Chrome Moly is cheaper, and prettier in a wood stock, but stainless is more durable in hunting rifles. Some barrel makers don't even make chrome moly barrels so stainless must be good stuff.
You're right about stainless attributes. That's why Hart only makes barrels of stainless steel. And, accuracy is superior with stainless too. I do like the looks of blued hunting rifles though, so that's what I buy in a full up factory rifle, have built custom. I grew up with a Step Dad who had blued rifles, so that's where my admiration of them came from, and there is nothing more beautiful than an old Bob Owen sporter..
But, when it came time for centerfire benchrest shooting, I found out about Hart barrels being the best back in the late 1960's. So, I started with them, and stay with them, now out of loyalty more than them being the best today. There are many great barrel makers today, which have all been mentioned here on 24 Hour.
Maybe it's my hanging on to my early life that keeps me only interested in blued sporters, with Walnut stocks too. I know of the practicality of synthetic stocks made today; and they are far better from that view point.
When I first started making knives, I went for good looking wood for handles, rather than the more practical Micarta, or other synthetic handle materials. The more highly figured, the better.
It's the grumpy old man in me... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Don
