[DDDWho]

Is the only difference between a Mil Pro with a stainless slide and a blued slide the material the slide is made of? I asked because some sellers ask a higher price for the stainless slide (Academy Sports is an example). I've found no case where a seller of a Ruger charges a different price from one slide material to another.

I can't find an answer reading specs on different sites.

 

[dbeardslee]

Is the only difference between a Mil Pro with a stainless slide and a blued slide the material the slide is made of? I asked because some sellers ask a higher price for the stainless slide (Academy Sports is an example). I've found no case where a seller of a Ruger charges a different price from one slide material to another.

I can't find an answer reading specs on different sites.

Yup, that's it. The titanium models have an added little pad under the hood, but the stainless slides are just like the blue ones. I guess stainless costs a bit more than the carbon steel used in the blue slides. I know stainless steel will tear up a drill bit a lot faster than carbon steel will, so my guess is it costs a bit more to work it. Ruger does everything with investment castings, so they don't have to do as much machining as some other manufacturers. Which is probably why they don't have a difference in price. To a certain extent you pay for the materials used to make a gun, but you're paying a lot more for labor than materials.

 

[Lance0812]

Ruger has a rather unique pricing system: beside charging the same price for blued and stainles, you might have noticed that on a given model the price is the same regardless of barrel length (talking revolvers, here).

Now, it could be their prices are set to return a profit on the most expensive model - say, a Blackhawk SS with a 7.5" barrel - and they simply make more profit on a blued model with a 4 5/8" barrel.

Just a guess.

 

[MilProGuy]

DDDWho:

There are no silly questions on this forum, friend.

I'm glad you posed the question because we've received two excellent answers already.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[MOONDAWG]

The vast majority of arms makers charge a premium for stainless vs. blued steel.

...and even more for titanium, scandium or other exotic alloys.

 

[Montkun]

Stainless steel is harder to work than normal carbon steel, which is why the auto industry would dip their bumpers in chrome afte stamping them out of normal steel sheets. If the sheets were stainless, they would have to use nearly double the pressure to achieve the same bumper. As far as guns go, the extra $20 that they cost usually isn't too big of a deal in most cases. Small price to pay for a finish that prevents rust longer than normal.

 

[DDDWho]

DDDWho:

There are no silly questions on this forum, friend.

I'm glad you posed the question because we've received two excellent answers already.

Welcome to the forum.

Perhaps "silly" was a poor choice. I just meant to excuse myself if the answer was simple or obvious.