A couple of years ago I purchase a SS Apex and a SS Kodiak Pro with my Cabelas points. The year before last, a friend was planning to put in for ML Elk season. The season was the 2007 season. He asked if he could borrow one of mine and I never hesitated.

We took the rifle to the range (the SS Kodiak Pro) and a shot it and then I gave him a some bullets, some powder, some primers, some cleaner, and some patches. When we returned from the range I showed him how to clean the rifle and told him to be sure and clean the rifle after each use. Well ...

I finally got it back a few weeks ago. He lives more than a couple hours away and while I was definitely perturbed at the time it took him to return it, I was more perturbed to find out it hadn't been cleaned after he hunted. He told me he discharged it after hunting and "just forgot". In any event, I was pleased have it back and I went about cleaning it.

I've been told that SS doesn't prevent corrosion, rather delays it, and so I was wondering if I would find pitting and the like inside the bore. Before cleaning the bore looked gray from burnt black powder residue and I was suspecting at least some visual damage. The BP broke right out and I ran a couple of wet patches through. Looking through the barrel ... I saw no visual defects and then washed the interior of the barrel with hot water and then dried with dry patches. Looking through the barrel again ... it was as shiny as it was the day I lapped with JB paste. Absolutely no visual defects in the barrel could be found and I was quite relieved.

We have a pretty dry climate in Colorado so that may have helped to prevent corrosion as well. In any event, I feel like the Stainless Steel made the difference. Subsequent visits to the range proved the rifle in the same condition for accuracy and so I dodged a bullet on this one.

There are lots things which go into the choice of barrel steel. For many, to include myself, a blued or browned (my favorite) barrel has aesthetic properties which can influence the decision. But for practical reasons stainless has many benefits. The sales will be coming soon as hunting seasons end. For those who may wonder whether the difference in price for a Stainless barrel over a blued one is worth the difference, I can tell you, it was worth every penny to me. If one might loan a rifle or lives in highly humid areas, the stainless might be worth the extra few bucks.