I want to upgrade to a new percussion smoke stick. What are the advantages of nickle over blued bbl. also stainless.
Thanks Louie

kinglouie63

Just my personal opinion, but stainless is the best, followed by blued, then Nickel - the only reason I rate nickel down is that it can come off. I have a nickel A&H and I have had it for several years and never had a problem with it but i have read where others have....

Sabotloader is right. Stainless is best followed by Blued. Nickel plated isn't worth bothering with at all. I had one nickel plated gun that I won and the nickel was on the inside of the barrel. It came off when shooting and swabbing. Basically nickel plating is to look pretty. It's worthless in a muzzleloader.

I have a CVA that is nickel finish. The stuff wears off. Other then that the rifle shoots good but I am sure it would have shot just as well if the barrel was blue.

I prefer the blued but that is just personal preference.

wow great info, thanks. I wonder though, is the stainless any easier to keep clean with black powder or pyrodex?
Thanks, Louie

It's not any easier to clean IMO. You still have to clean it the same way as a blued gun, but stainless is more forgiving.

Wolfhound as normal is right on the money... Stanless Steel barrels simply.. stain less. You might be able to see your fowling better on a stainless, but they clean the same as far as I am concerned.They still have to be cleaned or they will rust and pit just like a blued barrel. All they really do IMO is slow the clock down in the original start of the rusting process. Which to me means nothing because I clean my rifles ASAP after a days shoot.

Thank You all,My choice is made I think. Now it's scope or sights.
Louie

Lol. That's easy, if it's legal pick a good scope in the 2-7 or 3-9 range. My eyes aren't too good so I prefer scopes. I like a 2-7 for hunting brushy areas although something in the 1.5-6 range would be even better. 3-9 is my choice for open areas and range work. It can be a little narrow field ofview for hunting in the brush though.If I had to pickone scope to do it all a 2-7 would be my pick. With 2X on the low end for brush and 7X for open fields or at the range it's a good versatile scope. I've got a couple 3-9's and a 2-7 soI don't have to choose except for the hunt.

I always hunt on the lowest power and turn it up if needed. A couple years ago I was hunting with my 2-7 on my Extreme and I had a couple does come in. I cranked it up to 7X so I could pick out a hole in the brush to shoot through. An 80 yd. shot and I took my doe. But on the flip side I've turned the power up to shoot and forgotten to turn it back down while hunting later and had it cost me a shot. Now I religiously turn the power back down after the shot.

If you have to choose between a no mag scope and open sights then I can't give you any help here as I've never used a 1X scope.