cyberbuck

This may be a dumb question but just gotta ask. What are the advantages of a stainless steel barrel over a blued barrel? Might as well throw the nickel in there also. Does one hold better groups than the other? Is it just for show and personal preference? I assume they all will rust if not properly maintained. I notice that the price difference is quite substantial.

Roskoe

Although they will both rust, it takes a lot more to rust a stainless barrel. Also, I can see fouling a lot better on a silver background

cayugad

I agree with Roskoe.. I have a nickel barrel on one of my CVA's and that has to be the best rifle for spotting fowling on. It just makes it easier to spot, you still have to clean it. All of them have to be cleaned.

I really do not see a difference in accuracy between the Stainless, the Nickel and the Blue barrel. It is all a matter of personal preference in this department. Also all of the barrels will rust, it is just that with the Stainless Steel, you slow the clock down a little. They are more forgiving, but you still have to clean them. Stainless are a little more user friendly in a damp moisture type environment.

One other point once mentioned was game animals saw the Stainless and Nickel barrels easier then the blue barrels. I actually tested this theory and could find no difference in the ability of animals to spot the different colors. Maybe, you have to know what you're looking for in order for it to make a difference.

cyberbuck

So I could conclude that paying the extra cash for a stainless barrel is just a waste of my hard earned dollar. Other than being able to see fowling better.

cayugad

I would not go that far.. Stainless will allow you a longer time frame between cleaning and the fowling causing any damage to your rifle. But if you're like me, and clean your rifle as soon as you are done shooting, then perhaps Stainless is not necessary. I personally do not own Stainless barrels. Like I said, I have two nickel barrels, and they are easy to spot fowling, but today while cleaning my rifle I do not think it would have made a difference.

bigcountry

Not at all. I hunt in swamps that are a little salty. Brackish (spell?), and it raises havoc on blued guns. More on the blued steel hardware more than anything. People I know that hunt there with blued guns have to spray there guns down with remoil right when getting out. I never have too. Now on my knight wolverine, the screws and hammer has a tendency to get surface rust when returning. Its hard to walk thru swamps without splashing some. Also, if you use Goex or elephant, I notice the stainless doesn't have near the corrosion problems.

Paul L Mohr

Mostly has to do with corrosion. In order best to worst would be stainless, nickel and then blued. I think stainless dissapates heat differently as well or something. I prefere blued weapons though, I just think they look better. I like blued metal and wood stocks, just a personal thing.

If I lived near an ocean or something though I might opt for stainless. Even in the midwest where I live the humidity is hell on blueing. I miss living in the desert, I never had to oil a gun or worry about surface rust. Just had to keep the sand and grit out of them is all.

Paul

J Bolt 7mm

I just got off a 1000 yard persision shooting site that showed members and the people who hold records. I must have looked at 100 different shooters and their rifles and every single one was stainless steel. SS is what the pros are using. Just an observation.

MLKeith

OK; I pretty much agree with the above, however, I think the nickel rifles are only coated on the outside not in the bore. Nickel is pretty soft and would not hold up in the bore. Only bore coating I have heard of that works is chrome. I live in Arizona and I still usually buy stainless when offered. I find the scratches and rubs that occur when the guns are used hard are easier to correct with stainless. Most will have a brushed type finish which can be duplicated with fine sandpaper. Have not had any animals spooked with stainless barrels. Stainless is a potentially rougher bore due to the way stainless machines and may take a little longer to smooth out but will be a slightly harder and more durable barrel when finally broken in. I doubt the difference in durability would mean much to any of the muzzleloader guys. I sure don't shoot mine enough to wear it out. That may be why the pro rifle shooters use stainless though.

cyberbuck

Thanks everyone for your comments. I'm still not sure what barrel I will get. There are a lot of choices in muzzleloading out there and when you are new it can give you a headache. I hope when I get the gun I will enjoy shooting it as much as I did picking everything out.