Maybe I am missing something here?

[Trebor657]

So I went to a gun show today with about 400 tables. I am looking for a particular handgun in stainless (bitone as they call it now) and could not find one. In fact I would say the vast majority were blue or melonite or what have you. I asked a couple sellers why there are so few stainless and was told time and time again that no one wants them, they are hard to get rid of. Am I missing something here? I actually prefer a stainless finish for a few reasons, none of which are aesthetics. I am not concerned that my carry weapon "looks good" to someone else. Stainless is easier to take care of, is much less prone to visible wear, has a much less chance of rust or corrosion just to name a few.

I know some folks say that due to possible "flash" of stainless or nickel finish in low light situations, they prefer blued etc...I guess that makes sense to them. The chances of me being in a combat situation are minimal at best and if I ever was, with the stress level, adrenaline etc, the last thing on my mind is I am in additional danger because I have a stainless weapon. If folks don't buy them because they are hard to get rid of, I think that is misguided thinking...So again my question is...am I missing something here?

 

[Mgderf]

Yes, you're missing the stainless pistol you're looking for.
Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[Gunaria]

So some basic story telling points are missing from your story here. Sounds like a run on sentence to me. The where and what are missing. As in where was this gun show at and what are you looking for. Maybe the Indo crowd here can help you find what you looking for.

 

[IndyIN]

OP's post makes sense to me...

My vote is that in general, stainless guns are not unpopular. You are not really missing anything. In some models stainless could drive the price point up a little higher, resulting in people picking a different finish to save a few bucks. Some manufacturers also try to streamline their options for models. Too many choices can be just as bad as not having enough for sales and profit.

Could also have been the dealers you spoke with didn't have any, and used a BS excuse rather than just saying that they didn't have any in stock right now.

 

[rhino]

So I went to a gun show today with about 400 tables. I am looking for a particular handgun in stainless (bitone as they call it now) and could not find one. In fact I would say the vast majority were blue or melonite or what have you. I asked a couple sellers why there are so few stainless and was told time and time again that no one wants them, they are hard to get rid of. Am I missing something here? I actually prefer a stainless finish for a few reasons, none of which are aesthetics. I am not concerned that my carry weapon "looks good" to someone else. Stainless is easier to take care of, is much less prone to visible wear, has a much less chance of rust or corrosion just to name a few.

I know some folks say that due to possible "flash" of stainless or nickel finish in low light situations, they prefer blued etc...I guess that makes sense to them. The chances of me being in a combat situation are minimal at best and if I ever was, with the stress level, adrenaline etc, the last thing on my mind is I am in additional danger because I have a stainless weapon. If folks don't buy them because they are hard to get rid of, I think that is misguided thinking...So again my question is...am I missing something here?

I don't know about the gun you want, but there are guns that have a black colored finish, but are stainless steel underneath.

 

[wtburnette]

I have a few stainless guns and prefer stainless at times. For 1911's, stainless looks the best to me. On a lot of striker fired polymer guns, I don't like the look of a stainless slide and black frame. I did find a G23 gen 3 that has the Nibx slide (nickel boron) that I like a lot. To me it really depends on the gun. I have a SA Loaded in stainless, the mentioned G23, a Canik TP9SF Elite with a "titanium" slide, a CZ 75B in matte stainless and a Sig P229 that is nickel plated. Forgot that my S&W Victory 22 is also a bi-tone gun. I think stainless/nickel is hard to find for certain models, but common in others. I think IndyIN hit nailed it with his comment. The sellers you talked to were likely just making excuses. I've never found it harder to sell a stainless gun, over a model that wasn't.

What particular gun are you looking for?

Some gun pr0n, just because:

 

[tcecil88]

Nice looking pistols. I prefer stainless myself, even though I carry Glocks. All my revolvers are stainless and you don't see very many blued revolvers anymore. There are still a few around, but the majority are stainless. Most 1911's I see in the stores in my area are stainless, with Ruger, Sig and SA being plentiful.
All the rage is the striker fired poly guns in 9mm right now, so the majority of the gun show dealers are going to have what they know will sell, as they don't want to take anything home.
Keep looking, you'll find your stainless gun, and send us a pic when you do.

 

[223 Gunner]

I too prefer bi-tone in some pistols.
Here are a couple of mine:

Springfield XDS 3.3 9MM

I would like to find another XDS 3.3 9MM with an FDE frame and black slide, one is on armslist, have emailed the guy 3 times with no reply.
Just mentioning that in case you own the pistol or were going to send me a link. I think he is in Greenfield.

Pro Series Smith 1911

Have also been wanting and FNH FNS 9MM bi-tone. I have to agree the bi-tone pistols seem a little more scarce right now.

 

[Combsie]

So some basic story telling points are missing from your story here. Sounds like a run on sentence to me. The where and what are missing. As in where was this gun show at and what are you looking for. Maybe the Indo crowd here can help you find what you looking for.

Not op, but I'm sure he was at the Auburn gun show. This show was an absolute joke. There might've been 400 tables, but most of them were non-firearm related. Ffs, there was a table selling Lego mini figures there. Every knife stand was selling knockoffs except for the custom knife makers selling there own product.

 

[rob63]

So I went to a gun show today with about 400 tables. I am looking for a particular handgun in stainless (bitone as they call it now) and could not find one. In fact I would say the vast majority were blue or melonite or what have you. I asked a couple sellers why there are so few stainless and was told time and time again that no one wants them, they are hard to get rid of. Am I missing something here? I actually prefer a stainless finish for a few reasons, none of which are aesthetics. I am not concerned that my carry weapon "looks good" to someone else. Stainless is easier to take care of, is much less prone to visible wear, has a much less chance of rust or corrosion just to name a few.

I know some folks say that due to possible "flash" of stainless or nickel finish in low light situations, they prefer blued etc...I guess that makes sense to them. The chances of me being in a combat situation are minimal at best and if I ever was, with the stress level, adrenaline etc, the last thing on my mind is I am in additional danger because I have a stainless weapon. If folks don't buy them because they are hard to get rid of, I think that is misguided thinking...So again my question is...am I missing something here?

You aren't missing something so much as you are combining things in a way that they don't really go together. It is not that people don't buy them because they are hard to get rid of. People have varied reasons for not wanting them. When the dealers said they are hard to get rid of, they merely meant that they don't stock them because they are hard for the dealer to get rid of. It may be that stainless is awesome and most people are wrong about it, but that is meaningless to the dealers who only make money if they can sell them.

 

[Slawburger]

I prefer a stainless/chrome/nickle finish.

 

[worddoer]

Keep in mind that many manufactures are making slides of stainless now while still coloring the slides.

The best example I can think of is the Smith and Wesson M&P pistol line.

My research shows their slides are stainless, but as far as I an seen, they don't offer a naked / neutral slide color. They are all black...tan...or some other color.

 

[Trebor657]

So some basic story telling points are missing from your story here. Sounds like a run on sentence to me. The where and what are missing. As in where was this gun show at and what are you looking for. Maybe the Indo crowd here can help you find what you looking for.

I was at the Gunslingers Auburn show looking for a 9mm XD 3" subcompact in stainless.....Seen a couple in .45 but nothing in 9mm.....Just not seeing anything local....I even staked out the entrance where folks have to have their weapons secured, no luck there either...The quest continues LOL....Thanks

 

[snapping turtle]

The internet is your friend. Find what you want. Pay the shipping if required (most ship free) and pay the transfer fee.

Anything you want is available in any option made and even more if you count the customs.

Local gun show table dealers carry in stock what sells at the shows. They have say 10 pistols in the 300 range 20 in the four hundred range 15 in the five hundreds and 12 for 500-1200. They will turn many more of the 300-500 range per show. Less of the 1000’s. Asked a couple of my dealer friends why only one 1911 in the shop. “We sell 10 glocks and 12 LCP’s for every 1911”

now they will will order in anything I want but my taste does not keep the doors open. “We always call you when the high dollar trade items come in” “and we know you are not going to overpay for anything”. In other words I buy what would set on the shelf for a good while.

Ohhh and stainless I love. Talo limited items. Davidsons exclusives ect. These are normally limited runs like bi tone or stainless or short barrel longer barrel versions. I like something different than normal even if it is just a special color. Gun show table dealers don’t often cater to my taste as the pistol cost 10 precent more than standard pistol. They will sell ten standards to one limited and most limited editions are allocated to the shops that sell a ton of guns.

 

[Spear Dane]

I do not have 'range guns' or toys. Everything I have I buy with the knowledge that one day me or mine might have to use it for other than target practice. For that reason I do not buy anything shiny, like SS finishes.

 

[PGRChaplain]

In Ft Wayne, have you checked Wrigley Sales and ZX Guns? Fine Folks at both places. They should be able to get what you want and both are reasonably priced. If they can't help you PM me and I'll give you the phone number of a Dealer North of the Fort that should be able to get what you want.

 

[Trebor657]

In Ft Wayne, have you checked Wrigley Sales and ZX Guns? Fine Folks at both places. They should be able to get what you want and both are reasonably priced. If they can't help you PM me and I'll give you the phone number of a Dealer North of the Fort that should be able to get what you want.

I tried to PM you for the number but since I don't have 50 posts it would not send the PM....Thanks