Stainless vs blued black powder revolver.

[Gulfcowboy]

Hello there. I been considering stepping off and trying black powder revolvers. I own a couple single action revolvers. I know that I want a 1858 remington. Now I come to the finish. I love a blued firearm with wood, but I always feel I have to baby them. I never liked shiney firearms, but stainless holds up better than blued in my experience. I live near the coast so I've seen what can happen to buled firearms. What do most you black power owners have, and how do they hold up? Any advice pics you can share would be very much appreciated.

[Oliver Sudden]

Blued for all of mine, a modern firearm can be stainless but old timey guns need to be steel. Nomal cleaning and oil has keep them in fine condition. A shiny one is difficult to use on a sunny day.

[45 Dragoon]

There's also a Nitrited finish that I think Uberti and Pietta offer.

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks

[rodwhaincamo]

I lived in San Antonio and now near Austin and my blues Remington from 2013 is just fine. After clean up I use Ballistol.

Now I’ve tried the dishwasher thing and I’d get flash rust that wiped off, but that also happened to my stainless Ruger too. I don’t do this anymore.

Oh, one of the greatest things to me about Ballistol (it’s not the best oil for this from what I’ve read) is that it readily mixes with water. It will allow the water to evaporate leaving just the oil to protect. No more WD-40 followed by removing that so as to oil.

Ballistol (or any other oil as far as I know) can be applied to a well shot firearm where it is absorbed into the fouling. I’ve left my revolvers for days in the garage during the summer to test this (I was told it would handle it). It worked just fine with no rust. It’s also great for wood and leather, and maybe more. It can also be used as a patch lube for muzzleloaders.

[Pahoo]

I always feel I have to baby them. I never liked shiney firearms, but stainless holds up better than blued in my experience.

I can understand your reasoning and suspect you are already leaning toward a non-blued finish. You are going to get varying replies. The purist will tell you to go with blue. The pragmatics will tell you to go Stainless. …...

Depends on what you are going to do with it and if you are just going to do range-time, then by all means, go stainless. Currently, I'm restoring six reproduction C&B's and they are all blued and not cared for, very well. I'll probably never shoot these but worth the effort.…

There is beauty in Blued & wood and not so much in S.S. ……

Be Safe !!!

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Modern blue is much more resistant to corrosion than older forms of blue.

In point of fact, Smith and Wesson finished more of their small frame 19th Century Top Break revolvers with nickel plating than blue for that reason.

When Ruger first introduced their Stainless Vaqueros, they had a matte finish. However Ruger soon realized that a high polish stainless finish would closely resemble the nickel plated finishes of the 19th Century.

This nickle plated Remington Model 1875 probably left the factory around 1875 (yes, 1875). It was very well cared for over the years, and despite being from the Black Powder era the plating has held up very well and it exhibits very little corrosion.






This nickle plated Merwin Hulbert left the factory sometime between 1881 and 1883. It has stood up very well over the years and exhibits very little corrosion.






This Smith and Wesson 2nd Model Russian left the factory in 1875. About half the blue has worn away, the exposed metal has developed a typical dark patina. The patina is actually rust, but this type of rust often seals the metal from further deterioration cause by contact with atmospheric oxygen.






This Smith and Wesson New Model Number Three left the factory in 1896. Like the Russian, about half of the blue has worn away, being replaced with a dark patina.



I only shoot cartridges loaded with Black Powder in these firearms, never Smokeless.

I have many other revolvers, both blued and nickel plated that I only shoot with Black Powder.

I suspect that the humidity in the summer where I live is probably just as bad as where you live.

My point is, modern blue is much more robust than the blues of the 19th Century. My second point is that Black Powder fouling is not as corrosive as most shooters believe. The combination of corrosive primers with Black Powder made BP fouling much more corrosive in the old days, but we don't use corrosive primers any more, and BP fouling is not as corrosive as many think.

Buy what you want. Clean it in a reasonable time and give it a light coating of oil when you are done. Don't store it under water. Everything will be fine.

[Gulfcowboy]

Thank you gentlemen. Alot of good info. I believe I'm leaning more towards blued. I believe in a single action revolver blued is more esthetically pleasing to me.

[4V50 Gary]

The only advantage of stainless is that it doesn't need rebluing. Hit it with steel wool.

[44 Dave]

Shiny pistols look to much like "pimp guns" LOL

[Gulfcowboy]

Only a pimp from a cheap New Orleans whorehouse would carry a pearl-handled pistol. General patton on his pistol grips. I feel the same way about shiney guns.

[Centurion]

Shiny metal is good for faucets...not for guns.

[maillemaker]

I have a stainless Uberti 1858.

It is an older gun and does not shoot well - I suspect the chambers are under-sized.

Anyway, I like it. I like the look of it, and the ease of cleaning is a plus.

I also have a bunch of blued guns.

Steve

[woodnbow]

Driftwood makes a compelling argument that the finish will hold up given proper care and a good metal preservative. I use Eezox, there are others nearly as good... ;-)

[Hawg]

Driftwood makes a compelling argument that the finish will hold up given proper care and a good metal preservative. I use Eezox, there are others nearly as good... ;-)

I use 3 in 1 oil or motor oil or ATF, just whatever is handy.

[woodnbow]

Where’s the like button when you need it.

[gwpercle]

I don't own a stainless cap & ball , have two blued ones but would sure like to have a 1858 Remington in Stainless Steel !
I think they look like nickle plated and help with rust . No blue to wear off , polish off any scratches ... I don't see a down side except extra cost.
Gary

[.44 Associate]

I also am on the coast. I find that my blued guns do rust if I don't take care of them. That just means I have to take care of them, which really only entails a thorough cleaning after each use, and every few months I go through the whole collection for a quick inspection and wipedown. I suppose if I didn't enjoy guns that would seems like a chore, but as it is it really is just an excuse to go play with guns.

[blfuller]

Originally Posted by 45 Dragoon

There's also a Nitrited finish that I think Uberti and Pietta offer.

This finish is very delicate and eventually will dull to a gray color with use. I would not recommend it for a gun you will be handling and shooting. Maybe for something under glass that you will never touch.

The only stainless blackpowder revolver I have is the Ruger Old Army. I have an 1860 that has the nitre finish and the others are standard black oxide with color case hardened frames.

Stainless is easier to care for but will still rust if neglected.

[45 Dragoon]

Actually, a nitride finish is very durable and makes the surface as hard as can be made. I've tuned some revolvers with this finish. A couple of Remington's and Hovey Smith's "Super Walker ". It feels and looks almost like a Teflon coating but as actually a metal treatment.

This isn't a "blue nitre" finish which is a very delicate finish.

Mike

www.goonsgunworks.com
Follow me on Instagram @ goonsgunworks

[blfuller]

Originally Posted by 45 Dragoon

Actually, a nitride finish is very durable and makes the surface as hard as can be made.

I thought he was referring to the nitre finish since he specifically mentioned Uberti and Pietta.

And yes, nitride is very durable and alot of barrels are in a salt bath nitride finish of one form or another for corrosion resistance and durability.

[Old No7]

Pick one..............

Old No7

[Hawg]

Those are Rugers so neither.