Black or blue new S&Ws -

ImDrRich · Aug 17, 2023

I note that there are 3 or 4 guns made in black currently in the S&W catalog, but why are there not many more J, K, L, & N frames being made in black or blue?

Is it the cost, or popularity, or what? I think S&W went to mostly stainless in response to pressure from outside forces (e.g., one can see a stainless revolver more easily than a darker one), but this in and of itself is pointless today, especially when other manufacturers continue to produce black or blued guns (Ruger, for example).

Someone please help me out here - and thanks.

stansdds · Aug 17, 2023

First, most buyers, I think, prefer the corrosion resistance and easy maintenance of stainless steel. Second, blueing requires metal prep and caustic blueing chemicals, it's a bit labor intensive. Also, S&W changed their blueing, actually black oxide, system around year 2000 to one that is more EPA friendly, the "blue" is more black and not as durable as their older black oxide system and definitely not as blue nor as deep as the pre-1980 carbonia blue system.

MajorD · Aug 17, 2023

People have been tricked into thinking blue guns don’t hold up well, need more maintenance and will rust easily.
All hogwash of course, and the demand for stainless ( handy little fact due to the lack of finishing steps required it is actually cheaper for the factory to build in stainless) keeps S&W pumping out stainless guns.
I much prefer blue and will generally only buy stainless as a last resort ( and buy a blue replacement when possible)
There is also something about the EPA/ OSHA having issues with many traditional methods of applying blue finish and that sure doesn’t help matters.

smithra_66 · Aug 17, 2023

Two reasons:

1. Most people have lost the appreciation for quality. Everything they see today in almost all products is mass produced flat metal, plastic, or whatever. We accept guns with plastic frames today as commonplace. It's just the times. And I wish it wasn't that way, but oh well.

2. Since people don't demand it, gunmakers do it out of cost cutting measures. Every penny they can save is important in today's market and in the age of mass production with machines. There's also some environmental BS involved too.

Bottom line is that it takes skilled craftsmen to properly polish and blue a fine firearm. That's very expensive and pretty much a lost art today, save for the custom market. If they can slap a bead blast finish, a cerakote, or better yet, stainless steel which requires no finish, that's what they're going to do.

jeffrefrig · Aug 17, 2023

It’s sad to say that these gun “assemblers” have a hard enough time to assemble the guns, let alone try to get a high polish on a blued revolver. Seems that many companies’ newer products are just lacking quality. And not just guns but cars and appliances. My wife’s 1 1/2 year old Chevy needs a new radio now. It will not shut off all the time when the car is turned off, or it will turn off all of a sudden or change radio stations. Wife’s name is Christine. I’m wondering about that there!

Black or blue new S&Ws -

ImDrRich

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stansdds

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MajorD

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smithra_66

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jeffrefrig

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