Any easy way to tell the difference between

asop

stainless and a nickel finish? Thanks

charliemeyer007

Use a magnet.

62fuelie

I just tried that; my Model 66 S&W, Caspian 1911 and NAA Guardian all stuck to the magnet I keep on my bench to hold small parts. With S&W the model numbers code in the stainless guns using the number 6 as the first number in the model designation. Other brands I don't know any such shortcuts.

Hawk Carse

Most firearms are type 416 stainless which is magnetic. This is not a cookpot.

An experienced eye can tell the difference between nickel ("warm"), chrome ("cold") and stainless (gray.)

Other than that, you just have to know the make and model.

beantownshootah

Easy way? You can scratch off a nickel finish. [;)] If its flaking, its not stainless.

Barring that, Hawk has it.

These do look different, but it takes some experience to tell one from the other and even there, I don't think the eye is 100% reliable.

Best way, I think is just to do the homework and find out which finishes your particular model came in. Smith stainless models all start with "6", but other companies sometimes do have sub-model numbers that correlate with the finish.

If its a domestic manufacturer, you can call them with the serial and/or model number and ask, and they may be able to tell you.

tsr1965

Actually if you do comparative testing on a carbon steel gun, vs. a stainless gun, the stainless has less of a clamp, or hold on the magnet. While a magnet will stick to it, it is no where near as hard fast as the carbon steel, or regular steel plated gun.

SP45

Visual is not always correct. High polish stainless can look very close to nickel and satin nickel is often mistaken for stainless

Bill DeShivs

High polish stainless actually looks more like chrome plating than nickel.
Nickel plating has a yellowish hue.