Why don't manufacturers offer blued revolvers any more?

Sure, you can find some older ones on Gunbroker, but new offerings from Colt, Smith, and Ruger in .357 or .44 are all stainless. Nary a blued gun to be found.

Any thoughts as to why?

Durability and cost. I love blued revolvers, but they require some extra care and wiping down to keep them pristine. While I love a well worn finish because guns are tools, the majority of gun owners bitch about finish durability. The new finishes hold up better to use and offer a greater amount of rust protection.

I'm a sucker for a nicely blued revolver, or pistol for that matter and I agree that cost and durability are the main reasons we don't see finely blued handguns much anymore.

All these cost saving manufacturing methods and yet they still cost more!

There's also fewer and fewer companies out there offering Bluing because it's fairly hazardous to people and the environment. There was a video touring Les Baer's facility and it also showed the bluing room and all the steps the technician goes through just to enter that room, but I can't find it right now.

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Originally posted by AUTiger89:

Why don't manufacturers offer blued revolvers any more?

Sure, you can find some older ones on Gunbroker, but new offerings from Colt, Smith, and Ruger in .357 or .44 are all stainless. Nary a blued gun to be found.

I just looked at both the Ruger and the S&W websites, and found quite a few new blued revolvers.

I did not take a lot of time looking at the Colt website, did not notice any blued revolvers, but did see "black diamond" finish. There might be blued, I did not do a thorough search.

Also takes more skilled labor to make them.

I too prefer "blued" handguns but agree with the above posters about it's somewhat scarcity.

Blue: Looks good but fragile, takes expert polishing, and several steps of chemical processing.
Stainless: Steel costs more but usually sold naked in bead blasted or brushed texture.

Hard chrome, DLC, and nitride are durable finishes and can look good with enough surface prep but are expensive.

Lots of painting going on these days.

A question I have is, does the bluing that IS being offered today involve the same process that was done say in the 1960's? I realize the polishing prior is not done to the extent, or as finely, as was done then but chemically is it the same process?

Probably. The usual hot blue is a solution of nitrates and nitrites to oxidize the surface of the steel, and sodium hydroxide to raise the boiling point for the oxidation to take place and come out with black iron oxide instead of red rust.

A more finished and elaborate version of the DIY "fertilizer blue" done with sodium, potassium, or ammonium nitrate and lye.

Great care is required, the solution is about 285 deg F and the lye/sodium hydroxide/caustic soda is more aggressive against living tissue than acid.

Still dreaming of a new blued Colt Python

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Blue: Looks good but fragile, takes expert polishing, and several steps of chemical processing.

Some of the chemicals used may run afoul of current environmental regulations, same with electroplated nickel.

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Originally posted by Black92LX:
Still dreaming of a new blued Colt Python

From your lips to God’s ears.

Go get yourself one! Go find yourself an older Colt Official Police Positive for $4-600 and enjoy one of the simplest and best shooting revolvers made. Sure there are better ones but, for the price, those OP's fit the bill.

There's a lot out there, so sort through them, find the one you want and enjoy the history!

As a matter of fact, I've got a blued revolver sitting next to me as we type.

Both Smith and Ruger are making blued revolvers but not in every model. Revolver manufacture has been improved and updated and the price has been adjusted to reflect cost. I saw several blued S&W blue revolvers at a LGS and they were beautiful. They sported a gun tag in the $1200 range.

The blue of today is definitely chemically different from the old world methods.
As far as fragile, nonsense. Yes it wears, but I had a 60’s era S&W steel J worn for several decades almost daily in an ankle holster and yes it had wear but still looked very good, and of course functioned fine. I much prefer blue myself.

I think due to the significantly less effort that goes into polish and finish , it actually costs gun companies less to make stainless guns than blued ones these days. And many people buy into the falsehood of better durability on the stainless ones.
I will be doing a 3 day revolver course startin* tomorrow with my old cop trade in combat masterpiece from 1956 or so. I have little doubt it will function perfectly and despite finish wear will do it just as well as a stainless gun and look better doing it

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Originally posted by VictimNoMore:

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Originally posted by Black92LX:
Still dreaming of a new blued Colt Python

From your lips to God’s ears.

That ship sailed, long, long ago. Buy a Korth.

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I think due to the significantly less effort that goes into polish and finish , it actually costs gun companies less to make stainless guns than blued ones these days...

That hits it on the nose. A few years ago Kimber did a limited-run, very pretty polished blued version of their K6S; I vividly recall that there was a significant price hike between it and the more standard stainless versions at the time, about $500 or so if I remember correctly. But damn it was a looker.

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Originally posted by captain127:
The blue of today is definitely chemically different from the old world methods.

Yes, but "today" probably started 60-70 years ago.
You have to watch out for the terminology. Once upon a time "hot blue" was not the quick nitrate dip, but what has also been called "fast rust blue". Then you have slow rust blue, furnace blue, and probably some other methods. The formulas and procedures in the old gunsmithing books read more like a witches' grimore than anything.

My FLG had rust blued his own guns with the 1841 formula but said he was just as glad that his bottle of solution had gotten lost in a move because it was a lot of work and he did not want to be asked to do it again.

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Originally posted by VictimNoMore:

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Originally posted by Black92LX:
Still dreaming of a new blued Colt Python

From your lips to God’s ears.

me too except I'd substitute 'old' for the 'new'.