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What are your thoughts on gun finsh and the effects in outdoor competitive shooting??

Does stainless have any negitives when out in the sunlight ??

i haven't had a stainless firearm before...but i was thinking the sweat and the texas humidity could get to it?

Jin wrote:i haven't had a stainless firearm before...but i was thinking the sweat and the texas humidity could get to it?

I thought it was called 'Stainless' for a reason?

Bowed_Up_Onaspeck wrote:What are your thoughts on gun finish and the effects in outdoor competitive shooting? Does stainless have any negatives when out in the sunlight?

Some people might think that a bright ["shiney"] stainless might have a disadvantage because of possible glare caused by reflected light. I have heard the same complaint about having a stainless CCW because the BG can see the gun at night easier than a black or blued gun. I have handguns with shiney, blued and black matte finishes. None of them has caused me any problems or concerns in outdoor shooting.

You might be confusing the material "stainless steel" with the finish of the handgun. Not all stainless steel guns have a "shiney" apprearance. Many stainless steel guns are available with brushed stainless, black or dark finishes. Nickel or chrome plated guns can also have a bright finish that looks like stainless steel.

Jin wrote:i haven't had a stainless firearm before...but i was thinking the sweat and the texas humidity could get to it?

You're probably better off with a stainless steel gun in the Texas heat and humidity. That said, if you take care of your guns and keep them clean and oiled, regular steel will do fine.

I was just sitting here cataloging to what extent my carry pistols are made of stainless steel or some other metal besides regular steel, and it is actually surprising what totals up, because stainless steel only played a part in one of those purchasing decisions.

• Kimber Stainless Ultra Carry II - Alloy Frame with Stainless Slide - purchased because I wanted a stainless steel gun
• S&W M&P 45 - Polymer Frame with Stainless Slide, the slide is coated in Black Melonite® (68HRc) - didn't know it had a stainless slide until after I bought it.
• S&W 640 .357 revolver - stainless frame, cylinder, and barrel.
• S&W M&P340 .357 revolver - scandium frame and barrel shroud, stainless steel barrel insert, and stainless steel cylinder with an unidentified black finish on it.
• Springfield Loaded Parkerized 1911A1 - this is the only gun in my carry rotation that does not have any stainless steel parts.

Additionally, I believe that my wife's Glock 19 has a stainless steel slide under that black Tenifer (64HRc) coating. And I think that Springfield XDs have stainless slides too.

So all in all, stainless steel is not at all uncommon in the gun world, and it even shows up in places where you didn't expect it.

Bowed_Up_Onaspeck wrote:Does stainless have any negitives when out in the sunlight ??

I've never noticed any disadvantage to stainless in bright sunlight, or advantage to non-stainless for that matter, and I shoot almost exclusively outdoors with no shade.

dicion wrote:

Jin wrote:i haven't had a stainless firearm before...but i was thinking the sweat and the texas humidity could get to it?

I thought it was called 'Stainless' for a reason?

lol...i can't argue with that.

I find my blued guns will get holster wear rather quickly. So I think stainless or a good hard chrome is the best way to go, and the previous posts are correct they finish does not need to be shiny. It can be chrome or stainless and have a flat finish.

All of the stainless guns I have feature a matte-finish or grooved sight plane to minimize reflection.

And remember, stainless steel is not rust-proof, just rust-resistant.

My collection is gradually moving to more SS and less blued, at least in the modern items.