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I am considering buying a Weather Warrior Model 16 in 223. The Savage website calls the stainless finish "high luster" which is not the most conducive for hunting. They told em on the phone today they are changing them to matte finish but the rep wasn't sure if any were available from from distributors yet. Does anybody know? I don't want to order one and have a high luster show up.
Why wait, Duracoat the barrel and action to any color you want. There are many ways to get a matte finish on Stainles. Stroke it lengthwise with a wire brush is one.
El Lobo
I don't know if I need to wait. They might be in distribution - sometimes folks here have a good angle on that. I prefer to stick with the factory finish and they said they are switching to matte.
I expect even a "matte" stainless steel finish is going to be pretty reflective and visable in the woods so the practical difference between it and the previous high luster finish won't be very much. As mentioned, if you want a truly low visability, low reflective coating one of the spray-on or bake-on finished would be a lot better.
I might put one in a bead-blast cabinet, or use camo bow tape in a real pinch, but I would have to pass on the spray-on finishes unless I knew of a reasonably easy and definitive method for removing the stuff without harming the underlying finish.
My Browning Stainless Stalker is bead-blasted, and the metal tends to pick up the colors of its surroundings. - I've kept a spool of bow tape on hand but have never been tempted to use it for hunting out of a stand, here in Texas.
I have a Savage custom-shop Weather Warrior in a laminated thumb-hole stock, and I have come to appreciate the brushed stainless finish as it is the most durable and easy to touch-up that I have ever encountered.
I like the look of stainless steel and the way I figure it, bow tape is cheap and it comes right off, after the hunt is over.
Fact of the matter is though, that I hunt deer out of stands, not predators while sitting on the ground, all camo-ed out. - The finish of the rifle is a moot point for the kind of hunting that I end up doing.
The deer are color-blind. - I could use one of those bright pink girly-rifles and the buck would never know the difference.
Only I would know - or be embarrassed.
The very same as you're considering, I think "high luster" and "matte" aren't all that different:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...RifleRight.jpg
[quote=5Wire ]
The very same, matte:
Nice. My credit card is getting warmed up. Did you buy the hi-luster version and make it matte, or did you recently buy a new rifle and it came matte?
Which model is that? Could just be the photo but the barrel profile looks a bit heavier than the images on Savage's website.
I purchased the 16FCSS rifle in June 2011 and the finish is what you see. The Accustock is without the wedge, torqued to about 40 lb/in. It shoots sub MOA at 100 yards with Black Hills 69 grain Sierra Match King Hollow Point Boat Tail and pretty close to that with the Fiocchi SMK HPBT.
Another couple views:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...leLeftRear.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y28...11-1ScopeR.jpg
Here's mine. - I refinished my bolt handle and shroud to match the action.
( Click the pic to see it full-size )
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...h_IMG_2023.jpg
Ive bead blasted one before and they come out nice. Very dull sheen. I do like cerakote though and its very durable and u never have to worry about rust or fingerprint corrosion since im down in humid south texas.
Brian
I guess I don't exactly know what cerakote is...I'm off to google...
I've been deer hunting with 116s for over a decade and never can I say the rifle finish spooked a whitetail. I used to worry about it years ago but now have had too many deer come as close as 10 yards and just walk on past while sitting on the ground with my orange on and my stainless rifle in my lap. I hunt the wind which I feel is much more important. If you're really worried about it Hunter specialtys makes a camo sock that is cut to fit. They cost about $8. Just don't lay your rifle down cause you may not find it again. It will not harm your factory finish and you can take it off for the range or storage and re install it whenever you want.