Cabela's two-tone M&P?

[carguychris]

Howdy all,

I recently bought an M&P9c for my wife, and after shooting it, I've been bitten by the M&P bug. It's an absolute joy to shoot, better than any other semi-auto I've laid hand on, and my philosophy is that if one is good, two must be better. I'm thinking about getting an M&P full-size in 9mm or .40S&W, most likely the former so I don't have to stock up on another caliber's worth of ammo, brass, bullets, and handloading dies.

The Cabela's sales flyer says that the "Cabela's Exclusive" two-tone full-size M&P9 and M&P40 are on sale, and they would be a pretty good deal if I use some club-member incentives and my bonus points on my Cabela's credit card. These guns have shiny SS finish on the slide with the normal matte black finish on the frame. My first thought was that they look garish compared to the regular "tacticool" all-black M&P, but the look has grown on me. However, I haven't seen one in person.

Anyone have one? Opinions? Is the SS finish on the slide comparable to the finish on S&W SS revolvers? Any thoughts on whether the SS finish would offer comparable corrosion and scratch resistance to the regular Melonite slide finish?

Thanks!

 

[VonFatman]

Chris,
I saw the flyer, but have no experience with the new finish. I prefer the matte black myself. When I run by Cabela's, I'll take a peak.

Bob

 

[Titan]

I have no experience with the Cabelas exclusive, but the process of creating a 'melonite' slide causes it to turn black, AND is a hardening process.

Since the slide on the Cabela model is bare stainless, it can't have been 'melonite'd' and therefore is 'less hard' for whatever that is worth.

It's unlikely they'd melonite the slide making it black, and then strip off the black. I suspect these slides just skip the melonite processing step.
.

 

[carguychris]

I have no experience with the Cabelas exclusive, but the process of creating a 'melonite' slide causes it to turn black, AND is a hardening process.

Since the slide on the Cabela model is bare stainless, it can't have been 'melonite'd' and therefore is 'less hard' for whatever that is worth.

Hmm, that's certainly something to think about. I didn't know that Melonite was a hardening process- I thought it was some sort of glorified paint or epoxy-coating process.

That's certainly a potential disadvantage of the two-tone. Once again, I am grateful for the expertise on this forum.

 

[deanodog]

I have a M&P9c that I removed the finish and polished it bright.This was about a year ago. I like the two tone look and also did a sigma the same way but have since sold it.

Did I hurt the value of the pistol? I don't really care because
when or if I sell I won't lose much and I have enjoyed it as it is.

 

[Spotteddog]

As long as the sights are black, who cares what color the slide is?
I've had 3 Kimbers CDP's (one of their 1911's in each slide length) all of those use a dark frame/S/S slide. Hasn't seemed to hurt their sales much? While I prefer an all black finish for carry guns so they flash less should I get a bit careless, one having a polished slide wouldn't cause many concerns. The slide is typically the part inside the holster or waistband anyway? As long as the price is right and you like the guns, great-go for it! I sure like my 9c, and I've used 1911's for 45 years.

 

[dano1200r]

Hmm, that's certainly something to think about. I didn't know that Melonite was a hardening process- I thought it was some sort of glorified paint or epoxy-coating process.

That's certainly a potential disadvantage of the two-tone. Once again, I am grateful for the expertise on this forum.

The process only hardens the surface (about 4-8 1000's of an inch, depending on who does it) to which it was applied; it does not increase the slides true hardness, therefore it has no value in the shooting/durability/expected useful life etc. aspects of the gun.