing than actually shooting the gun.

Even though I dont have my gun yet. (I just moved back to Florida from Vermont and I need to get a Florida licenses before I can buy a gun here) I want to get everything I need so I'm ready to shoot this baby when I get it.
 
Slightly worn if any (never holstered) 14.

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Slightly worn w/ holster use showing bluing worn down to white where snake met leather and a little muzzle blast wear as well. To be expected.

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Serious wear and tear over the years (but long before it came into my hands). More of a patina thing than abuse. Tho lord knows all the nicks, scrapes and overall contusions over the years help.

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Humidity and rust are to be avoided, so keep them/it oiled. Even stainless will rust, albeit just a wee bit slower than the oxidization blue process. One of the nice things about living in the dry Southwest, but still they get the treatment. Holster use will cause most if not all honest wear on blued handguns, a very nice look methinks.
 
If you get a blued gun keep it clean and lubricated and store it right it will last, let it sit for a few days after shooting and not cleaning. it, you'll mess the blueing up. Also wipe it off when you get done handeling it or you'll see your finger prints in the blueing for whatever reason
 
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