Price, but also availability. Lots more models are available blued. Can't buy it if they don't make it. Stainless rifles with walnut stocks are few and far between, which is a shame because they're very handsome. Stainless guns run about $100 more on average, a premium I'm willing to pay every time.
The matte finish on the Hawkeyes apparently doesn't appeal to many, but I like it and it's a lot less flashy in the woods than the old brushed finish. Combined with the veggie-pizza laminated stock, it makes for a pretty unobtrusive package.
