# Stainless Pistols Suck!



## SeanB1986 (Mar 14, 2010)

Don't get me wrong I LOVE MY COLT. But good lord man is it a pain to clean. I found my self not taking it out this weekend to put maybe 50 rds through it. Just because cleaning it is a chore and a half. My buddy has a s&w 686(Revolver) to clean and I thought that was bad. Try moving parts on an autoloader! Yikes


----------



## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

SeanB1986 said:


> Don't get me wrong I LOVE MY COLT. But good lord man is it a pain to clean. I found my self not taking it out this weekend to put maybe 50 rds through it. Just because cleaning it is a chore and a half. My buddy has a s&w 686(Revolver) to clean and I thought that was bad. Try moving parts on an autoloader! Yikes


Buy a Glock and just throw it away when it quits working...if it ever does.


----------



## zhurdan (Mar 21, 2008)

SeanB1986 said:


> Try moving parts on an autoloader! Yikes


Try keeping your finger off the trigger! (avatar)

What are you using to clean it with? I've never had a problem with stainless. In fact, it's far easier in my opinion.


----------



## dosborn (Apr 17, 2009)

zhurdan said:


> Try keeping your finger off the trigger! (avatar)
> 
> What are you using to clean it with? I've never had a problem with stainless. In fact, it's far easier in my opinion.


+1

It's easier to see gunk on stainless too. I definitely prefer stainless.


----------



## Frank45 (Feb 21, 2010)

And it doesn't rust.


----------



## thelonerang3r (Jul 30, 2009)

dosborn said:


> +1
> 
> It's easier to see gunk on stainless too. I definitely prefer stainless.


I'm with that. I'd much rather clean stainless than blued


----------



## Sully2 (Mar 9, 2010)

Frank45 said:


> And it doesn't rust.


There are people that would disagree with that comment!


----------



## BowhuntnHoosier (Feb 7, 2010)

I love my stainless guns. Of course my Glock is very nice also. lol


----------



## Sully2 (Mar 9, 2010)

SeanB1986 said:


> Don't get me wrong I LOVE MY COLT. But good lord man is it a pain to clean. I found my self not taking it out this weekend to put maybe 50 rds through it. Just because cleaning it is a chore and a half. My buddy has a s&w 686(Revolver) to clean and I thought that was bad. Try moving parts on an autoloader! Yikes


I have the model 66 SST...the Combat Magnum. I dont find it difficult at all to clean. Nor were my SA SST models difficult
The problem might be with the "singer" and not the "song"!!!:smt033


----------



## YFZsandrider (Feb 28, 2009)

Sully2 said:


> There are people that would disagree with that comment!


We're talking "stainless" stainless.... not kimber stainless! :mrgreen:


----------



## Sully2 (Mar 9, 2010)

YFZsandrider said:


> We're talking "stainless" stainless.... not kimber stainless! :mrgreen:


Dont know ?? I have no "Kimber Stainless"!:rock:


----------



## YFZsandrider (Feb 28, 2009)

I do... came complete with rust on the barrel. no extra charge.

Its all good now, but my other 1911s have never seen rust, period !


----------



## SeanB1986 (Mar 14, 2010)

I'm not being serious. I obviously chose stainless. But I was gettin rings around the muzzle that my cleaning solvent would not remove. A friend just gave me a few of these special lead removal wipes and they work awesome. As for the Stainless being easier to see? absolutely. I own an m&p 40 and a 92fs. that are blued and I find myself taking longer to clean them with no real visual reminder.


----------



## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

SeanB1986 said:


> I'm not being serious. I obviously chose stainless. But I was gettin rings around the muzzle that my cleaning solvent would not remove. A friend just gave me a few of these special lead removal wipes and they work awesome. As for the Stainless being easier to see? absolutely. I own an m&p 40 and a 92fs. that are blued and I find myself taking longer to clean them with no real visual reminder.


A gun that shows no wear is a safe queen. All of my guns are clean, but worn in all the right places. The performance has not been degraded because of it, and they aren't on the 'trading block,' so all is well. They have ...character.


----------



## zhurdan (Mar 21, 2008)

Bisley said:


> A gun that shows no wear is a safe queen. All of my guns are clean, but worn in all the right places. The performance has not been degraded because of it, and they aren't on the 'trading block,' so all is well. They have ...character.


Besides, it's easier to see the dirt and grime when you shoot them hard enough! :mrgreen:


----------



## Brydawg (Mar 9, 2010)

I just cleaned my glasses and realized it wasn't my glasses. Thats the dirtiest gun I think I've ever seen. Looks like desert or beach sand.


----------



## Freedom1911 (Oct 22, 2009)

Bisley said:


> Buy a Glock and just throw it away when it quits working...if it ever does.


I use to laugh at comments like this. But not any more.
I just bought my second Glock and am now a fan. Not a Glock nut, but a fan.
They are one of the most accurate, easy to take care of, light, no nonsense pistols you can buy.
Only a few other brands rank that hi for me. So since the Glock will probably not quit in his life time, it would be a sure buy.


----------



## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

I couldn't disagree more.

I never have a problem cleaning my stainless guns.

In fact, it's far easier in my opinion. 

I've noticed that I'm buying more and more stainless guns.

As far as buying a gun and letting it go uncleaned and then throwing it away - is not the way I act.

:smt1099


----------



## cougartex (Jan 2, 2010)

I have no problems cleaning stainless steel guns.


----------



## SaltyDog (Jan 1, 2009)

Frank45 said:


> And it doesn't rust.


Not as quickly anyhow - stainless is not rust proof - just rust resistant.


----------



## Frank45 (Feb 21, 2010)

Sully2 said:


> There are people that would disagree with that comment!





SaltyDog said:


> Not as quickly anyhow - stainless is not rust proof - just rust resistant.


I stand corrected stainless can and will rust,do to the amount of carbon steel included in it for heat treating purposes. So if you dont like cleaning brite stainless go with the blackened stainless guns. Then you wont see all the gunk.:watching:


----------



## MLB (Oct 4, 2006)

"Stainless Steel" is a term that describes a group of many different metals (alloys of iron). Depending upon how much carbon, nickel, chromium, and other metals are "mixed" with iron, different grades of stainless steel are made. Some are very corrosion resistant, some not so much.


----------



## BowhuntnHoosier (Feb 7, 2010)

My Smith 686 must be made of some pretty good stuff.:smt033


----------



## jdeere9750 (Nov 28, 2008)

SaltyDog said:


> Not as quickly anyhow - stainless is not rust proof - just rust resistant.





Frank45 said:


> I stand corrected stainless can and will rust,do to the amount of carbon steel included in it for heat treating purposes. So if you dont like cleaning brite stainless go with the blackened stainless guns. Then you wont see all the gunk.:watching:





MLB said:


> "Stainless Steel" is a term that describes a group of many different metals (alloys of iron). Depending upon how much carbon, nickel, chromium, and other metals are "mixed" with iron, different grades of stainless steel are made. Some are very corrosion resistant, some not so much.


So what does a person do if you were to begin seeing some rust? Is there anything that you can do at that point?


----------



## MLB (Oct 4, 2006)

One of the advantages of a "stainless" steel gun is that you can simply buff it out without having to refinish it like a blued or otherwise coated gun. That won't stop it from corroding again though. I'd imagine that the same care you'd take with a blued gun would keep the stainless in good shape.


----------



## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

+1 MLB

Or probably even less effort.

:smt1099


----------



## tropicmaster (Dec 20, 2009)

I can show you a boat full of stainless that did rust! lol It is slower but it DOES rust, and it has nothing to do with heat treating like someone earlier suggested. I doubt anything on my boat is heat treated.


----------



## VietVet68 (Jan 10, 2010)

YFZsandrider said:


> I do... came complete with rust on the barrel. no extra charge.
> 
> Its all good now, but my other 1911s have never seen rust, period !


Don't you care enough to inspect before you buy?


----------



## MorganOverlook (May 4, 2010)

I've got a Sig 232 stainless and I don't find it particularly hard to clean. I just like the way that it looks when it's all shined up.


----------



## Viper (Jul 6, 2009)

I've bought 9 handguns in the last year or so, and all but two were stainless - a SIG Pro, which I sold and my new M&P. I prefer cleaning stainless, because it's easier to see where you need to clean. Also I heard a psychologist say once, that if you're going to carry a gun, get a light coloured one, He claimed that the light colour made the gun look bigger and more intimidating.


----------



## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

Viper said:


> Also I heard a psychologist say once, that if you're going to carry a gun, get a light coloured one, He claimed that the light colour made the gun look bigger and more intimidating.


That sounds like something a psychologist would say. He just naturally assumes that you are going to brandish, instead of going to work, because that's what he would do.


----------



## VietVet68 (Jan 10, 2010)

tropicmaster said:


> I can show you a boat full of stainless that did rust! lol It is slower but it DOES rust, and it has nothing to do with heat treating like someone earlier suggested. I doubt anything on my boat is heat treated.


Salt water is one of the harshest environments around but if you own a boat you already know that.


----------



## fudo (Nov 11, 2009)

Instead of stainless, it should be called Stainsless.
I find cleaning stainless guns easier than cleaning blued guns.


----------



## MLB (Oct 4, 2006)

The term "stainless" always seemed odd to me too. I'm pretty sure most folks are looking for a "rustless" steel. I doubt anyone is worried about grass stains.


----------



## crazy charlie (May 3, 2010)

I don't find stainless any worse that blued. The trick is to clean them at the range or ASAP. The lube on the pistol has a lot to do with it. A teflon based lube IMHO works best. To each his own.


----------



## Viper (Jul 6, 2009)

Bisley said:


> That sounds like something a psychologist would say. He just naturally assumes that you are going to brandish, instead of going to work, because that's what he would do.


Well, this particular psychologist has been carrying ever since it was legal in GA, and has been a competition shooter for 40 years. I don't think he assumes anything.


----------



## falchunt (May 8, 2009)

Viper said:


> Well, this particular psychologist has been carrying ever since it was legal in GA, and has been a competition shooter for 40 years. I don't think he assumes anything.


Psychologists are a different breed, and sometimes they think _too hard_ about some things. In this situation, I disagree strongly with his point of view. IMO, a gun for self defense should be discreet and efficient. You should never PLAN to show someone your gun for intimidation. The statement about the gun looking bigger and more intimidating makes it sound like you are looking for trouble. (brandishing is illegal in most places). In fact, for people who conceal carry, a stainless might have some disadvantages. A black or blued gun doesn't stand out as much, but stainless sure does. if you bend the wrong way to pick something up and your shirt comes up just enough....just saying.

I have no problems with Stainless guns, they look great and as stated several times before, they have many advantages over other finishes. I just don't agree with that mindset.


----------



## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

Viper said:


> Well, this particular psychologist has been carrying ever since it was legal in GA, and has been a competition shooter for 40 years. I don't think he assumes anything.


Well, it isn't worth having a fuss about, I guess.

It just sounded like one of those wishy-washy plans to draw out the gun and scare the BG off. If so, that's maybe not the best approach to carrying a lethal weapon for self-defense.


----------



## XD GLOCKer (May 24, 2010)

The stainless guns I owned in the past were only "easier" to clean if only a few rounds were fired from them. Shoot 700-1000 rounds in a day and see how easy it is then to get that stainless bright again.

I have also carried so called "stainless" guns in the past. They do and will rust if it sees more time on your person than in a safe. I also noticed that when a stainless gun rusts, it gets a permanent purpleish black STAIN where it rusts all the time from actual use during carry in the spots that WILL rust. 

A good ole carbon steel with a nice parkerized finish will hold a good oil for a long time keeping rust off that finish longer than a smooth stainless gun will with the same oil.

I only speak of experience so please forgive my ignorance why and how stainless is supposed to be more rust resistant and less prone to stains. I will never own one again. Too much to maintain on a gun with no finish. A GLOCK or XD and the M&P will be truely stainless because of the metal treatments used on them.

Maybe I would own one in a hunting revolver or a safe queen, but for a working gun stainless means MORE maintenance and more rust and stains if you plan on actualy using the darn thing lol.....


----------



## MLB (Oct 4, 2006)

XD GLOCKer said:


> The stainless guns I owned in the past were only "easier" to clean if only a few rounds were fired from them. Shoot 700-1000 rounds in a day and see how easy it is then to get that stainless bright again.


The ammunition doesn't know if it's been fired from a blued or stainless gun of course, so the residue is the same. I think you can just see it better on a stainless gun. With a blued finish, you likely can't see all of it to clean it.


----------



## MorganOverlook (May 4, 2010)

It's just personal preference. If you carry a blued gun every day, eventually there will be some wear. Stainless doesn't have that problem. It may buff, but it doesn't just disappear.

In my case, the SIG is blowback semi-automatic. The stainless version is a bit heavier, so to me, the recoil feels better.


----------

