Blue vs. Stainless

Oldguy · Post by **Oldguy** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:07 pm

I'm a new guy here (despite the name), and just bought a MarkIII512 Target. I just spent a few days shooting with my old high school pal (of about 45 years), and after shooting my Mark III, he wants one. We put about 600 rounds through it, and it's a great gun. Fun to shoot, accurate, reliable. What else needs to be said?

I told him he can't have the same gun I that I have just because we don't need to have 2 of the same thing. He kind of agrees, and was looking at the KMKMarkIII678H. However, he has heard that blue guns shoot "better" that stainless. So, the question is: Is there any difference in how a stainless gun shoots vs. a blued gun? I bought a blue gun because I like blue guns.

The theory may be that stainless is harder, and affects accuracy? Seems like, if anything, stainless may be more accurate because it's harder, doesn't flex as much, and the whole thing. Also, Ruger competition guns are stainless, many target rifles are stainless, so that doesn't make sense, at least to me.

Has anyone ever heard of this?

Thanks, and Bullseye, great site. Thanks for keeping it up, and thanks for sharing your knowledge with the rest of us.

Post by **Bullseye** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:41 pm

Welcome to Guntalk-Online!

I've found that there's no appreciable difference in stainless over blued steel pistol accuracy. This wasn't always true, in the early eighties when stainless pistol technology was new, the metal used was much softer and more prone to galling. Today's stainless metals are much harder and have many advantages over mild steel or blued versions. I have many of both styles of Ruger 22 Autos, and I cannot detect one bit of accuracy difference between the two metals.

The same goes for my 1911s. I have many of both and one my favorites is my stainless Caspian wad gun.

R,
Bullseye

melchloboo · Post by **melchloboo** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 10:41 pm

No offense, but even if there were a difference in the pistols, there are few human beings on the planet whose scores would be affected.

Post by **Bullseye** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 6:59 am

None taken. I inferred from the original poster's question that he meant over the long term. Not simply picking up a pistol and shooting it one time - blue vs. stainless. Over time, a softer metal pistol would wear faster and that means it wouldn't hold an accuracy job. If one invests in an accurized pistol, then they typically want that custom work to last as long as possible. It is relatively easy for an accomplished shooter to tell if and when his pistol has lost its grouping (or lock-up in a 1911). I constantly see questions, even from novice shooters, asking why their pistol suddenly won't hold a good grouping.

R,
Bullseye

melchloboo · Post by **melchloboo** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:50 am

True. Also I have no scientific evidence just anecdote, but in my club it seems like the stainless rugers have more problems, completely unrelated to the metal but just as a general proposition, even though more of us in the club have blued. Probably just coincidence.

greener · Post by **greener** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:03 pm

Without proper care, blued handguns have more of a tendency for rust and to show wear than stainless.

Anecdotaly, I have two stainless and two blued Rugers. I see no difference in reliability. The only difference in the way they shoot is, in the words of Bearandoldman "the nut behind the trigger".

bearandoldman · Post by **bearandoldman** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:27 pm

greener wrote:Without proper care, blued handguns have more of a tendency for rust and to show wear than stainless. Anecdotaly, I have two stainless and two blued Rugers. I see no difference in reliability. The only difference in the way they shoot is, in the words of Bearandoldman "the nut behind the trigger".

Well said Grasshopper, as the famousa old saying goes"
The problem lies with the shooter and not the shooter"

ruger22 · Post by **ruger22** » Sat May 02, 2009 6:47 pm

I've had some guns both ways, and the only difference I've ever noted is that a new stainless bore is a bit rougher than a blued model. Takes it a little longer to break in, and harder to get clean at first, especially with basic lead RN ammo. But that goes away, and you get all the benefits of longer wear, little corrosion worry, and easier finish maintenance.

BTW, Ruger used to mention that 600 sandpaper would restore a shiny or scuffed area of their brushed stainless finish. I don't think that's in any of the manuals anymore. A piece of green Scotchbrite does well, too. Note that very light contact is usually all that's needed with either.