Blue or Stainless??????

[Blucollar]

Wanting a sidekick but which one?   Only hunt two weeks a year with a muzzleloader so is it worth the extra money for stainless?
Also have heard the stainless barrels aren't as accurate, so what about it?
All opinions welcome, thanks.
                                           

[Busta]

I am partial to the stainless. I can't imagine a blue one being more accurate than my stainless Huntsaman, but I guess it is possible. Mine will shoot 430-460 grain conicals under 2" at 100 with a peep sight, under an inch with a scope. Seriously doubt I could do better with a blued one. I think you will be happy with either, but the stainless is not phased by the rain, sleet or snow like a blued one would be. Both need to be cleaned after shooting, and yes stainless can and will rust from corrosive powders, just not as fast as a blued one will. The H&R/NEF blue leaves a lot to be desired, nothing like the deep blue on a T/C or Knight. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Keith Lewis]

I am another that is partial to stainless; however, there is one consideration you might think about. Stainless by nature is a little more difficult to machine than carbon steel and tends to leave microscopic roughness that takes a little more time to shoot smooth. I used some JB bore paste on my stainless Omega to make it smooth enough to match how a blued barrel feels when new. Once broken in there is no difference in accuracy in my experience. It is a little less prone to corrode but can and will if not cleaned properly.