I've been thinking about some projects to do this summer and one of them that I thought of was dressing up a riflestock with a scalloped grip cap, steel butt plate, and inletted sling swivels. It's a .22 so the steel plate will be fine.

I was wondering what you guys thought about using steel that's in the white in the field... is it going to tarnish/rust up on me? It's a stainless rifle and I think having blued stock hardware would look rather misplaced, and a stainless look would be unique yet classy... however if the white steel will be prone to doing bad things outside then I won't do it.

I'd have to learn how to do the inletting around the grip cap and butt and for the swivels but first I want to know how you think steel in the white will perform. I can't find stainless anywhere...

I'd suggest some type of plating. If you give Magna-Port a look on the net you will find they do a electroless nickle plate that looks like bead blasted stainless and makes a piece of steel rust and acid resistant.

I'd sure want some kind of finish on it that would help impede rust rather than just bare steel. I used to have guns Armaloyed when I ran my shop in Alaska. It also looks like bead blasted stainless and like the finish that Magna-Port does it is an electroless plate designed for tooling steel to make it harder. Both these finish's are rust proof and acid resistant. Many folks had shotguns that were used on saltwater boats done.

Using chrome-moly steel "in the white" will rust if not plated or "rust" blued or some other type of preventative care taken.

Like Bob mentioned, I would recommend plating of some type, either a brushed nickel or hard chrome, either can be done to match your stainless finish if done by the right outfit, especially since they won't be right up against the stainless parts.

There's some pictures of Ruger stainless rifle at NitroExpress.com that has matching plated or stainless hardware done by Lone Star Amory. You might contact the rifle's owner or the gunshop to see if it is plated or if they have stainless parts to work with. I'm assuming they plate.

Here's the thread:
http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=73857&an=0&page=0#Post73857

Since you are still iin the planning stages I have a suggestion for you.

Call a company in St Paul called Hard Chrome Inc. (Maybe No. Mpls). I was a toolmaker in the Cities for the better part of a decade (now in Lake Benton) and when I want some corrosion resitance on parts without too much 'build up' we would request a process called 'flash chrome'. Basically it is the same as the chrome process someone would do on exhaust, etc but they just dunk it in the tank and pull it out. I think it's about $30 batch rate for the first #5 or #10. Best of all, if you bead blast or even orbit sand the finish before hand, you will not know the difference from stainless. Or just make it out of stainless.

I'm going to look into it- thanks!

My OPINION (meaning my personal feelings, likes & dislikes) is that chrome, nickle, brass, gold, or whatever plating make a gun look cheap.

Stainless looks good in its natural finish and nickle or chrome is going to stick out like it was an afterthought.

You may not be able to find pre-made parts done from stainless, but that doesn't mean you can't make your own. I'd replace the buttplate too.

Mark,
For several years, Weatherby's "stainless" Mark V rifle actions were nickel plated actions, not stainless. They did have stainless barrels. The finish wasn't shiny, but a dull brushed look. The result was a very pleasing, if you like stainless rifles. I had one in their Alaskan model and thought their finish looked as good as any other "stainless" rifle on the market at that time.

I also have a brushed finish, hard-chrome plated 1911 45 ACP. I have yet to find anyone that has seen it to be able to tell the difference between it and stainless.

It comes down to the quality of the job done by the person/company doing the finishing. With today's technology, you would be surprised.

Most of them are not done well and that's probably why I get turned off by plating to begin with but my biggest gripe is the durability. A nick in the finish and it'll stick out then start peeling no matter how good the application was. If it does get damaged, there's no repair, only complete replacement of the finish. When they are 100% high quality stainless, even if you mash the crap out of it, you can blend it in without a lot of work.

Cost is the likely the biggest factor in producing 100% SS guns, I don't think the market would provide big enough returns on the investment to make it worth while to mfg's.

The finishes of today are light years ahead of what we had in the late 80's and early 90's. Hard chrome finishes are being used for high wear areas, as wear resistance. The stuff is incredibly hard an nearly impossible damage. To damage the finish, you would significantly damage the part as well.

The Wby rifle I had with the brushed nickel finish applied at the factory, served itself well in the worst environment and through falls and nicks and all other kinds of scrapes. Today's finishes are several levels above what they were 15 or 20 years ago. I wouldn't hesitate for second to buy another rifle that had either hard chrome or the Wby nickel treatment if I were looking for a "stainless" gun. The hunting conditions here are as bad as anywhere and the guns I've had, and still have, that had some type of quality plating done, are in fantastic condition.

True, last Ni plated gun I had was about 20 years ago and it was a good plating job but one tumble onto a rock took care of that in a hurry. It didn't peel a lot but was just nasty looking from then on out. I saw some newer guns with various platings on them, most were nasty looking just from a little rough handling.

Big difference in Cr plating wear surfaces and trying to get them to hold up to impact. Guy that did my plastic die systems also did the bore & chamber on my wife's SKS. For that application it works great but I still don't want it on the outside.

My little .380 is all stainless and it was my primary carry gun for many years doing road service. It's taken three life times of beating, much like the owner, it's got road rash and everything but a little sanding and polishing brought it back to looking decent.

I'm just an old fart set in my ways though. I love my flintlocks and BPCR that anything not done in antiqued white, brown or rust blue just doesn't look right anymore. LOL Then again, I do enjoy a pretty flat black parkerize too! When it comes to durability, hard to beat this finish.

Friend of mine has a .45acp done in the white and it looks good but then again he lives in AZ, if I tried that here in FL, by the end of the first week it would be fully browned. That's one good thing about living here, the sweat box is nothing more than hanging parts on the outside of the shop. LOL

Well, I've been doing some thinking about whether or not it would be worth it to install a steel butt plate, scalloped grip cap and inletted swivels and have decided that duh I'll be bored this summer and will want to have some time in my "workshop" (basement storage room), so I think im going to do it.

Do you think it would be possible to get the finish on plated parts close to the stainless finish on the rifle if I were to work them some with 600 or so grit sandpaper or steel wool?

You'll have to see what combination of things will produce a similar finish to match but to answer your question, it should be possible.

Ok I was just doing some looking and thinking and decided that putting a flat blank peice of steel on the gun wouldn't make the most interesting butt plate, so can anyone possibly give me an idea as to the dimensions of this?

http://www.e-gunparts.com/DisplayAd.asp?chrProductSKU=247970C&chrSuperSKU=247970&MC=

"The finishes of today are light years ahead of what we had in the late 80's and early W's. Hard chrome finishes are being used for high wear areas, as wear resistance"

Interesting. I wonder what the cylinder stop would do to the finish on the revolver I mention below?

Couple of weeks ago we saw a S&W 60 that had been chromed or polished nickel, with a black chrome cylinder that has tiny chrome flames between each chamber, with cocobola grips. It looked like a piece of jewelery. Outside of engraving with gold plating etc I have never seen a prettier gun. Not my style but I just about had to drag the little woman out of the place almost.
When we ride the Harley her jacket has flames she even bought some boots with flames so it was just up her alley. Who knows she got a nice tax return and may buy it yet:)

Excuse me on going in a different direction but I have a idea or two and the durability of new finishes interests me.

Interesting. I wonder what the cylinder stop would do to the finish on the revolver I mention below?

I don't know. It would be a good question to ask the company doing the plating or a top-end gunsmith. My 45 has thousands of rounds down range without any chipping or other indication of wear on the plating on the slide or rails, but the pistol is very well taken care of.

I was just thinking about something... I've always been drawn to case hardening like a moth to a lamp and I don't think a case hardened buttplate, grip cap, trigger guard, and magazine plate, and swivel studs (inletted) would look too bad alongside a stainless action/barrel.

Can you tell me a little about case hardening and maybe guide me towards someone who could do the work for me and not break my bank?

(edited when I just thought of something after doing some reading...)

Could it be done with an oxy-acetylene blowtorch and the appropriate carbon ingredients (i've read that charcoal and leather produce brilliant colors... or have seen a product called Kasenit or something like that) and a quench bucket of water with an oil of film?