Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

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Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

Post by chilliman » 19 Mar 2014, 7:44 am

Hi guys,

I'm wanting to add a couple of Howas to the safe - 223 and 308. I'm considering Boyd thumbhole stocks with varminter barrels but not sure if I should opt for stainless or blued. most usage will be on the range.

Is there a difference between barrel life (and accuracy) when comparing the two? I was originally going for matching stocks and barrels but as the 223 will probably see more action I'm not sure if stainless would be a better choice. if looks is the only difference then I prefer blued.

I'm a bit of a newb. I did some googling but couldn't find anything that helped. Thanks.
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by Lorgar » 19 Mar 2014, 8:19 am

The only practical difference in my experience is stainless is a lot easier to clean.

I've had a few blued and a few stainless barrels now and don't see myself every getting another blued rifle if stainless is an option.
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by Brute » 19 Mar 2014, 8:56 am

Stainless is less prone to corrosion, that's a given.

Over a long enough period of time some will argue the stainless life will be better due to this, but I haven't seen and hard evidence of this. There are plenty of people with blued rifles that are 10 years, 20 years or old and still shooting well.

Both metals need care, stainless isn't indestructible of course.

Either one works for me. I say you'll be happy with either.
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by Swarm » 19 Mar 2014, 9:01 am

This is one of those conversations where all sorts of technical and metallurgical reasons why one is better or worse than the other get tossed around an nothing gets decided :lol:

e.g.

I believe stainless is heavier than Chrome Moly which some people argue makes it more rigid due to the density, and so more accurate.

Chrome Moly is harder though so wears slower apparently which means barrel life and accuracy drop off is slower.

On paper, Ok. In practice I don't know that either of them make a difference.
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by Ken » 19 Mar 2014, 1:49 pm

For accuracy I don't reckon there is anything for them either way.

Just look down the firing line at your range, there are just as many blokes shooting stainless as blued.

Shooting F-Class and whatever else and getting results.

Just buy the rifle you want, not the metal you want IMO.
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by 5Tom » 19 Mar 2014, 7:55 pm

I bought a Tikka T3 stainless due to being my main hunting rifle and wanted it to be more resistant in the weather. There is no protective coating like a blued barrel so a scratch or knock amongst the trees will only be cosmetic.

Maintenance is still the same, as with all barrels, so regular care is still the same.

My SS barrel does heat up pretty quickly though at the range, I think SS barrels absorb heat more than blued barrels.
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by Manimal » 20 Mar 2014, 8:23 am

5Tom wrote:My SS barrel does heat up pretty quickly though at the range, I think SS barrels absorb heat more than blued barrels.


Hmm, can that be right?

Burn the same powder in two barrels and the amount of heat generated is the same obviously... You reckon the stainless is slower to get rid of it do you?
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by 5Tom » 21 Mar 2014, 9:42 am

Stainless and steel are two dissimilar metals so each should behaive differently under the same situation.

SS does hold the heat longer (a work mate confirmed this as he is a sheet metal fabricator) and my shooting XP with my SS barrel holds true.

In saying that, SS is harder, more durable and weather resistant. When your in the field, your not shooting as often as you do at the range.
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by Granting » 21 Mar 2014, 10:29 am

If it's for a field rifle that's going to cop a lot of abuse, bad weather, moisture etc. I reckon stainless is the way to go.

For bench or casual shooting it's all the same IMO.
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by Warrigul » 21 Mar 2014, 11:03 am

From a target shooters perspective: a Stainless barrel is easier to clean and doesn't foul as bad as a chrome moly, that said I have one stainless and three steel target rifles.

From a hunting perspective: stainless is heavier but resists rust better than blued (most of mine are stainless).

Aesthetically: Not a factor for me personally but blued/wood does look better.

Just my humble opinions.
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by Aster » 21 Mar 2014, 7:23 pm

Warrigul wrote:Aesthetically: Not a factor for me personally but blued/wood does look better.


Agreed.

Blued with a nice dark timber is the winner hands down for looks.
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by chilliman » 23 Mar 2014, 11:53 am

well I think it's sorted - I like blued so that is what I'm going with.

seems I could start another thread 'Fluted or not?' but from what I've read it doesn't seem to make much difference to stiffness or heat dissipation...
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by Warrigul » 23 Mar 2014, 1:02 pm

chilliman wrote:well I think it's sorted - I like blued so that is what I'm going with.

seems I could start another thread 'Fluted or not?' but from what I've read it doesn't seem to make much difference to stiffness or heat dissipation...


There is nothing sexier in this world than a fluted barrel, just my perverse thoughts.
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by Harts » 23 Mar 2014, 4:40 pm

Warrigul wrote:There is nothing sexier in this world than a fluted barrel, just my perverse thoughts.


I sort of prefer... You know... Women :P

:lol:
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by Lorgar » 23 Mar 2014, 4:44 pm

Harts wrote:I sort of prefer... You know... Women :P


"sort of" but not completely then :P
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by MSR » 27 Mar 2014, 12:56 pm

I have one of each - a SS Howa 1500 in 308 and a blue Howa 1500 in 223.

Both are heavy barrels, not fluted because I don't see any point to it other than making them harder to clean.

The 308 has a light coloured Boyds thumbhole, floated and bedded, SS Game Reaper mount and a satin finish Leupold VX3 - looks horn.

The 223 has the standard black stock, blue Game Reaper mount and matte black VX3 - also looks horn.

They both shoot great, they both look great and they are both super reliable.

You cant really go wrong with either.
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Re: Blued v Stainless (Howa)

Post by Lorgar » 27 Mar 2014, 2:16 pm

MSR wrote:Both are heavy barrels, not fluted because I don't see any point to it other than making them harder to clean.


Presumably you're using it for varminting and bench shooting though? Not carrying them around?

No point in fluting there really, but for a sporter where weight saving's important there's definitely value to fluting.

Can't say I've ever found mind hard to clean either? Just run a cloth up and down the grooves the same as cleaning a normal barrel.
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Re: Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

Post by MSR » 27 Mar 2014, 5:41 pm

I use em for all applications and carry them all day in heavy scrub without any issues - I couldn't tell the difference weight-wise when I tried the fluted & non-fluted versions in the shop. The light and standard barrels were certainly lighter but i like the heft & balance of the heavy barrel. Each to their own, as long as we're all getting out there and enjoying it!

BTW, great investment for the Howa is the Glen Coughlan trigger job. $60 for a trigger that is as good or better than anything else I've ever used, including the top shelf aftermarket items from Jewell & Timney.
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Re: Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

Post by Lorgar » 27 Mar 2014, 5:43 pm

Fair enough.

Still like my fluted Tikka ;)
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Re: Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

Post by Goshawk » 05 Apr 2014, 4:31 pm

I have a heavy 24" blued fluted barrel Howa in 243 Win purely for hunting.

Coming from bow-hunting for past 25 years, carrying this through the bush for 20k hikes is easy. Never had any issues with blued barrel either.

A friends stainless-steel Savage has rusty finger prints if not cleaned after every handling.
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Re: Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

Post by headspace » 05 Apr 2014, 6:24 pm

Blued finish for me every time, never really took to the stainless "look".

I have a 223 Howa in heavy barrel and a sporter weight in 308 with a fluted barrel.

Love 'em both but the Hogue on the 223 will probably go away somewhere.
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Re: Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

Post by yoshie » 05 Apr 2014, 7:02 pm

The only reason we see stainless rifles is due to the cost of blueing.

30 years ago the man hour labour cost to blue a barrel was less than the expensive stainless steels of the day, now the cost of labour is higher and stainless is only marginally more expensive to make than blued.

The better weathering is a bit of a false truth. Stainless does corrode, it just corrodes defiantly than normal steel. The other thing worth mentioning is all steels are alloys and have different ratios of other metals. Steels ain't steels.

Stainless is a common term used to describe high zinc (and other metals) steels alloys. Just like cold or hot galv coatings use zinc to sacrificially protect the steel, stainless has the zinc in the steel it's self.

Stainless left to the elements will eventually corrode.
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Re: Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

Post by Will » 06 Apr 2014, 4:17 pm

Goshawk wrote:A friends stainless-steel Savage has rusty finger prints if not cleaned after every handling.


He should stop eating the salted chips before handling his rifle every time ;)
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Re: Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

Post by Lorgar » 06 Apr 2014, 4:20 pm

Will wrote:He should stop eating the salted chips before handling his rifle every time ;)


I usually have a pack of salted licorice when out. I should actually be a little careful with that... :lol:
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Re: Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

Post by Warrigul » 06 Apr 2014, 4:38 pm

Blood is high in salt too.

At the end of a days hard work sweat often goes a little bit acidic unless salt has been consumed.

Both are hell on stainless.
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Re: Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

Post by Skadoo » 08 Apr 2014, 7:14 am

Thankfully I'm past the inexperienced days of scoping myself and leaving eyebrow blood all over my rifle :lol:
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Re: Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

Post by Hadoku » 08 Apr 2014, 7:15 am

Maybe just do it once more? For old times sake :D
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Re: Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

Post by Skadoo » 08 Apr 2014, 7:15 am

We can take turns. You first.

Send pics and then I'll see what I can do :P
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Re: Blued vs Stainless (Howa)

Post by Rippah » 08 Apr 2014, 7:16 am

I smell a trick...
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