Why Nickel-plated?

[RogueSniper]

Apart from the sweet sweet look of a Pimp (advance apologies to all Pimpin' Calgunners) and corrosion resistance, why would you do a shiny nickel plate on your firearm?

[Fantasma]

Because it looks cool.

[RogueSniper]

Good enough for me. Look out, Haters!

[Saigon1965]

I own a SIG 226 in nickel - The finish is really nice - I don't know the durability of the finish though - I am sure there are tougher finish out there depending on the gun/job - I've always wanted to get my P7 hard chrome - They look so damm sexy -

[elsolo]

The same reason Henry Ford decided to sell cars in colors other than black.

[Jonathan Doe]

Because I couldn't find a blue steel ones.

[tankerman]

If you can't shoot them, you can always blind them instead.

[Stormfeather]

actually, the question should be. . . Why Not Nickel Plated!

[jbolton]

I own a SIG 226 in nickel - The finish is really nice - I don't know the durability of the finish though - I am sure there are tougher finish out there depending on the gun/job - I've always wanted to get my P7 hard chrome - They look so damm sexy -

Lets see it.

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

Nickel plating was one of the best corrosion resistant plating available for a long time. I can't imagine, though, why you'd want to have shiny plating instead of matte nickel (which looks more like stainless steel) unless you wanted your weapon to go unseen when you laid it on the bumper of your '57 Bel Aire...

[BillCA]

Think back to the blackpowder days. Firearms were constantly exposed to the elements in the holsters of those who wore them. Cowboys driving cattle in the pouring rain, the rancher riding his fenceline, trappers up in snow country. Nickel finished guns didn't rust as quickly as blued steel or case-hardened steel. And wiping them down after shooting was a lot easier than a blue steel gun because the nickel's smoother finish.

Until stainless guns became more widely available in the 1970's, if you lived along the shoreline or down south where there's lots of humidity, a nickel gun was much easier to care for than a blued gun. Especially in places like Key West or Baton Rouge or Mobile.

Since the mid-60s, satin nickel (matte) has been available on some firearms to protect the steel.

South of the border, Mexicans and South Americans often had their blued guns chrome plated. This was because there were shops already set up to plate with chrome for other industries and it could be done cheaply.

Today, it's mostly for cosmetic reasons that people select nickel finished guns. I've never been that fond of them, but with the acquisition of two specimens, I find I do like them in a limited way. On certain guns it looks flashy and out of place. On others, the result can be quite eye appealing.

[jdberger]

Yup. Bill nailed it. Corrosion resistance.

Great explanation, by the way.

I'm pretty partial to the S&W nickle guns.

[Saigon1965]

She's an older W. Germany made -

Lets see it.

[Turbinator]

Put away that nickel plated sissy pistol and get yourself a real gun. Get yourself a Glock!

Just kidding. I love the looks of nickel, brushed stainless, matte stainless, and so on. Something about it just looks more elegant, refined...

Turby

[COILSPRING]

Maybe it was just a rumor...

I remember that when I was a kid, maybe 30 or 35 years ago, some thought that Smith & Wesson would nickle the revolvers with looser production tolerances... I don't know. It sounds reasonable as I am sure that nickle plating is thicker than bluing. What do you think?