[QKShooter]

My own personal decision concerning buying my next 1911 type firearm is Guaranteed STAINLESS STEEL.
I am buying Stainless Steel.

As much as I love blued carbon steel.

Now I am nearly DONE "playing around" with yet another .45 caliber 1911 & I am going to NOW need to send the doggone thing out to get reblued.
More money...more shipping costs...more waiting.

Since I ALWAYS SOMEHOW Eventually end up grinding & sanding & melting & altering & smoothing & polishing & serrating & checkering & opening up magazine wells & lowering ejection ports & whatever (and what have you) - on nearly every gun I own.
I am buying Stainless Steel from this point forward BECAUSE I can just Satin Finsh it or polish it up bright or lightly "blast it" - RIGHT AT HOME & not hafta send it SEND IT OUT to get RE-blued/RE-finished.

In fact...my latest "project"...even though I already have it BEAUTIFULLY pre-polished and prepped for HOT BLUE...I am just going to Gun Kote it myself...(I think)...& keep it home!

I don't think that matte or blasted or satin Stainless is much more "reflective" than blued steel anyway.
And I have absolutely No Problem picking up my sights...when I use my sights on any self~defensive firearm.

Also...I know that folks say that Stainless Steel is NOT RUSTPROOF (but, only resists rust)...BUT, I have NEVER been able to get any Stainless Steel firearm that I own...Walther - S&W - Ruger - Detonics - SIG - Seecamp - North American Arms - etc., to rust.
I have never been able to get one to show a trace of rust.
So for ME...they are RUST PROOF!

So...It's Stainless Amazing Steel for me from now on folks.

 

[rstickle]

One of my favorites was a S&W Model 60 stainless Chief's Special .38. It was great, and very low maintance. The sad news is that many years ago my house was robbed and it was one of the items taken. But I also love stainless.

 

[Bud White]

Ive prefered stainless for a long time becuse the Blueing now isnt as good as it used to be ..


Lets see some pics of the latest project


That is a problem having to reblue after working on the Gun another reason i stick mostly with stainless but if you find a good deal cant always get what ya want

 

[acparmed]

May I suggest a hard chrome finish called 'Metalloy' I am very impressed with this finish, it not only doesn't rust, it doesn't show holster wear and is a beautiful matte silver finish. When you detail strip your gun for cleaning you can see every speck of carbon and clean it to virtually new bare metal. I've found that after cleaning I use some Gunk or Gumout Carburator cleaner and hose it down real good then you can apply new grease, oil, etc. and have your gun as clean as it was before you ever fired a shot from it.
Just a suggestion.

 

[QKShooter]

My Opinion For Me

Is that it's the way to go for ME.
Since...I can NEVER seem to leave any firearm that I own completely alone.
I always hafta eventually mess around with SOMETHING that bothers me.
It's usually ALWAYS either on the slide or the frame OR BOTH & then I have got to ADD the cost of a reblue job :dead: onto WHATEVER $$$$ I originally saved on that firearm.

I have never been able to even get a Stainless steel pistol magazine to rust...by the way.

 

[Bud White]

Ive never had any rust on stainless either .. And usually figure it will turn up on carry piece or hunting rifle but never any

 

[QKShooter]

acparmed

Metalloy is a fantastic finish.
I think it's the same finish (process) as Armoloy(sp?)
Years Ago I had a custom chopped Smith that I had Mag-Na-Ported (with a Double Action Job also done by Mag-Na-Port) & finished in Metalloy.

I then traded that S&W at the gun shop for a Detonics chopped .45 and the Smith was purchased by a PGH. Police detective who used it (on duty) to save his Precious A$$....when he blew the brains completely out of a BG. :dead:

 

[CombatEffective]

A nicely blued gun can be a beautiful thing but keeping up a stainless pistol is much easier.

 

[Euclidean]

I actually think stainless guns look better unless it's a very rich bluing like on an old Colt Python or something.

I like things that are slightly more idiot proof because well... I plead the Fifth. That's just me.

That being said (TM), I do own several blued specimens. I'm about half and half really.

There's a lot of blued guns out there and I'm ever the bargain hunter so I imagine I'll have a few more by the time I'm done.

 

[HotGuns]

Gun stainless is 400 series stainless steel that is heat treated.
It has the addition of carbon in it so that it can get harder with the proper heat treat and that small amount of carbon will cause the gun to rust. Its not a big deal usually as it can be wiped right off.
Lots of stainless magazines are 316 stainless, which is one of the most corrosion resistant stainlesses available.

I have noticed that alot of it deprends on body chemistry. Take mine for example, when I machine something on a lathe and pull it out of the chuck, you'll be able to see my hand print on it immediatley. Give it an hour or so and it will show a perfect handprint of rust. If you can do that, you'll have more of a problem with stainless rusting than most people.

I can carry my Colt XSE Combat Commander on a hot summer day and it'll have rust on the slide. Not a lot, but enough to be obvious. Being stainless, its not as bad as any of my Sigs, which will need a complet oiling after carrying all day.


One good thing about stainless, if you scratch it you can usually take some Scotchbrite and buff it right out by hand, while still matching the rest of the finish. I did it with my Anaconda and you cant even tell...

 

[P95Carry]

I have somewhat corrosive sweat - and with good blued guns like M27's etc - am real careful to keep exterior protected. carry tho for me is SS - tho gotta say the SIG has odd bits of steel that will (and do) corrode if not careful.

i get so hot that the sweat vapor close to gun has effect - slide locker lever, decock lever, trigger and even today - noticed top of rear sight showed small signs - gotta be watchful and apply a CLP film regularly. Base of mag' - another place as mag's are steel - so coat the bases of those too.

Last carry was SP-101 - again SS and in fact no parts to corrode - it survived!!

My dear ol' M85 suffered a lot three years ago - wife's purse gun now but that sucker has ''scars''!

 

[CLASS3NH]

Ever since Stainless Guns have emerged I've always preferred them over Blue. Nickle or Teflon finishes are pretty tough as well. It IS true of body chemistry working on Stainless Steel guns. certain body salts will cause oxidation, but depends on the person's chemistry.
I'd prefer stainless over any finish. Just my 2 pennies worth. BTW.. if you have a blued weapon that has slight rust, try rubbing a penny on the rust. You'll find the penny will take off the rust, leaving the blue on the gun.. just a penny's worth of knowledge

 

[Euclidean]

Class3: Does that have to be a copper penny?

 

[CLASS3NH]

nope....any penny will do Euc.......but a copper one is better though....seen it with my own eyes and it was unbelievable ( to see the rust dissapear off without scratching the bluing off)

 

[CLASS3NH]

You can call me Bob LOL....Chris and QK do...but never call me late for a free dinner LOL

 

[Bud White]

Bob Ill have to rember that thanks for the tip thats a good one to know

 

[CLASS3NH]

Yup.the "penny trick" really works!! I watched a friend of mine work that magic on a S&W model 15.....almazed me when I saw it.....then he buffed it a little with 0000 steel wool along with some hoppes...came out great!
I posted a new thread so it can take on a new life and not detract from QK's post :biggrin: