SR9c--SS vs. Blackened SS Finish

Can anyone tell me what the difference is between the the SS finish and the blackened SS finish on the SR9c besides the $40 MSR difference in price?

The black finish is made from a different alloy steel, from what I have read. I like the look of the black, but I own a stainless version.

I like the stainless black version. I looked on Buds website for an all black SR9, but they only have the OD green reciever with the top slide in stainless black. They are asking $420 for the OD and Black slide, and $398 for the stainless slide. I dont think I could wait for the all black so im going to jump on the OD & black SS.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/52387



http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_49_75/products_id/54583

8)

The Blackened version of the SR9c isn't Stainless, but an alloy underneath. That's not to say the Blackened Slide is less hearty and wear resistant than that of the bare Stainless slide. They use a chemical salt bath/heat treat process (similar to Glock, Sig and other mfr's) generally called Nitriding when it's in more standard manufacturing like what I deal with here where I work. Glock, Ruger, Sig and the lot all have their own named treatments and they do vary from the general Nitriding chemically, but only slightly enough to call it their own and trademark it.

Blackening the slide significantly improves the metals resistance to corrosion and general wear and tear (holsters mainly). The metal can ding if dropped onto a hard surface (concrete/steel) and show through the under metal that isn't coated. Nitriding only goes about .001-.002" deep and doesn't add material like Chrome or Nickel plating does.

The $40 is for the treatment of the steel, and to me, for a carry weapon, it's worth it for that extra wear prevention. Especially since I'm already familiar with the process. That said, both slide options are good and it really comes down to a personal preference, black or stainless.

Josh

Ooops, I posted about the Full size SR9, and this thread is about the SR9c,Sorry.

jhearne, that was great info on the finishes. 8)

The SR9c SS or black finish are the same price on Buds.

jhearne said:

The Blackened version of the SR9c isn't Stainless, but an alloy underneath. That's not to say the Blackened Slide is less hearty and wear resistant than that of the bare Stainless slide. They use a chemical salt bath/heat treat process (similar to Glock, Sig and other mfr's) generally called Nitriding when it's in more standard manufacturing like what I deal with here where I work. Glock, Ruger, Sig and the lot all have their own named treatments and they do vary from the general Nitriding chemically, but only slightly enough to call it their own and trademark it.

Blackening the slide significantly improves the metals resistance to corrosion and general wear and tear (holsters mainly). The metal can ding if dropped onto a hard surface (concrete/steel) and show through the under metal that isn't coated. Nitriding only goes about .001-.002" deep and doesn't add material like Chrome or Nickel plating does.

The $40 is for the treatment of the steel, and to me, for a carry weapon, it's worth it for that extra wear prevention. Especially since I'm already familiar with the process. That said, both slide options are good and it really comes down to a personal preference, black or stainless.

Josh

Click to expand...

If the Black version isn't a stainless then why is it called "Blackened Stainless"? what I know is that a process was discovered and now they were able to treat the Stainless to make them black.

speedpower said:

jhearne said:

The Blackened version of the SR9c isn't Stainless, but an alloy underneath. That's not to say the Blackened Slide is less hearty and wear resistant than that of the bare Stainless slide. They use a chemical salt bath/heat treat process (similar to Glock, Sig and other mfr's) generally called Nitriding when it's in more standard manufacturing like what I deal with here where I work. Glock, Ruger, Sig and the lot all have their own named treatments and they do vary from the general Nitriding chemically, but only slightly enough to call it their own and trademark it.

Blackening the slide significantly improves the metals resistance to corrosion and general wear and tear (holsters mainly). The metal can ding if dropped onto a hard surface (concrete/steel) and show through the under metal that isn't coated. Nitriding only goes about .001-.002" deep and doesn't add material like Chrome or Nickel plating does.

The $40 is for the treatment of the steel, and to me, for a carry weapon, it's worth it for that extra wear prevention. Especially since I'm already familiar with the process. That said, both slide options are good and it really comes down to a personal preference, black or stainless.

Josh

Click to expand...

If the Black version isn't a stainless then why is it called "Blackened Stainless"? what I know is that a process was discovered and now they were able to treat the Stainless to make them black.

Click to expand...

Ah, other folks may be a little looser with their description of the "Blackened" version of the SR9c. But, Ruger's description is pretty succinct.

http://www.ruger.com/products/sr9c/specSheets/3314.html


boomer 8)

okay now it's clear! Ruger never said that it is a Blackened stainless, also noticed that it says it's not CA approve, but it is on the CA Roster list! and CA have them in the gunstore everywhere

speedpower said:

okay now it's clear! Ruger never said that it is a Blackened stainless, also noticed that it says it's not CA approve, but it is on the CA Roster list! and CA have them in the gunstore everywhere

Click to expand...

Ah, the spec sheet I referenced was for the model shipped with the 17 shot magazine, which is not shipped to California. Here is the spec sheet for model shipped to California with the 10 shot magazine. However, the magazine size makes no difference with regards to the slide material description.

http://www.ruger.com/products/sr9c/specSheets/3317.html

BTW, my stainless SR9c was sold to me in Washington state with 1 - 17 round magazine and 1 - 10 round magazine. I have put about 1000 rounds downrange with my 9c, without a sputter, cough, hiccup, or anything. It is a dream to shoot.

Cheers,
boomer 8)

Molon labe

I just tried mine yesterday, and I was surprise how well it shoots, very happy with, it's also a stainless model, it's just the title of this thread is confusing it says: "Blackened Stainless"

Just found this(again). I knew that I had seen it some where:

http://www.ruger.com/products/sr9BlackenedStainless/index.html

Then it is a Stainless steel that they were able to blackened it through some special process, so it actually also hardens the surface.

Actually the regular SR9's are all stainless steel slides, some blackened, some not. If you look carefully the SR9c's are described differently. The slide materials are given as either stainless or alloy steel. Technically stainless steel is a steel alloy too but the designation alloy steel is usually reserved for non-stainless steels and that seems to be how Ruger is using the term with respect to the SR9c. It appears that the black SR9 slides are blackened stainless but the black SR9c slides are blackened non-stainless steels. That would explain the pricing differences between the two models. The blackening process undoubtedly adds some cost so the black SR9s where the blackening is applied to stainless steel cost more than the sliver SR9s. With the SR9c the extra cost of the blackening step is offset by the cheaper steel alloy that is used in those models.

Ken

The SR9's slide is Stainless, the treatment process to blacken isn't terribly different than what is used on the 9c's Alloy slide. In Ruger's stainless slides, there should also be a "K" embossed into the under side of the slide, inside a circle. In Ruger terminology, the "K" represents "Stainless", and "KB" represents "Blackened Stainless". The only exception to this rule is the 17 round SR9, it's Ruger designation is simply SR9, not KSR9 as it should be. "OD" also represents the Olive Drab (OD Green) frames, but the designation from Ruger is "KODB", not "KBOD". See below

The "Nitrodox Pro Black" and "Blackened" options for the slides are the same, no idea why they're worded differently. The NPB is on the OD frames, Blackened is on the standard black frames. No reason for them to mix it up.

Josh

SR9: (Screen grab from Ruger.com/SR9)


SR9c: (from Ruger.com/SR9c)

I know your talking about the SR9C here but since the SR9 has been introduced into the conversation, the SR9 that I just bought has the blakened stainless slide and it has the word "STAINLESS" stamped in the slide with the letering filled with some type of gold coloring. I didnt think I liked it at first but now I do.

Interestingly enough, I think they've changed the fullsizes..again. My first blackened SR9 had a fired date of 5/2010, was a version 1.2, and was blackened stainless with goldish colored letters.
Bought another one today, wasn't paying much attention assumed it would be the same. Fired date is 12/2010. This one is labelled on the box as SR9B. It's listed as a black alloy. Also, the lettering on the slide is NOT colored and nearly invisible, which I was happy to see. In recollection, I did not see any not labelled SR9B at the gun shop, so i'm wondering if they've quit making the blackened stainless model fullsize.

If I were to buy the SR9, I would definitely prefer the "Blackened Stainless"

I ahve never even heard of an SR9B?

I hadn't either oddly enough. The model# is 3321.