Blued v Stainless

[jcummings01]

Hey guys...this might be a very elementary question, but in any event, I would appreciate your help. Again, kind of new to pistol owning and beginning my collection. I've noticed that some guns come in a "blued" finish and some in "stainless". Can someone explain the difference to me? This will really help in my future purchases. Thanks in advance!

 

[Mule88]

Stainless guns are more forgiving when it comes to rust and corrosion, all my hunting handguns are stainless, but some feel the blued guns are nicer in the looks department, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Usually ill buy the stainless version of a gun instead of the blued version that is if the gun is offered in stainless. Just my taste is all.

 

[handgunner356]

Many of the modern "Blue" autos are if fact some other blue/black coating usually much more durable than the earlier blued guns. I to love the look of a high polished blued auto or revolver, but I do own many more stainless guns just the same.

 

[Samuel Adams]

After having a semi-heated discussion with a friend over Glock Kabooms, he showed me some pictures of 1911s that also went Kaboom. Each of JMB's masterpiece shown was made of stainless steel. Is this a coincidence or is stainless weaker than carbon steel?

 

[mlk18]

This post has no actual value

I will also add that blue/black is cool, but stainless is tacticool.

 

[amanda66]

I like the blue in the older wheel guns(which are hot when they are shined up)... but for semi's it doesn't matter... on those I like both blue/black and stainless... if you take care of it... then it's only about personal tastes and which you like better

 

[borntoraisehogs]

I just prefer the looks of beautiful blue , but some of the new guns ,the blue isn't all that great and the stainless has some great qualities .
New shooters are almost always worried about holster wear on their blue . I was , and looking back I worried when I should have been enjoying . Maybe if you get into serious fun shooting with a stainless you will skip that foolishness and when you add a blue piece or two you will have a much better perspective . I have made this suggestion to new shooters and they seem be the ones to go shooting with me
I am not knocking real collectors or even speculators that is an entirely different aspect of the gun world , that only the lack of money keeps me out of .

 

[Pisgah]

Blued and stainless guns are USUALLY made from two different types of steel (It can be hard to know today, because there are now many processes that can make a stainless gun have a dark finish, rather like some blued finishes.)

These different steels share many chracteristics, such as being equally strong and pretty equally machinable. The main FUNCTIONAL difference between the two is that stainless-steel revolvers are far more resistant to rust and staining. Stain-and-rust-RESISTANT, not stain-and-rust-PROOF. Blued guns can stay rust-free forever if they are properly maintained and not used much in very harsh environments (like in a coastal marsh, lots of salt around) ; stainless guns will not rust after pretty long periods of neglect, even in harsh environs, but they WILL rust and should be cleaned almost as much as blued guns if you want them to stay looking good.

Now, there's one other factor that comes in to play when considering whether to buy blued or stainless -- personal taste. Some folks think nothing looks better than a stainless gun; others think blue is the only color for a "real" gun. You pays your money and you takes your choice.

 

[Titegroups]

Stainless is the way to go, most people don't or can't take care of their guns over long periods of time. Times change and years go by, with stainless guns in a low humidity environment, you can pretty much forget about them. Don't store your guns in gun rugs though, stainless or not.

 

[Lefkiguy]

First off, I'm not a metallurgist. However, I've always heard that the blued carbon steel guns had a "harder" steel than the stainless ones. Currently I don't know if that holds true, I don't see any blued carbon steel S&W 500's around, so things may have changed over the years. Just my $.02.

 

[shovelwrench]

I like stainless for its durability and looks, I like blue for the looks alone. But why do they still feel different in the hand?

 

[FirebirdV8]

I like stainless for its durability and looks, I like blue for the looks alone. But why do they still feel different in the hand?

They will feel different, especially on the semi-auto side, depending on what its frame is made of. In the past most blued semi-autos have had an aluminium alloy frame and a carbon steel slide. The Stainless Steel guns are all stainless steel. This makes a large weight difference. If you ever get a chance, pick up a 5904 (blue w/ alloy frame & carbon steel slide) and a 5906 (SS frame and slide). However, if you don't like the blued finish, try a 5903 or a 4003 (annodized alloy frame with SS slide). This will produce the same weight savings. Be careful though, there was a limited number of blued, all carbon steel semi-autos produced (539/559/4505 and a few others) that will weigh as much as the all ss semi-autos.
Personally I like the looks of a blued gun better along with the weight reduction. If you a patient enough to take care of the carbon steel (rubbing in a light coat of oil every now and then and keeping it clean) they are great guns. That being said, in the winter I carry a 1066, which is all SS, because with 10mm the extra weight helps control things. The same is true with my BUG, a 640-1. It can handle full power .357 mag with out making your hand go numb, because it weighs enough to absorb some recoil. Try that with an airweight .357.
Basically it boils down to what your personal tastes are. The best way to figure it out is to hold one in your hands and shoot it to see what you like. Also, just look at the two pictures below, there is a great style and taste difference for both of these great sets of guns. Also note that a SS will not show scratches as obviously as a blued gun. This may or may not be a consideration for you.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Typically, stainless is not a "finish," but the material used to make the major components.

Bluing is a finish applied to "carbon steel," the usual material traditionally used for manufacturing firearms. Without some finish, carbon will rust very easily. Bluing is one type of finish that provides only a small amount of protection. Parkerizing or phosphating is better than blue. Nickel is a little better, hard chroming better than nickel, and then there are some real "whiz-bang" finishes, some of which protect as advertised, and some of which are snake oil.

I hope that helps.

 

[BHPFan]

Stainless all the way for me. When it scratches, it can be easily rebuffed and no need to worry about the finish wearing out. On blue finish, it needs to be refinished when it is scratched or worn out.

 

[leejack]

I vote blue.

40+ years of gun ownership and the only rust I've seen is on the internet!

Lee

 

[kalei]

Blue v stainless

guns are blue and grips and stocks are wood! Never had a blued gun rust on me, but then I always take proper care of them. Beem shooting and cleaning guns for 66 years.