Steel Meets Polymer - What Happens When The Plastic Wears Out ?

[sigarms228]

I worry more about an asteroid hitting Earth than I do about my poly frame pistols disintegrating.

 

[justin22885]

I'd like to see some proof to the claim that the polymers in a Glock or other gun for that matter will degrade in any way and at what rate it occurs. Just saying it happens is BS unless you can back it up.
As far as old 1911's running 500,000 rds, if it happened they have more armorers hours and parts than you could buy multiple replacements with IMO. If the round count was documented than so should the parts and labor.
Saying a glock will melt on a radiator is akin to saying a 1911 will rust if you leave it on wet carpet under a car seat.

the polymers in glocks and most other polymer framed pistols is not some magical new material made of pixie dust and unicorn tears.. its just nylon 6, all the same properties of nylon 6 apply whether its in a glock or some kids plastic toy

 

[X-Rap]

So then some scale or rate of degradation should be easy for you to produce.
Any gun you wish to pass on through the generations will sit much more than be shot and unless you store your heirlooms on the dash of your car I can't see that it would matter.
Leaving a steel gun uncared for indefinitely will have detrimental effects too.

 

[justin22885]

So then some scale or rate of degradation should be easy for you to produce.
Any gun you wish to pass on through the generations will sit much more than be shot and unless you store your heirlooms on the dash of your car I can't see that it would matter.
Leaving a steel gun uncared for indefinitely will have detrimental effects too.

and it would be equally as easy for you to google yourself, im not responsible for your education

 

[Casefull]

Some silly arguements guys. All guns are steel. At least the parts that have to hold up under stress and pressure. It is not like sears, firing pins, barrels, slides, all the small mechanical pieces that 'actually' make the firearm function are made of plastic. Saying guns with poly frames are made of plastic is like saying a rifle with a composite type stock is made that material. I am not for or against poly framed pistols. If anyone thinks they will not degrade over time, check out the plastic used on autos and houses. It might be higher quality in the firearms but will not be immune to the sun.

 

[AK103K]

and it would be equally as easy for you to google yourself, im not responsible for your education

The burden of proof is on you, as youre the one doing the "educating", and telling us its so.

 

[4thPointOfContact]

"...multiple old military 1911s have confirmed round counts beyond 500,000..."

Ya think ya might maybe could share a link to one of these multiple 1911's? I'm finding 40k and 50k but nothing 10-times that amount so far.

 

[X-Rap]

It's the Internet, you can say and be whatever you want and you don't even have to stay at a Holiday Inn.

 

[justin22885]

Ya think ya might maybe could share a link to one of these multiple 1911's? I'm finding 40k and 50k but nothing 10-times that amount so far.

theyre the MEU SOC pistols used by the military, custom 1911s rebuilt on frames that have been in use since WWII.. some of the frames have over 500,000 rounds but they typically get new internals, like barrels, slide stops, etc at regular intervals

 

[benEzra]

It began to slam fire three round bursts, presumably due to a worn sear.
The Nylon 66 was touted to be so durable and strong, and that it could be thrown out of a three story building, run over a truck and still function flawlessly.

I bought it (the story and the gun). It was supposed to have been operated by many nylon (plastic) ball bearings.

Well, hello ! I wonder why I don't trust steel on plastic ?

I had a 150th anniversary edition Nylon 66 (made in 1966, I think) that likely had tens of thousands of rounds through it when I eventually sold it. The receiver and bolt were not worn. It did start to malfunction when dried powder residue accumulated over decades of shooting without dissassembly/cleaning started jamming things up, and I had to disassemble it and clean everything with powder solvent. Your sear theory is a possibility, but it's also possible that the firing pin was sticking in the forward position from powder residue and dried gunk and causing slamfires, IMO, or that powder residue on the fire control parts were the culprit.

As to polymer framed pistols, AFAIK all of them have steel inserts molded into the frame that interface with the slide rails, so all the sliding contact is steel on steel.

 

[9mmepiphany]

After 4 pages, I think we've beaten this one enough