Blued vs Stainless Revolver?

[TN Outlaw]

i am in the Market for a Ruger Vaquero or blackhawk and was wondering should i go with a Blued or Stainless one, and what the Pros and Cons are for each type.. all info is appreciated

[Volzfan]

Stainless doesn't show wear where the blue will. Plus SS revolvers are just better looking!

Edited June 2, 2012 by Volzfan

[TrickyNicky]

I'd agree with half that. Bluing wear is nasty but when their clean their clean.

All my guns are blued come to think of it. I should change that.

[TN Outlaw]

maybe i should just get both?

[Volzfan]

maybe i should just get both?

Now you're talkin!

[hornett22]

i like those on a case hardened frame with a blued barrel. I think blued looks better but stainless is more practical for outdoor use.

[Trekbike]

If you get the Vaquero I would get the blued version due to it's style. If you get the Blackhawk I'd get the stainless.

Edited June 2, 2012 by Trekbike

[DaveTN]

Blued revolvers are beautiful. Smith & Wesson use to put on a deep rich blue that was really nice. But carrying them on duty would mess up the finish. Refinishing a blued revolver is not cheap.

Stainless is a work horse. Unless you do some serious damage; it can always be made to look new again without spending anything on it.

[Guest USMC 2013]

What's it for? That may help me dream which I'd choose!

Joe

[Mechanic_X]

What would Clint carry?

[enfield]

Stainless for me, but I like a dark finish better. SIG's black-over-stainless suits me to a tee.

[Will Carry]

The Bisley Vaquero only comes in stainless. I would have no other. The hammer spur is lowered in the Bisley making it easier to cock without adjusting your grip. The Bisley grip feels better in my hand and the Bisley has a wider trigger. I recently won a pistol shootin' contest with my Bisley .357 going against some fine semi-automatics like Sig, Colt and Springfield. It wasn't even close.

[Moped]

Stainless is practical. Blue is beautiful! I don't mind the wear on a blued gun. Show charactor and use. I only own one stainless steel and that's a Springer Loaded Model 1911. The rest of my guns are blue or matte. I wish I had enough money to pick up that Colt .38 Rocky has for sale. That's a beaut! Of course, I want a canoe... and a Winchester Lever Action... and a Frost River Summit Expedition Back Pack... and a new to me FJ40... and...

[Will Carry]

Ruger does make a Bisley in blue steel! In 45LC or 44 mag. 7.5" barrel. So you do have a choice on blue or stainless in a Ruger Bisley. I have several blued revolvers and they are truely beautiful. I can't say the function any different though.

[Sidinman]

BLUED

[TN Outlaw]

thanks for all the Suggestions, but i found a blued blackhawk with a 6.5 in barrel for a great price so i think i am gonna go with it for now then add a Stainless one later on

[TN Outlaw]

since i will be having a bled Revolver what would you guys recommend i do to keep it rust free

[Moped]

Just keep a very lite coat of oil on it. Whip it down occasionally. if you get a leather holster for it, don't keep in the holster, except when you are carrying it. And if you shoot black powder rounds through it, clean it afterwards. Really blued isn't hard at all to keep up. Just a little harder than stainless steel, which you still need to keep clean as it will still rust as well.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I have a 1980's version of a S&W 586 (those were all blue as best I know, as 686 was always stainless). It has not seen holster wear and has been shot a fair amount at the range but lives in the safe between times. Anyway I take care not to scratch up blued guns, and the 586 is still near spotless to my eye. Maybe it would look bad to somebody with a more discerning eye. Just sayin, it isn't scratched up and I've not seen any rust. I wipe off fingerprints after handling, sometimes with one of those silicone gun cloths that leave a little lube on the gun surface.

Just sayin, maybe rust isn't much of a concern unless you plan to expose it to the elements? An old fella who owns a local gun store, the old guy knows a lot about guns and is expert at shooting them. I noticed that if you handle one of his guns, especially blue "sorta expensive" hunting guns, as soon as you put it back on the rack he wipes off the fingerprints with a silicone rag. Even if I wipe off the gun myself he still wipes off the gun with a silicone rag. Maybe it is a nervous twitch, or maybe it is a wise way to avoid coming back next week and finding a finger print shaped spot of rust? Dunno.

I used to prefer the look of stainless, and probably still do for many guns. It is a trick of the eye, but for instance an inox beretta 92fs looks like an entirely different gun than a blue 92fs. The blue 92 is handsome, but the inox (stainless) makes my eye more easily notice that it is one of the most elegant examples of industrial design in a pistol. Just a beautiful form. The beautiful form is in there on a blue 92 but it is more difficult to notice.

Also used to prefer stainless because a scratch on stainless doesn't look near as ugly as a scratch on a blue gun. But lately have begun to appreciate that blue guns look real good too, and I don't mind wear and scratches on the blue as much as before (though I try to avoid it). Would still be disinclined to buy a used scratched up gun, because I'd worry that if the owner let it get that beat up on the outside then maybe it isn't is very good shape on the inside either.

Edited June 2, 2012 by Lester Weevils

[greenego]

I just purchase a blued Blackhawk. Mainly because of price. Got it for $303 in an online auction.

[enfield]

since i will be having a bled Revolver what would you guys recommend i do to keep it rust free

Renaissance Wax

[RichardR]

I usually spray a light coat of Rem Oil ond wipe off each of my firearms before I put them away, and also twice a year (spring & fall) I will take everything out of the safe and do the same thing, that process has kept all of my firearms rust free for decades

[TN Outlaw]

picked it up today

Edited June 3, 2012 by TN Outlaw

[Murgatroy]

You are gonna like it...

[TrickyNicky]

Congadulations TN! It came with some leather too right?

Spend some time with it and let is know how it shoots. With a little practice you shout be able to make 100 yard pie plate shots all day.