Plastic vs. Steel pistol

[BCRider]

If I had a nickel for each time I type and missed correcting "teh" instead of "the" I'd be able to buy a new gun. "alot" can occur easy just due to a missingspace....

 

[Sunray]

All small parts on all firearms will eventually wear out. They're machines that get stressed regularly.
If you're breaking parts when disassembling a firearm, you're doing something wrong.

 

[Sauer Grapes]

I like my plastic gun, on hot summer dazes I fill it with cold Gatorade and take it to the beech.
Sorry, did I say water pistol?
I like both! Carry a 2 1\2 lb. pistol all day, no thanks. I'll stick with my 18 oz. 9mm.

 

[noylj]

I guess I failed to divert the topic...I have issues with Glocks, but not the glass-filled nylon frame.
I have issues with SIGs, except the P210.
Dogs, guns, women, and motorcycles—there never will be a universal agreement on the "best."
I don't care what you shoot, as long as you shoot and support the 2nd Amendment.

 

[REAPER4206969]

Actually, Glock's have no glass in their polymer. This is due to possible cracking of glass impregnated Nylon in extreme cold.

 

[bdb benzino]

Here is a brand new concept..... If you don't like plastic guns, dont buy them. Your life, your choice!

 

[Kachok]

Shot plenty of good and bad guns made of both plastic and steel. The best shooting and most reliable I have ever shot was a 5" tactical XD 40 simply amazing and it never jammed with any ammo. The best looking gun I have ever shot was my girlfriends highly customized Colt Commander .....DROOL = So I like them both, then again after shooting a Sigma and a Firehawk I hate them both too.

 

[o Unforgiven o]

Here is a brand new concept..... If you don't like plastic guns, dont buy them. Your life, your choice!

Ok now your just speaking nonsense...

 

[outerlimit]

Here is a brand new concept..... If you don't like plastic guns, dont buy them. Your life, your choice!

Not a new concept, people say it all the time. But since this is a discussion forum, I don't see any reason not to discuss the merits and drawbacks of either type.

I'm more of a metal gun guy myself, but I can see where plastic guns have merit. Especially in extreme cold conditions and where weight is the biggest issue.

Myself.. I don't trust plastic guns as much, but that's just me and related to my experiences with them.

I really think that alloy framed guns are a nice compromise and I wish there were more of those options available, especially with new models, but there is a higher profit margin on plastic guns.

Established manufacturers tend to migrate to selling plastic guns, new makers tend to offer all steel models with no MIM parts to establish credibility.

Rohrbaugh is the only newer maker I've seen lately come onto the market taking a risk with a new alloy framed gun. That said I'd like an all stainless R9s.

 

[JCT]

Does anyone make a Titanium framed gun? Ti barrel for that matter?
It'd probably lighter than polymer and much stronger than steel.
If only my car and guns were Titanium, I'd never need another....

 

[outerlimit]

There are some titanium framed guns out there, like the older pre-lock S&W lightweight j-frames with titanium cylinders, S&W 1911 (that's scandium I guess), Taurus j-frames, Taurus 915T .41 mag, think they also make a titanium .357 not sure though, Beretta made a titanium Tomcat, Caspian makes titanium 1911 frames, S&W lightweight .44mags (I think scandium again), there's quite a few others that I'm not thinking of off the top of my head.

I don't think a titanium barrel is doable, as far as I'm aware it doesn't have the combo of mostly strength and to some extent elasticity of steel. Like when you bend aluminum it just never goes back to its original form, I think titanium is sort of the same way, just a bit stronger. It would probably just bow out in time after firing shots through it and you'd have to melt it back down to get it back to its original shape.

I'm not a metallurgist and don't claim to be, maybe someone so qualified can step in and speak on this..