metal magazines

[Nicodemus38]

in most pictorial spreads in gun rags, all i ever see is plastic magazine floor plates, plastic followers. yet looked atthe "low quality" pt1911 and found a beautiful solid metal magazine, only plastic was the bottom plate.

so how many companies going back to solid steel?

 

[9mmepiphany]

plastic base plates are lighter (they can be thicker) and stronger. followers are lighter and slicker (more reliable).

in both cases the use of plastic is an improvement as the base plates don't bend if dropped and allow positive insertion, while the followers don't tilt, don't stick and load easier

 

[Jed Carter]

Plastic followers for the most part are self lubricating, they move with less friction. Many pistol makers make steel lined polymer or have mags that the only metal parts are the feed lips and spring. The base pad is just that, a pad, point gun, push mag release, what hits first? Cost and weight are good reasons also. The only real drawback is the polymer magazines have thicker walls than steel and this will make pistols have a larger mag well, hence larger grip.