Alloy Or Steel

[Phil DeGraves]

I used to have a S&W 3914 9mm pistol that developed a crack in the frame after about 75,000 rounds. I swore I'd never buy an alloy framed pistol again. Then, my S&W 5967 (stainless steel) frame broke after about 80,000 rounds. (S&W fixed it for free, anyway! How can you get better customer service than that!) So, now I am considering purchasing an alloy frame gun again, but I can't shake the "Will it last?" mentality. I'm looking at another 1911 style pistol. Should I get the alloy or stick with steel? What is everybody else's experience? (especially with alloy 1911s)

 

[Owen]

75,000 rounds is far beyond the designed service life of any pistol.

 

[MJZZZ]

I bought an alloy 3" Kimber for carry and have shot it about 2000 times, it has proven itself reliable. So I bought a Rock Island Armory 5" 1911 for when I want trigger time and to also keep the round count down on the Kimber. The Kimber will be the only alloy gun I ever own, as I like the weight and feel of steel framed guns. Mike Z

 

[kokapelli]

If I can get 75000 rounds out of any gun, I'd be more than happy.

 

[AnthonyRSS]

75,000 rounds? Seventy-five thousand rounds?!? Alloy doesn't last?? Dang...

 

[Ala Dan]

I have several alloy frame's (2X SIG's, and a Kimber) in my collection; and
nairy a problem from any of 'em~!

 

[10-Ring]

75,000 & 80,000 rounds through 2 pistols, you should be happy. That's a good amount of shooting! You should put a nickle away for every round you shoot then you should be able to buy a pistol when with the money you have saved up when it's time to retire that piece

 

[orionengnr]

Last time I bought 45acp reloads (several months ago), I paid $85/500.
Let's see, $170/1000, times 75 = $12,750 for 75,000 rounds.

Wish I could afford to buy that much ammo and wear out my 1911...

Time to start reloading

 

[kokapelli]

Hey Phil, 155,000 rounds Wow, that's a lot of shooting!

How many years does it take to shoot up that much ammo?

 

[berettashotgun]

My para P-14 has had 6 + cases thru it and maybe 10 boxes of ranger SXT. No problem, I got the alloy specifically because a pistol with 15 rounds of 230gr bullets already has enough weight.
I have no problem with a alloy frame, but sure wish for a billet milled one

 

[Baphomet]

Hey Phil, 155,000 rounds Wow, that's a lot of shooting!

How many years does it take to shoot up that much ammo?

By my calculation, you'd have to shoot 250 rounds, per range session, three times a week for four years:

250 Rounds x 3 (sessions per week) x 52 (weeks in a year) x 4 (years) = 156,000 rounds.

And no, I didn't have anything better to do at the moment.

 

[kokapelli]

Baphomet, that's assuming he only has those two guns.

He may have other guns that he is shooting too.-

 

[prolanman]

I purchased a S&W 1911Sc Commander and love it. It has been reliable since day 1. With S&W Customer service I wouldn't hesitate buying a alloy 1911 from them. I also own a Sig P229 which is alloy and also has been reliable since day 1. As long as your buying from a well known company with good customer service, than I wouldn't wory about it.

 

[Geno]

I only buy steel

I only buy steel.

 

[Black Majik]

My preference is steel or polymer. The only exception to this for an alloy pistol would be the SIG classic P-series guns. Damn those things are sweet

Otherwise I won't own an alloy 1911 (or a polymer 1911 for that matter). All other platforms I prefer steel.

 

[jakk55]

Just to point out...

Steel is an alloy...

 

[tango3065]

75,000 rounds is far beyond the designed service life of any pistol.

Click on siggy

 

[Owen]

I stand by my statement.

One sample is not indicative of the performance of an entire product line. Most service pistols are designed for a service life of 10,000 rounds, and are tested to that end. Anything after 10k is icing.

Being upset by a cracked frame at 75k rounds is a result of having higher expectations for a design than the designers had.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

"How many years does it take to shoot up that much ammo?"

It took me about 12 years to shoot that ammo. When the police departments would change guns, they'd give me their old ammo so I didn't have to buy alot of it. And yes, i was shooting alot of other guns too; a lot of .38 spl police leftover.

I wasn't upset that the gun cracked after 75,000 rounds, just wondered if I should just stick with steel. I suppose metalurgy has improved over the past 15 years or so, so that aluminum alloys are probably better now than those guns I bought back then.

I would certainly expect to get more than 10,000 rounds out of a gun, especially at current prices. That's only a year or two of shooting.

 

[Owen]

10k rounds is a year or two of shooting at your rate. For a police department gun, it's 20 years or more.

For the average pistol sold commercially, its centuries of shooting.

 

[fattsgalore]

Well to be fair, your weapons seen greater amounts of usage through your handling then they would normally see even in combat. Most people don't put that number of rounds through their entire collection in their life time. You should be happy you got those high numbers.

 

[clang]

It's those dang 3rd gen S&W autos - they're junk I tell you. You should stay away from them at all costs.

Only 75,000 rounds out of a compact auto. Do they think they're lifetime warrenty is enough to keep you happy - Heck No I say. Just stay away from these guns.

That way there will be more around for me to buy....


OK, All kidding aside - anyone have a steel framed gun with as many rounds through it? How's the frame holding up? Is it getting sloppy?

 

[1man]

The only alloy gun I have concerns with is my Para O P-12, I was told to not use +P ammo through it and that's a bummer because of the short barrel limiting performance of the round. Bought a Para Limited P-13 to replace it(still have it, just in the back of the line for carry option)!