Posted: 11/11/2006 7:34:03 PM EDT
| I'm shopping for a new Colt. Are there any considerations other than appearance and cost that I should be aware of when selecting between the the two materials. Thanks. |
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Blued - More attractive to many (not all)... at first - Will rub off with use esp on corners/edges - Has tacticool advantages (less glare in day, less visible at night) - Offers the least amount of corrision protection - Adorns carbon steel, which is slightly harder than stainless Stainless - Some don't like SS. But 1911s are attractive as is and SS can highlight the contours. Ugly pistols with SS finish (i.e., Glocks) aren't ugly, they're fugly.  - Does not rub off, and after years of handling/wear, scratches buffs right out w a simple bead blast - More glare potential/giveaway at night, but top can be serrated/matted and sometimes the visibility of pistol at night increases "shit the pants" factor w BGs. - Offers moderate/moderately-high corrosion resistance (but still can rust so requires some maintenance as well) - Is somewhat softer than Carbon steel slides. End result It really boils down to taste and use (respectively) Blued is great for a nightstand/range gun that gets lots of trigger time and little carry SS is great for carry especially in humid climates Hard Chrome is problably the best of both worlds. Personally, I love the look of a SS 1911 (and blued as well). I carry SS in a very hot, humid climate and I find the SS works best for my needs. So I go with SS commanders/compacts for carry, and blued Governments/full-sizes for fun & collecting. YMMV. It's times like these where the Arfcom credo really applies: GET BOTH!!! |
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If you want corrosion protection, get it hard-chromed. www.trippresearch.com does a good job. Chrome can be applied to carbon steel and also stainless steel. HOWEVER, it's a pain to strip it if you want to have the gun modified down the road (add serrations, etc). Have any mods to the guy done before you chrome it. The soft finishes don't hold up nearly as good as chrome, but can be undone/redone if needed, and offer more protection than blueing or parkerizing. The new poly-ceramic finishes are promising, but expensive and no better than chrome. My LE duty gun is a chromed custom springer 1911, no rust after 5 yrs of patrol use in the Pacific NW in the Puget Sound area (where it rains as much as they say it does). Think open carry in a rainy, salt air, humid environment. I can't say the same of blued or stainless guns carried by co-workers.  |
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The blue finish will wear quickly and be the most vulnerable to rust and corrosion. Stainless is the opposite, you cant tell nearly as much when it wears, and is much more resistant to rust and corrosion. If you have plans to get the gun refinished at some point, I believe the stainless gun will limit what options you have. I would like to buy a used Colt in the blue finish some time soon, but I will send it off to be refinished eventually. |
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One last thought about chrome. I have lots of guns that have been chromed. If you really want to do that, go to Bob Cogan of Accurate Plating & Weaponry. I usually pick SS as my first choice. If I want a particular gun that is not available in SS, I will go the chrome route. I have few blued guns. However, once chrome gets scratched you are screwed and either live with it or send it for a strip and redo - which usually costs a bunch because as others have said, it is a royal PITA. Chrome is tough and will ware great, but just don't count on fixing any blemishes. |
Undoubtedly. But people seem to take better care of blued guns simply because they know they should. Too many people think stainless steel means "no maintenance necessary." |
