Live and learn

Good blueing, like good bake on finishes, is time consuming and expensive, and given the fact that many new rifle buyers are either cheap or broke, they aren't willing to pay the premium for a premium blueing job, on a $300 rifle. Stainless rifles can be made less expensively, because the finishing step is eliminated, whereas a carbon steel rifle must be protected from moisture in some manner, and some of these inexpensive coatings that are passed off as blued, suck. Not only are they unattractive, they scratch and rub easily, and provide little protection to the surfaces they cover.

^^^^ Agreed - with the exception that it isn't just the "cheap/inexpensive" firearms which have cr@ppy bluing jobs. Browning, even on their supposedly higher-end X-bolt rifles (like the Eclipse hunter I just purchased a couple of years ago) looks like they spray paint one thin layer of blue-black paint on their barrels/receivers. Same for Winchester. Remingtons, like my neighbour's, look even worse. A couple of the high-end Sakos look pretty good still.

I bought my BLR TD in stainless because it is meant as a back-up rifle during my hunt camp trips, but even so I oil all external surfaces religiously - I believe that many of the firearms use a grade of SS similar to 409 Stainless, a fairly cheap grade, which does discolour with heat and oxidation, so a swipe of oil keeps the O2 away. I also don't keep rifles in the case any longer than I have to.

O.N.G.
 
I might have this twisted a bit but in the 80's . . .

My dog "yes" . . . my wife "maybe" . . . my gun(s) "never".

Correct me if wrong but I don't have a dog!
 
Unfortunately, some "Stainless" rifles are just a coating applied.

Some Brownings, for one...

YMMV, but nickle finish for example, a coating, is particularly resilient to rust and wear. I don't know the process by which Browning coats it products, but coatings aren't necessarily bad. That said, North American firearm manufacturers do seem to be in a race to the bottom, and appear willing to take any shortcut to produce an inferior product.
 
I will correct my info until i can dig up further info - BUT!

Straight from Browning BLR page:
"Rugged yet regal. The BLR Lightweight Stainless with Pistol Grip is ready and waiting to be your next lever-action hunting rifle. The gloss finish on the Walnut stock contrasts beautifully with the satin-nickel finish on the receiver and the matte finish on the stainless barrel. This is what a serious lever-action rifle should be, and what every other lever-action wishes it was."

My logic for not getting one was that if scratched, I would end up with a rust streak ...
 
I have a 30+ y/old voere , a 20 y/old rem that are as trouble free as my sako,s . Everything newer is a PITA to keep . I wax the metal on all once a year and if I miss a spot it shows

"Quote "
Agreed - with the exception that it isn't just the "cheap/inexpensive" firearms which have cr@ppy bluing jobs. Browning, even on their supposedly higher-end X-bolt rifles (like the Eclipse hunter I just purchased a couple of years ago) looks like they spray paint one thin layer of blue-black paint on their barrels/receivers. Same for Winchester. Remingtons, like my neighbour's, look even worse. A couple of the high-end Sakos look pretty good still.
 
I will correct my info until i can dig up further info - BUT!

Straight from Browning BLR page:
"Rugged yet regal. The BLR Lightweight Stainless with Pistol Grip is ready and waiting to be your next lever-action hunting rifle. The gloss finish on the Walnut stock contrasts beautifully with the satin-nickel finish on the receiver and the matte finish on the stainless barrel. This is what a serious lever-action rifle should be, and what every other lever-action wishes it was."

My logic for not getting one was that if scratched, I would end up with a rust streak ...

The receiver on that gun is aluminum, not steel...stainless or otherwise. The satin nickel is just a reasonably good colour match for the stainless steel of the barrel. No deception or underhandedness involved. :)
 
The receiver on that gun is aluminum, not steel...stainless or otherwise. The satin nickel is just a reasonably good colour match for the stainless steel of the barrel. No deception or underhandedness involved. :)

Lol they can't plate stainless steel onto carbon steel barrels. If it says stainless steel, it's stainless steel. This typically applies to the barrel.
 
Lol they can't plate stainless steel onto carbon steel barrels. If it says stainless steel, it's stainless steel. This typically applies to the barrel.

Of course not; I was simply stating that the aluminum receiver is nickel-plated so it matches the stainless steel barrel. The other poster quoted the Browning literature stating that the receiver was plated, and I was just clarifying why they did that. Earlier posts commented that plating was being passed off as stainless steel.
 
I might have this twisted a bit but in the 80's . . .

My dog "yes" . . . my wife "maybe" . . . my gun(s) "never".

Correct me if wrong but I don't have a dog!


Bird Dog men and Houndsmen would place things in a different order ......... It is usually much safer to insult just about anything other than one of our dogs !!!
 
What kind of scotch-brite pad do you suggest using? theres a bunch of different ones
Similar situation, was given a stainless steal rifle with a bit of rust on the barrel near the front sight thats starting to annoy me

Scotch-Brite Pads come in white, green and red. White will have the mildest impact. Green more aggressive and Red the most aggressive. Start off with White and a oil with minimal force. Work up from there using more force before moving to green.....
 
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