Glock durability

[logical]

Saran Wrap is a "polymer"...that means nothing. The Glocks are made of a glass-filled (reinforced...not unlike the fiberglass in a boat hull) polymer (plastic). If Glock uses a polymer compound that is UV stable that resists heat degredation...which I'm sure they do, then they should last just about forever.

Besides...it's not like they can get any uglier.

 

[Marko Kloos]

Glock frames are made out of Nylon-6.

 

[Jamie C.]

Besides...it's not like they can get any uglier.

I dunno about that... First time I saw an XD, my first thought was "Hmmm.... a Glock's uglier cousin".

Besides, I'm sure Glock could offer a "Pimp Package", with a polished chrome slide, gold accents, and a hot pink frame.



J.C.

 

[Beethoven]

I am not a big fan of the plastic guns but I am thinking of getting a glock after shooting my buddies. My question how many years will it take the plastic to start getting brittle? I am 26 will it last my lifetime without having to replace the plastic grip?

Hahaha...funny you should ask this. I asked the EXACT same question on another forum recently.

I was curious because I like Glocks and want to buy more, but didn't want to buy guns that I couldn't pass on to my kids and grandkids. (I'm quite young, and the guns won't be passed on for a looooooong while.....)

Someone said to me, "Why would the plastic frame decompose???The problem in land fills is that the plastic in them will not decompose..."

And that put my fears to rest.

 

[JohnKSa]

The polymer in the Glock frame has an additive that makes it virtually UV proof. If I remember the numbers correctly, after the equivalent of 100 years of exposure to sunlight, the frame is supposed to lose about 0.2% of its mechanical properties due to UV damage.

So if you leave your Glock outside all the time, sometime between 200 and 300 years from now (remember it's dark half the time and cloudy some of the time ) degradation due to UV exposure will cause it to be 0.002 times less flexible and strong than it was when it was new.

 

[Bobby Lee]

Some of the anti Glock 1911 only guys should leave their 1911 frame outside in bad weather for a month along side a Glock frame and see which one holds up better.

There is nothing wrong with the Glock frame. In some ways it is better than steel.

 

[esldude]

Have a couple Glock 17's from the first couple years. One has seen lots of use. I just don't see any problem. Less wear than an equivalent use on a steel pistol would show.

Then again, seen any Nylon 66's? A similar Nylon was used in making those. Many of them have a tremendous amount of use. And still work.

 

[bakert]

Bobby Lee, do you by any chance remember some years ago when Chuck Taylor tried to tear a Glock up for about a year or so before admitting it had some good points. Think he soaked, froze, buried it in mud and various other things you would never do to a pistol. I've shot a number of them and liked them but never owned one. My everyday carry gun is a polymer framed Ruger P97.

 

[Bobby Lee]

There is nothing wrong with a good P-97. It seems to be a different kind of polymer than the Glock and as with all Rugers the frame is thick and very strong.

I don't think we will see very many plastic Ruger frames with problems.

Also H&K and a few more use polymer frames today.

Some AR recievers are also plastic.

The "old school" will just have to learn to like it because it is here to stay and it works well.

 

[Lobotomy Boy]

The anti-Glock contingent has remained civil in this conversation. Let's not start picking a fight with the 1911 crowd.

 

[goalie]

Goalie: Could you provide further info on Glock metal mags such as who makes/sells them, price, functioning etc. Thanks.

I believe they were USA brand magazines. They sucked. They were bought when the ban was in effect, and they were bought by someone too young and stupid to realize that the originals were worth every penny. Now that you can get original magazines for so cheap, please, please, please, for the love of all that is holy, don't buy any metal aftermarket Glock magazines. They just are not worth it.

 

[mmike87]

The "plastic" parts on glocks are actually polymers.. so i doubt if they even can get brittle.

"Polymer" is a term people who are embarassed about plastic use.

(Sorry, I couldn't resist. I love my plastic framed HK.)

 

[Majic]

The "old school" will just have to learn to like it because it is here to stay and it works well.

No the old school don't have to like it. Although it works it's just another option when considering a firearm purchase. Old School products are still with us and don't look to be going anywhere any time soon.

 

[brickboy240]

Very true. Look at the dizzying array of basic 1911s offered, from the Springfield GI to the pricey but basic WWI Colt repro. How about all those Colt SAA clones? Winchester 92 and Henry copies from Italy? Taurus makes a copy of two older Winchester 22 rifles (the Mod. 62 and 63) and is coming out with their own Colt SAA copy as well as a Colt Lightning rifle repro. Norinco imported a Winchester 1897 shotgun copy- yeah, a Chinese copy of a 100 year old shotgun design.

Yep, "old school" is still in high demand...because it still works very well!

I love my XD-40, but old school firearms are very very cool and still very capable and appealing.

-Brickboy240