Knight and T/C use stainless barrels, CVA and others use nickel plated. What's the scoop? Is stainless better than nickel? If so, why? Any insight would be appreciated.

Here is an explanation that I found.....

Nickel plating puts a coating that resists oxidation over the steel. If done properly, it helps you keep things clean & rust free. You still have to clean just as any gun. If it lifts in any spots, those spots will rust quickly and cause more lifting.

Stainless is much more resistant to rust and corrosion than normal carbon steel. Stainless will stain. It is "passified" and resists oxidation. If you get some compounds on it - Clorox for exampe - it becomes depassified and will stain and pit. The advantage is that you can go after it with a buffer or polishing compound and make it look like new.

Stainless and plated metals can lead you into bad habits. They still need care, just not quite as much.

Chrome plating actually puts a very hard surface on the metal and is preferable to nickle plating, but can also chip and lift if the base metal wasn't prepared thoroughly.

Hope this helps....

Stainless is far better than Nickle plating. The problem with Nickle is that it doesn't protect where it matters, inside the bore. Stainless steel is just that, it's no plating and you can't chip it.

That says it better than anything. Regardless of your barrel type, when shooting Black Powder & substitutes - you SHOULD scrubb and clean your firearm as if it was made with the cheapest, pot-metal ever conceived by man. That is the ONLY sure-fire way of keeping your bore in the condition you want it in.

Yep. The advantage with stainless is that it buys you time, but at the end of the day you still have to clean it. I prefer stainless for hunting in wet weather due to that.