XL Jedi

Been looking at various bolt action rifles...thinking maybe I should go with a stainless steel composite model. Maybe an X-bolt or the700 XCR.

I've heard they're easier to clean/maintain from a few folks.
Generally speaking, would you say SS is:

a) worth the extra cost

b) a waste of money

Paul L Mohr

Depends on the conditions you hunt in and the climate you live in. If you hunt in nasty weather, or hunt in situations where you may not be able to clean your gun well or in a very humid climate then the extra corrosion resistance sure is nice. If you hunt in nice weather, keep your gun clean and live in a dry climate then it probably will not make a big difference.

Or if you simply don't like the looks of it. I personally like the look of polished deep blue metal with pretty wood, but I do own a stainless rifle, and if I were to get another inline muzzle loader I would probably opt for a stainless version if I could swing it. Simply because when I muzzle loader hunt it's usually raining or snowing out and I don't bring my gun in the house until I shoot it or the season is over.

I don't know that they are any easier to clean or maintain, they are just a bit more resistant to corrosion is all. They still need to be cleaned. The one nice thing about them though is if you live in a really humid place, or near salt water they don't rust as fast. Living in Ohio/Michigan sometimes a gun will rust just from touching it if you don't wipe down afterwards. The stainless doesn't seem to do this.

When I lived in the southern California though my guns never had rust on them no matter how you handled them.

Paul

XL Jedi

I'm in Palm Beach, Florida... It's a very humid place and I live about3 miles from the ocean.

Probably be hunting mostly in the Florida-Georgia area with occasional trips to northern Michigan and outwest.

I can afford to buy one; I just don't want to throw money away ifpeople generally don't seea lot of value in it. I've talked with a few folks who think my $1500 budget for a rifle and scope is way too high. Suggesting instead that I shouldn't spend more than $700-800 on a rifle-scope combo.

oldelkhunter

XL Jedi I lived in Fl for about 10 years or so and If I lived near the coast and with its humidity I would opt for SS . It is however not maintenance free. If you can find some Eesox and use it on your gun as per instructions it will help out a lot as well. I know my brother lives on the ICW and has a BAR and the last time I cleaned it for him there was rust in the bore and he usually cleans it after he hunts with it.Check into SS Weatherby Vanguards they are made of 410 stainless which has more corrosion resistance then 416 SS and between that and the MK V stainless are the only guns on the planet produced from that. An XCR would be impervious to rust except the bore and another good alternative if you can find it is a Titanium(last years model). I think where you live it would be well worth it. Sad to say but 700-800 doesn't buy much in todays world when it comes to scoped rifles

Dominick

I want a composite stock so I don't have to worry about scratching nice wood in the field. As far as stainless goes, I just like the looks of it, something different from what I have already.

Champlain Islander

It would be hard for me to buy one because I don't care for the way they look. I really like a piece of wood rather than composit. I could go with composit and blued but probably not stainless. Even then it would be with a heavy heart since I love to look at, hunt with and clean a nice wooden stock gun. I do have some composits but they aren't my favorites.

oldelkhunter

I am the same way but the SS guns are easier to maintain especially in a high humidity area. Here is some food for thought buy a Stainless STeel barrelled actionn get it Cerrakoted Blue and stick it in a wood stock. Problem solved.

Champlain Islander

The humidity isn't a big issue for me. We do hunt in wet and freezing weather which would bode well for the composite stocks and accuracy. I am pretty fanatical about cleaning my guns regularly and even when on a travel hunt like out west run a boar snake through the barrel and wipe the stock down most nights. I have dry storage for my guns and even in the off season I pull them all out and wipe them down frequently.

Paul L Mohr

In your case I would get the stainless then, especially with your budget. And there is no such thing as having to high of a budget for a rifle. If you can afford it get it. There are some great deals if your broke, but if you can afford something nicer why not? You could probably get a really nice set up for closer to a grand though. Like a nice Savage 16, 116 for 5 or 6 hundred and another 3 or 4 hundred for a really nice 3-9 hunting scope and quality rings. That kind of money puts you into the upper end Bushnells, Nikons or even possibly a Zeiss Conquest.

Paul

XL Jedi

Actually,I was considering the Zeiss Conquest in a 3-9 40 with that new Rapid-Z600 optic. ...or possibly a Nikon Monarch. On either an X-Bolt SS or the 700XCR...

Haven't really made up my mind completely though. I read something about the 700sps having a little trouble with jamming due to the magazine havingoffset rounds. ...and they fixed it by purchasing a newin-line magazine.

Which composite/SSdo you all like?