Stainless or Blued

[SuperKirby]

What's everyone's opinion on finishes? I really want to get a G2 set up as a muzzleloader but I can't find a stainless barrel anywhere. I can find blued fairly easily. I've always owned blued guns until I started shooting muzzleloaders. Due to my concerns of the corrosiveness of black powder residue I've always bought stainless muzzleloaders. Can anyone tell me how TC's blued finish holds up? Is it worth it to get stainless over blued? What does everyone here prefer?

[Hopalong7]

      All my muzzle loaders, including Encore 50 X 209 are blued.  Some of them I've been shootin' for as much as 40 years and I've had no problem.  The newer "substitutes" are far less corrosive than real black, But I still clean them just as if I was shooting the real stuff and often with my small caliber side locks, I am.  If I had a stainless muzzle loader, I'd be afaid to not clean it any sooner than my blued rifles.  I guess to me, stainless and muzzle loader just don't fit .  JMO
Walt

BTW  My cleaning consist of alcohol(No,No, the clear bottle, not the brown bottle) and Balistol and absolutely nothing else.

[Ladobe]

Which is entirely personal choice IMO, whether for appearance or use.   I have blued and browned muzzies that have 40 years of use, still with no "issues" despite never shooting anything by real BP and cast RB's in them.    Cleaning is cleaning.. you either do it right or not.    Finish has nothing to do with that other than what chemicals you might use to clean with.   Nevber found a need for the chemicals, soapy water does just fine.   Outdoor use and storage do have issues on finish, but also can be handled no problem by your methods and techniques.

Personally I wouldn't be caught dead with a stainless muzzy anymore than I would be with a non traditional one, including on the Contender or Encore platform.   But I am old school, and I get my enjoyment from them by using and following the old ways with them.   Doesn't make me right or anybody else wrong, that's just my personal choice.   

I can see it all now... showing up at one of our twice monthly reenacters camp-out/matches with a "C" or "E" or in-line muzzy with any finish.   It's a very easy going group that camps in tin tents as well as PC tents, but that there would be grounds for a hanging.   

YMMV

[Grumulkin]

I wouldn't have a muzzleloader in anything but stainless the then muzzleloaders aren't really my first love and I don't feel like cleaning every time I shoot.  I did shoot my Encore muzzleloader one season and didn't clean at all until I was done shooting it that year.  There was no problem with corrosion or even any excess buildup of powder residue in the barrel after probably 25 or 30 shots over a month or two.

[smong2000]

I never realized how much SS 'glows' in the sunlight until I walked up on a couple buddies having lunch on the edge of a clearcut one day and one guy had a SS/syth rifle.  I could see that rifle shining for 1/2 mile - it really caught my eye.   I like SS for bad weather and snow but usually put some tape on the barrel to break it up now.  I like it on MLs because you can see if you are leaving crud on the rifle, not for the limited corrosion protection.