Anyone ever blue a stainless revolver?????

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Juss sayin'.......


I'm thinking of doing something unique to a as-of-yet-to-possess revolver that I have access to to own.

As a 'beater', is it wasteful to high luster blue an originally stainless revolver???

Anyone ever do it? What are the drawbacks???



I look forward to your feedback!


Thanks!


-

[bentwrench]

I could be wrong but I don't think stainless steel can be blued.
bw

[knight0334]

Bluing works by causing a layer of rust which makes a stop barrier for further oxidation. ...and since stainless's metallurgical properties are resistant to rusting, the attempt to make that blued barrier would have nil results.

Lower grade stainless steels will have minor coloring effects, but mid to high grade stainless like those used in guns will have very little changes. ....unless you get out your microscope.

[39flathead]

You can't actually blue stainless, it can be subjected to the blueing process, but will end up more of a black than blue.

[brian]

Bluing works by causing a layer of rust which makes a stop barrier for further oxidation. ...and since stainless's metallurgical properties are resistant to rusting, the attempt to make that blued barrier would have nil results.

Lower grade stainless steels will have minor coloring effects, but mid to high grade stainless like those used in guns will have very little changes. ....unless you get out your microscope.

the "high" grades of ss lack the qualities you need to construct a firearm.

the ss most commonly found in guns is something from the 400(416 most common) series.
it lacks the 10% or so percent of nickle found in the 300 series.
it is what's called martensitic stainless, and is magnetic.
compared to the 300 series which is the austenitic stainless.
if you want to get technical the stainless used in guns is the low grade of ss.
as it is more corrosion "proof" than carbon steel, but there are two types of ss higher than it, both much more resistant to corrosion.
it's also easier to machine than the higher grades.

[IraIII]

I blued a stainless mag release for a Beretta 92. The first solution I used did not take, and the color was unchanged. I tried a different solution, and got a color that matches very closely to the anodized frame. Smith and Wesson made a model 686 which is a stainless gun, that was colored the same as a blued model. I think it was called midnight black. I don't believe that they were very durable as when any holster wear developed it was very noticeable as the shiny stainless showed through.

[Steve_NEPhila]

Forget getting a stainless revolver blued, Roguard it. Robar offers a Roguard (black) finish in both matte and glossy. I have a black Roguard P7 in matte that is fantastic.

I intend to get my 686 SSR Roguard matte finished with the cylinder and internals NP3'd. The Robar finishes are fantastic.

[625]

Check out DuraCoat if you are bored with your finish.

[PirateSteve]

NP3, Durcacote, and other spray on finishes available from places like Brownells work very well.

I tried to blue a stainless steel knife blade, and didn't get very good results....but I guess it made it unique enough for me

I have a stainless 1911 that was ceramic coated from the factory, but that is more of a dull black than a nice shiny deep blue.

[billt]

Click On Thumbnail To Enlarge

This is a somewhat crappy picture of a Remington 700 BDL in .300 Win. Mag. I purchased new back in 1972. It has a Stainless Steel blued barrel. Remington made very few of these because it was a costly process. They first had to plate the barrel with carbon steel, then it was put through a conventional bluing process. It is a beautiful gun, and whenever I take it to the range and someone sees the "Stainless Steel" stamped on the barrel, it always strikes up an interesting conversation. Bill T.