Hard Chrome or Blued

[robertbank]

Going to buy a Tanfoglio "L" Model in 9MM for IPSC Production Division and IDPA. My question is do I go with the Hard Chrome version or Blued? Hard Chrome adds another $180Cdn to the cost of the gun. More concerned about wear and ease of cleanning etc. Does Hard Chrome equate to less friction resulting in faster cycles or will it make that much difference.

Take Care

Bob

 

[Wesker]

You realise the added bling of chrome on anything means you need to take better care of it, more grime/dirt shows up easier. Though the chrome will be nice for your competition as it will make your gun more for show, blueing will probably last longer, and be less expensive to have redone. God help you if you chip any of the chrome off.

I can't see someone seriously chroming out the entire gun, innards and all. That'd be too expensive and would require copious amounts of polish, since the chrome wouldn't absorb a quality gun oil. So unless you did that, you wouldn't notice any better performance as far as feeding and functionality is concerned.

 

[AnthonyRSS]

Hard chrome is not like traditional 'bumper' chrome. Hard chrome is possibly the most durable firearm finish available. It has a hardness of ~70c and will not wear. The brightness of the finish is influenced to some degree by the metal prep, but I have not seen a bright hard chromed gun, yet.

I can't see the finish making a difference in cycle speed, though.

Anthony

 

[Black Majik]

Wesker,

That's not completely true. Hardchrome is very durable and usually easy to clean than bluing. It'll definitely hold much better to wear than blued guns. Of course, the gun will look dirtier at the end of the day, but it has a lot of positive qualities. It's more scratch and wear resistant, as well as requiring less maintenance. Of course, it still needs to be maintained, but not nearly as much as a blued gun.

I believe your thinking of the shiny chrome instead of hardchrome. Hardchrome is one of the most durable finishes for firearms.

 

[robertbank]

Wesker

Thanks for the reply. Believe me this is not about "bling". Purely function. If there is not functional advantage that the blued gun will win out. Always thought of chrome guns as pimp guns myself but this is a special purpose type of gun and at 61 I need all the advantage I can get against the youngsters I shoot against.

 

[Reacher]

My STI is hardchromed and I love it! It is more of a satin finish. Looks dirty at the end of my range session, but cleans up great!

 

[10-Ring]

I have both but as of this moment in time, I am going through a blue phase & the guns I've been buying have been blue

 

[farscott]

In my experience, hard chromed pistols cycle a bit faster and are easier to clean than blued guns since the chrome provides a higher amount of lubricity. Shooting detritus usually wipes right off a hard chromed gun with little effort. Hard chrome definitely wears much better than bluing due to the hardness of the finish causing finish abrasion and scratches to be minimal. While hard chrome is more corrosion resistant than bluing, the finish is porous and it does require a thin film of oil to create a barrier between the underlying steel and oxygen.