Blued or Stainless

[j1132s]

If you are buying a new pistol that is available in blued or stainless for the same price (and they are of the same quality in every way after your careful examination)...

Which one would you buy and why?
Does the use intent matter? Does the pistol model matter?

Edit: Thanks for your responses so far.

Some clarifications seem in order:

1. This poll doesn't consider cost (i.e. some people's reasoning is that stainless is generally more costly, so they go for it for the same price); this poll just consider _your_ preference since in this same they are the same price.

2. Stainless includes darkened stainless

 

[Phxdog]

I voted stainless. I think a blued gun is better looking, but the finish does not hold up as well as the stainless.

Now, if I wanted just to display & never shoot the gun, I would choose nickle (love that shine!).

 

[xnavy]

I voted for the blue finish, I hate anything that reflects or draws attention.

 

[skeeter1]

Depends on what you're using it for

For going to the target range, I like my blued-steel guns. For a carry gun, I'd rather have stainless steel. I've never had a nickle-plated gun, so I can't comment there.

 

[bedula32]

Does blued mean it is really BLUED or does it mean the finish is black. I notice a whole lot of manufacturers/sellers are now referring to every dark finish as "blued" even when they are painted on. I love a real bright blued finish on anything but a carry gun. This may sound crazy but I think a real blued finish even smells like a gun should smell. OK, I need to get out of the house more.

 

[Shooter 973]

Blued or Stainless???

In 30 years my stainless handguns will still look new. Blued ones will look like they have been thru the war!!! And I just like stainless better!!!

 

[steelheart]

I voted for stainless - if it is going to be a carry gun. If it is going to be a target shooting gun, I'd go with blue, as blue steel is harder than stainless and holds tight tolerances and therefore accuracy better over the years (this is what the folks at Ed Brown say).

 

[fairview mick]

To Shooter 973/re: blued-thru the war

I have a M-29 with gorgeous bluing. Made ini 1976. Not a mark on it and it's not a "Closet Queen". I shoot it every week, but I maintain it and don't throw it around. It's no different than a car. I keep mine for 15 years. When I had my auto repair shop for over 45 years, there were some new ones that looked quite beat up. It all depends on the owner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, also to answer the question, even though I have some s/s guns, I prefer blued

 

[kozak6]

Really, it depends.

I have no problem maintaining blued steel, but stainless steel guns are generally more expensive, so for the same price it might be a better deal.

Also, although I do generally prefer blued steel, some guns just look better in stainless.

 

[glockopop]

I prefer the look of blued on a revolver and stainless on an auto. Of course all my autos are blued and the one revolver I've owned was stainless.

 

[Bullrock]

I agree with xnavy.

I voted for the blue finish, I hate anything that reflects or draws attention

.
I used to favor SS, and I have several beauties in nickle. But now I buy in blued or black matte. Especially for carry.

 

[Camaroman_99]

Seem like a blued revolver will catch my eye before a stainless one. I voted for blue....

 

[j1132s]

Does blued mean it is really BLUED or does it mean the finish is black. I notice a whole lot of manufacturers/sellers are now referring to every dark finish as "blued" even when they are painted on <snip>

Sorry, to clarify. Blued means blued, i.e. the gun looks blue. This does not include Glock, XD, etc.

Stainless means stainless steel and it includes blackened stainless like the Sigs, Kahr, etc.

 

[j1132s]

Xnavy,

I voted for the blue finish, I hate anything that reflects or draws attention.

There are currently several companies offering blackened stainless. These have the stainless qualities of easy care but less shine. In my original poll question, I didn't specifically mention this, but they are generally included in the stainless category.

Would you consider one of these instead of blued, then ?

 

[Dwight55]

I guess maybe I took the question differently than most do, . . . sorta on the idea: "When you get married, . . . will you marry a blonde or a redhead?"

In either question, . . . there is too much to consider for me to make an absolute, . . . died in the wool, . . . decision for life.

I chose "It depends" on both questions, . . . I have a stainless 1911, (all the rest of the handguns are blued), . . . and a brunette for my wife.

May God bless,
Dwight

 

[xnavy]

j1132s

Would you consider one of these instead of blued, then ?

I would have to see one. Stainless IMHO just screams "attention". I don't buy my guns to sit in a cabinet collecting dust or to show off. I use my guns. If I ever had to bug out because of a terrorist attack, riot, w/e I know that I can take all my guns with me and use them without givng away position due to the reflective qualities that stainless has.

I haven't seen any standard issue military guns in stainless, or special ops people using stainless. Now if you are talking about pulling it out of a case and having people drool over it, then I guess stainless would be the way to go IMHO.

I also don't worry about my guns getting a few scratches on them, they are not show pieces, they are for hunting and defensive purposes.

What is less shine? How are they making it black? How long will the black adhere to the stainless? Will the black finish start wearing off the stainless?

 

[j1132s]

Xnavy,

I understand completely you point of view because I'm the same way about my guns too. (Maybe I'll change once I get some collectibles into my hands, but I'm too poor for that right now.)

Here's a picture of the Sig 226:

http://www.sigarms.com/Products/ShowCatalogProductDetails.aspx?categoryid=7&productid=90

Notice the "stainless" on the slide.

Also, many darkened stainless slides do not have the words "stainless" written on them (but are stainless, which its manufacturer usually note it somewhere in the docs or advertisement).

 

[xnavy]

j1132s,

The finish says nitron. Will have to do more research on that, but the gun itself with that black finish wouldn't bother me unless it started to come off and the stainless starting shining through. With a blued gun I don't really have to worry about that.

Alot IMHO would have to depend on how well that finish holds up on the stainless.

It appears that the Nitron finish is not a black stainless.

I would still choose blue over stainless.

 

[JoshB]

I voted for stainless. It just looks better. The guns I use at work are all blued, so maybe that's why I like something other than what I see every day.

 

[AirForceShooter]

I'm in Florida so ss is my choice.
Having said that my latest acquisition is in blue.
The price was right.

AFS