John, we have Big 5 stores over here too. Still, I'd check Walmart. Many are surprised when they find that WalMart has access to soooo many guns, and even more surprised at the prices they can get. They deal with one very large supplier (the company name escapes me, but they'll tell you who it is if you ask), and their volume is such that prices "almost" can't be beat.

I lived in SoCal too (San Diego...SPring Valley) during the mid and late 80's, and every winter it would rain and rain and rain. Not only that but rust and corrosion on steel is not necessarily dependant on wet weather. Humidity, mositure, salts, and acids from our hands and in the air, and other variables dictate that stainless is the best bet when aesthetics are not the only criterion....and even then sometimes....