Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles blued vs. stainless

I am thinking about buying a stainless barrel but some people say they would worry about the glare. Does anyone who shoots stainless find they get more sun shine off it than blued barrels, resulting in less animals? Thanks for the help.

The amount of glare you have is directly related to the type of finish your stainless is finished in [img]images/icons/laugh.gif" border="0[/img] . For example, if you have it finely polished you will end up with a slender mirror. Keep in mind that a deep blued barrel can emit just as much glare itself. However if you have the stainless sand blasted you can reduce the glare considerably. You are basically roughing up the surface. You can also coat the barrel with paint, bluing, teflon, tape, or any other finish you desire to eliminate or camo it if you like. <P>Personally, I'm one of those weirdos that likes the look of a "blasted" stainless finish. And I like stainless in all types of firearms, especially in the moving parts. Stainless will polish itself smooth over time. It is more durable, ie. rust resistant, but admittedly a tad heavier. Not enough for me to notice, but some avoid it for that reason alone. Good luck, Troy.

I generally have my S/S barrels bead blasted as a minimum and prefer a HEAVY sand blast. That finish wears well,as their is nothing to chip,crack or peel. Secondly,it greatly reduces glare. Flat black spray paint,does the same thing,as does a matte Teflon finish.<P>I know toting a 26" long mirror with me,everywhere I Hunt,isn't likely to increase my odds. That is why I subdue all S/S barrels on my Hunting Rifles(long range hammers excluded).........

Mmmmmm,see a trend here(grin)........

I like stainless barrels best, because they don't rust anywhere near as much as blued. I'm not sure whether or not they last longer--I haven't seen any solid data one way or the other. <P>I have all my stainless barrels bead blasted. That way they have a dull, "gunmetal" finish. The don't reflect light much at all.<P>Blaine

As they say in the movie Fidler on the Roof[TRADITION]!! !! I still prefer blue and wood!

As a rule, I'm not a die hard user of camo gear for big game hunting. The major exception would be in close quater hunting. Then I want to blend in well. <BR> But the issue of flash, and glare, is real. In the bright sun areas where I go, a blued barrel, or a bright stainless one, will flash like a signal mirror. <BR> I can remember looking around for hunting partners while in my favorite desert. At 1/4-1/2 mile, in an Ironwood Wash, they can't be seen. Until they moved, and their barrel would flash. In fact, that barrel flash was a constant reminder where they were. I've noticed the same thing in bright, alpine areas. E

If I think glare will be a problem I spary my SS rifle barrel and and frame with blk camo paint. It comes right off after the hunt with a can of spray carburetor cleaner.