In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Gun Blue Steel or Stainless Steel and Why?
RugerNiner
Member Posts: 12,636 ✭✭✭
Here's the Scenario.
Your are buying a Brand New Ruger P-89DC.
The Gun will be used for General shooting and Self Defense Carry.
Do you buy it in Blue or Stainless and Why? Difference in price is $20.
Keep Focused on the Subject Material and NOT the Gun Model.
Remember...Terrorist are attacking Civilians; Not the Government. Protect Yourself!
Your are buying a Brand New Ruger P-89DC.
The Gun will be used for General shooting and Self Defense Carry.
Do you buy it in Blue or Stainless and Why? Difference in price is $20.
Keep Focused on the Subject Material and NOT the Gun Model.
Remember...Terrorist are attacking Civilians; Not the Government. Protect Yourself!
Keep your Powder dry and your Musket well oiled.
NRA Lifetime Benefactor Member.
NRA Lifetime Benefactor Member.
Comments
Rameleni1
Lord Lowrider the LoquaciousMember:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets She was only a fisherman's daughter,But when she saw my rod she reeled.
Stainless guns used to have binding problems, metal on metal, but apparently those are now worked out. But if you buy an older stainless gun, maybe an old 3-digit S&W semi-auto, that might be a concern too.
- Life NRA Member
"If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Take a good bore scope and look down the bore of a stainless gun. Then look at a 4140 Chrome Molly (Blue). Yes I do have several stainless guns. Just don't do anything serious with them.
The most important things, Are not things.
Both metal serve their intended purposes well, so choose the one that suits your needs the best.
The reason I'm so surprised is the amount of Blue Guns in the Dealers Stores compared to Stainless steel. Blue Guns seem to more than out number Stainlees Steel by quite a margin.
Of course Glocks have to be Blue because Legos don't make Silver Pieces.
Remember...Terrorist are attacking Civilians; Not the Government. Protect Yourself!
Edited by - RugerNiner on 08/06/2002 06:38:11
NRA Lifetime Benefactor Member.
If you will blame gun makers for every shooting then blame car maker for every car accident.
- Life NRA Member
"If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
I have also read that stainless steel is actually softer than carbon steel. And, finally, a chrome-lined barrel is less accurate than a stainless barrel. This would seem to mean that a stainless barrel would provide better accuracy but shorter life.
Anybody know if what I read is correct?
Gun Control Disarms Victims, NOT Criminals
Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis
rodney colson
rodney colson
Steels start falling into the category of "stainless" when the chromium content reaches around two percent (2%). These are low grade stainless steels and then it goes up from there with the maximum chromium content being around eight percent (8%). As the chromium content increases, the strength and hardness (also brittleness) of the steel decreases, and the malleability or softness increases. Higher chromium contents increase resistance to rust but to get truly rust "proof" metal, small amounts of "nickel" must be added.
Most guns are made from low grades of stainless steel as they need to retain as much strength and hardness as possible. There is a trade off here between strength/hardness and rust resistance. Different manufacturers use different grades of stainless, so check with them to see what they use.
Strength and hardness are going to give longer life in two areas.
1. Fatigue cracks - from repeat operations and pressure.
2. Wear - from friction of normal use on all components and bullet travel through the bore.
Stainless Steels can generally provide longer life of the surface finish from corrosion/rust.
Hope this info helps... KG
Every SS firearm or part is manufactured from a 400 Series SS. I believe that you should add a few percent more chrome to your post.
I personally like the blue finish. A SS arm will rust as previously posted but are "resistant", to a degree. A salt water atmosphere is not great on any steel. SS will, after a time of neglect, will rust.
(400 Series). The chlorides in the salt water will react w/ SS.
W/ all steel, keep them free from O2 and well oiled. 101
Galling, that's the word I was trying to think of. It was a big deal on early stainless guns because it affected performance in a negative way. I get the impression that while galling still exists when stainless parts rub together, the engineers have solved the performance problems on current generation firearms, neutralizing it, for the most part, as a factor in a gun purchasing decision.
As far as I know, sweat has some salt content, which makes it a rust threat. I would buy a stainless gun for my car trunk or for keeping in a boat for the summer, but I agree with the concensus that proper cleaning and regular maintenance will keep any finish from dying a quick corrosion death. The real advantage of stainless vs. corrosion is that it tends to hold its looks longer, so if "pretty" is important to you, and you don't hate the look of stainless, then it does make sense where moisture is a concern. And galling is not the concern it was 25 years ago. It would be interesting to know how the galling "problem" was solved -- by reducing the amount of chromium, or by redesigning the way the gun parts move over one another. Anyone with insight is welcome to post.
- Life NRA Member
"If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
My SIG P229 has a stainless slide, but it is coated with something black. Best of both worlds.
Smith & Wesson came up with some black stainless revolvers several years ago. I don't think they sold well, but it seemed like a good idea.
SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
So many guns, so little money . . .
No intent was made to really challenge your thoughts. I also am involved w/petro chem & power. I just believed the chromium was a tad bit low, percentage wise. Hope no hard feelings? I get my * chewed out every now and then by "EXPERTS". I believe the chromium would be about 12%/plus/minus. You just dropped the (1) prior to the (2). Give me a hollar at smhco@juno.com
Sorry RUGERNINER 101
Titanium is lighter and stronger than steel, and your wife would find it a durable and easy-to-carry gun. Consider something with a snag-free hammer, for clean draw from purse or clothing.
- Life NRA Member
"If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
I'm looking for a CC weapoh for my wife and was considering a titanium .357 Mag loaded with .38 special +P's (or a .38 special). I wanted the Ti so it would be light enough for her to carry all of the time. (Obviously she will be the ultimate decider but she isn't as much of an enthusiast as I and leaves research up to me.) How does Ti compare to SS and blue for durability?
So many guns, so little money . . .
______________________________________________________________________
You need to have your wife shoot both before you buy if possable
I bought one of the turaus 38 in titanium for my wife and she traded for my blued steel 38
She thought the lighter weight gun kicked more than the steel.
But i can't tell the difference really
SMILE...MAKE EM WONDER WHAT YOUR UP TO
a lot nicer, and you dont have to worry about rust. Given
a little oil, now and then. Put some orange juice, on it, and
it will develope, and orange tinted rust, which, could be
hard to remove. Now, On a high power rifle, in excess of
4000 fps, I do not recommend stainless. The tensile strength,
just isnt the same as a 4140 alloy, black steel barrel, which
could result, in stripping out the lands, in the barrel. As I
recall, a 4140 black steel barrel, is at or about 107 HRB.
and the stainless barrel is somewhere near, 80 HRB Brinell.
Okay, you metalurgists out there, do your testing, and check.
I would definitely go for a hammerless, shrouded hammer, or bobbed hammer small frame, though. Just too many ways a regular hammer can get hung up when coming out in a hurry, and a bigger gun will start to feel too heavy. Snubbies are nice because they're harder to wrestle out of your hand in a close assault. And a hammer-shrouded pistol can even be fired through a pocket or purse if necessary, which is one clear advantage over a "pocket" semi-auto.
- Life NRA Member
"If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878