Polymer frames

[Spyvie]

Here in Alabama, throw one of those "fantastic plastic"
guns on the hat rack of your vechile with the windows rolled up; on
one of those HOT STEAMY July-August-or September days, [when
the temp is 110 degrees in the shade] and see what happens to
your favorite firearm

Most of the interior of any modern vehicle is made of much cheaper plastic than a poly pistol frame. How does your car hold up in that Alabama heat...

Arizona FNP owner here, with no troubles to report.

 

[kd7nqb]

Here is something odd that I have noticed, I am a young shooter and I have more of my shooting buddies my age object to poly-pistols than the older crowd. I constantly hear friends in the 18-25 crowd say everything from "I just trust steel more" or "I don't like Tupperware". The older crowd tends to take the position of "It just has to work" or "Its your money, buy what you like and screw what everybody else thinks" (BTW this never stops them from telling me what they think)

For me I love my fantastic plastic and I am about to add a second plastic gun to my collection when I buy either my LCP or P3AT. However I am one of those evil kids who also puts synthetic stocks on things like Nagents and SKS's.

 

[owlhoot]

Wombat, your generation gap is showing. Understand the plastic guns have been around for the entire adult life of most of the folks on this forum. They represent the norm.

I remember when Browning dropped the Hi-Power and introduced the pistol that morphed into the SIG 220 and 226. We were appalled. "Stamped tin", we all cried. And the pistol flopped. Browning gave up on the design, much to their later chagrin I'm sure, and SIG-Sauer went on to make a great success of the gun. Today, nobody scoffs at the gun that Browning couldn't sell.

You can give up your wombat status and join me as a living, breathing, genuine anachronism.

 

[Ala Dan]

'Proly nuth'in would happen, would be my guess- other than it being
mighty hot? I do realize that todays polymer's are much more resistant
to heat, than say our old Mattel toys from the 50's and 60's~! But,
what 'bout wraped frames on polymer pistols exposed to extreme
heat?

 

[kd7nqb]

This melting debate seems easy to end.

I believe but am not sure that the mag floor plate on glocks are the same polymer as the frame, if this is true somebody could take off a floor plate stick it on a cookie sheet in an oven at 250-300 and see if it melts. That answers your car heat question. At most your out the price of a mag floor plate and maybe your wife looks at you odd for using her cookie sheet.

I referenced glocks because I am more sure that they use the same polymer on floorplates than my M&P does but I would not be opposed to during this with one of my own M&P mags if I can confirm that its the same material.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

I don't like them, but I'm not the one considering buying one. If that is all I had when I needed one, I'd be happy to have it. I'm just not spending MY money on one. If you want one, get one. You could do worse.

 

[electric wombat]

Wombat, your generation gap is showing.

How old do you think I am? I'm actually only 28 years old. People my age are usually all over the poly guns. I guess i just appreciate the feel of a steel gun more than others. To me an all steel gun has character where the synthetic polymer is lifeless.

Since everyone is being such an advocare of polymer let me pose this question. If polymer is so great (durability, high melting point, flexability etc) why are the slides, triggers, etc made of metal? Why not make the whole gun other than the barrel out of polymer?

 

[DougDubya]

'Proly nuth'in would happen, would be my guess- other than it being mighty hot? I do realize that todays polymer's are much more resistant to heat, than say our old Mattel toys from the 50's and 60's~! But, what 'bout wraped frames on polymer pistols exposed to extreme heat?

The heat necessary to warp any modern polymer frame ('cept maybe a Hi-Point) would most likely have been intense enough to peel the meat from your fingers if you had still been holding it.

Tempest, meet teapot.

 

[buzz_knox]

If polymer is so great (durability, high melting point, flexability etc) why are the slides, triggers, etc made of metal? Why not make the whole gun other than the barrel out of polymer?

Because polymer isn't the best material for these applications. In addition, that would make the weapon less detectable and is thus prohibited by federal law.

Besides, they do make triggers out of polymer. It's a relatively low stress application, so polymer works.

 

[Wineoceros]

To me an all steel gun has character where the synthetic polymer is lifeless.

Some people have criteria other than aesthetics and a desire to anthropomorphize inanimate objects.

Since everyone is being such an advocare of polymer

That hardly seems like an accurate observation.

let me pose this question. If polymer is so great

I'm nost sure that phrasing the question that way is terribly meaningful. People have identified some specific benefits of the material, but I haven't seen anyone say anything like it's "so great", which is something of a generalization.

(durability, high melting point, flexability etc)

No one has cited durability and high melting point as a benefit of polymers. What has been said is that the general durability and melting point of polymers relative to steel (and other metals) do not constitute a practical disadvantage.

why are the slides, triggers, etc made of metal. Why not make the while gun other than the barrel out of polymer?

Is your entire car made of plastic? No, but some parts are. Some parts are made of steel, some are made of aluminum, some of leather (or cloth), etc. No one is saying that polymers are a magical do-everything material.

Why are the grips on your pistol made of wood instead of steel?

 

[berkbw]

Hey, poly haters - go to your local rent-a-gun-range store, and if they have one, check out the S&W M&P45. I'd offer to pay for the ammo, but you MIGHT like it eh?

If you carry on a daily basis.. check out the weight, check out the momentum when your body does "strange things", and check out the recovery time req'd for a double tap.

Just $0.02
b-

 

[electric wombat]

Alright, I can see that no one is in agreement with me. We all know about the advantages of polymer so we don't need to keep beating that dead horse. It's been bludgeoned enough already. What I'm getting from everyone that has responded & correct me if i'm wrong, is hypothetically if you had 2 of the exact same gun one poly one steel you all would take the poly one over the steel. And I fully agree that polymer is a great material but i don't think it has a place on handguns. I guess I'm just a traditionalist, I would pick the steel one every time.

 

[DougDubya]

Electric Wombat - you're overgeneralizing again.

"You all would take?"

It depends. It honestly does depend. I find it interesting that Ruger had the P93 and the P95 - identical except for frame material. Now, only the P95 remains in their catalogue.

Meanwhile, the standard frame SIGs are still going strong, despite the lower price of the SP2022 and the previous sigpro series, enough so that they're trying a NEW development, the P250.

Personally, I'd like to know your specific reasons for not going with a polymer option.

 

[tblt]

I like metal frams also but I love my P95

 

[Wineoceros]

Alright, I can see that no one is in agreement with me.

On what? Other than your personal preference for steel and wood because it has more "character" I don't know what it is that you're looking for agreement on.

We all know about the advantages of polymer so we don't need to keep beating that dead horse. It's been bludgeoned enough already. What I'm getting from everyone that has responded & correct me if i'm wrong,

At a bare minimum you're mistaken about the "everyone has responded" part. There have been several posters expressing a preference for all-metal guns, so I don't know where you're getting your imrpessions from.

is hypothetically if you had 2 of the exact same gun one poly one steel you all would take the poly one over the steel.

That depends on what use the gun was going to be put to.

And I fully agree that polymer is a great material but i don't think it has a place on handguns.

Because....?

I guess I'm just a traditionalist, I would pick the steel one every time.

And you think that your personal preferences determine what does/doesn't have a place?

 

[possum]

they are easier to work with as far as manufacturing, inexpensive, they are light weight which is a big consideration for most ccw gun owners. as well they are durable and uneffected by the elements. i love polymer guns!

 

[DougDubya]

Reunited with an XD-9 today. She still lurves me. Compared the grip angles on the XD and a Hi-Power, and the little dish at the back. Only millimeters of difference at the bottom of the S curve on the XD.

Both are two of the most comfortable handguns I've ever shot.

One's steel. One's polymer. Both are excellent, sturdy, easy to shoot, and accurate as all beat out.