Shear_stress
Member
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2005
- Messages
- 2,728
I was at a recent trade show for more or less completely non-gun-related products when I stumbled across an unassuming, but very interesting booth. The fellow manning the booth represented a small company in Longmont, Colorado that specializes in the production of metal-injection-molded (MIM) parts. After all the debate on this forum and others about the extent to which MIM parts have ruined recent gun quality, I wanted to get the scoop from someone who makes these things. His opinions would not be impartial, but they would be interesting.
On the table was a wide and random array of "green" and finished parts. Immediately, I saw something that grabbed my attention: the trigger for an Accu-Trigger-equipped Savage rifle (you could tell by the slit for the "AccuRelease"). It was then that I noticed all the Smith and Wesson parts: revolver hammers and triggers, 3rd-generation semi-auto hammers, and numerous 1911 parts (hammers, sears, MSHs, etc.) After talking to the rep, here's what I found out:
1.) This company makes 85 different parts for S&W. I had understood that Smith made these parts in house, but I guess I forgot when century it is.
2.) In addition to S&W, the company makes parts for Savage, Remington, Mossberg, and even the late Winchester (he showed me the "end-cap"--not sure what to call it--of a Model 70 bolt).
3.) According to the rep, MIM results in parts with little or no porosity. He argued that recent advances have allowed them to produce parts with close to the theoretical densities (7.5-7.7 g/cc for most MIM steels).
4.) To pick a random example, the 2% yield and ultimate tensile strengths for MIM'ed 316L stainless (25 and 75 KSI), were no different than typical 316L steel.
5.) Their low-alloy ("MIM 46xx") steels are heat treatable to 48 HRC.
6.) The company makes parts for the medical-device industry.
7.) They have tried to eliminate visible mold parting lines. Yes, they are aware that consumers are very suspicious of MIM parts.
8.) Due to advances in the field, we can expect to see MIM parts that are larger and have different form factors than we are used to (slides or frames?)
All in all, it was pretty interesting. As for myself, I am still agnostic about MIM technology and tend to prefer older guns for subjective reasons--aesthetics, an old-fashioned sense of craftsmenship, etc. However, it looks like MIM is here to stay and will be popping up in unexpected places.
Just thought I'd pass this on.
On the table was a wide and random array of "green" and finished parts. Immediately, I saw something that grabbed my attention: the trigger for an Accu-Trigger-equipped Savage rifle (you could tell by the slit for the "AccuRelease"). It was then that I noticed all the Smith and Wesson parts: revolver hammers and triggers, 3rd-generation semi-auto hammers, and numerous 1911 parts (hammers, sears, MSHs, etc.) After talking to the rep, here's what I found out:
1.) This company makes 85 different parts for S&W. I had understood that Smith made these parts in house, but I guess I forgot when century it is.
2.) In addition to S&W, the company makes parts for Savage, Remington, Mossberg, and even the late Winchester (he showed me the "end-cap"--not sure what to call it--of a Model 70 bolt).
3.) According to the rep, MIM results in parts with little or no porosity. He argued that recent advances have allowed them to produce parts with close to the theoretical densities (7.5-7.7 g/cc for most MIM steels).
4.) To pick a random example, the 2% yield and ultimate tensile strengths for MIM'ed 316L stainless (25 and 75 KSI), were no different than typical 316L steel.
5.) Their low-alloy ("MIM 46xx") steels are heat treatable to 48 HRC.
6.) The company makes parts for the medical-device industry.
7.) They have tried to eliminate visible mold parting lines. Yes, they are aware that consumers are very suspicious of MIM parts.
8.) Due to advances in the field, we can expect to see MIM parts that are larger and have different form factors than we are used to (slides or frames?)
All in all, it was pretty interesting. As for myself, I am still agnostic about MIM technology and tend to prefer older guns for subjective reasons--aesthetics, an old-fashioned sense of craftsmenship, etc. However, it looks like MIM is here to stay and will be popping up in unexpected places.
Just thought I'd pass this on.