Who trusts plastic rifles?

[Broken11b]

Several of my recent purchases have been rifles with what seems like an amazingly high ammount of plastic in them.
I'm not talking about plastic handguards or grips, i.e. an AR-15. I'm talking about lower recievers, triggers, hammers, stocks, and other inner workings of the weapon.
My question is, who, (among those who espouse carbine use for home defense) trusts some of these plastic fantastic weapons with their lives.

 

[essayons21]

Plastic triggers and hammers? I'm fine with plastic frames and stocks, but I like the internal wear parts to be steel or better.

What rifles out there have plastic internals?

 

[General Geoff]

My Sub2000 has a plastic hammer and trigger.

 

[rcmodel]

Care to name one that has a plastic hammer?
I don't know of a single one.

As for trusting them?
Modern polymers are harder to break & tougher then some traditional metal alloys used in firearms in the past.

The SUB2K has a plastic trigger, but the hammer is very much steel.

rc

 

[lobo9er]

fs2000 plastic firing pin

 

[Uncle Mike]

Call me old and fashioned....but I leave the plastic for the little boy toys! lol

 

[essayons21]

My Sub2000 has a plastic hammer and trigger.

Wow, I have a P3AT, but I didn't think Kel-Tec would also have plastic internals on their rifles. I'm not familiar with the inner workings of the Sub2000, how does the hammer have enough inertia? I'm guessing the firing pin at least is steel, doesn't the plastic deform after repeated firing?

 

[lobo9er]

most of the fs2000 internals are "polymer"

 

[Broken11b]

the Fs2000 has a plastic hammer, just about the only metal in its control group is the springs and a few pins

 

[General Geoff]

The SUB2K has a plastic trigger, but the hammer is very much steel.

stand by...


edit; I just took the thing apart and indeed, it does have a steel hammer. I remember having to push it down with my pinky the first time I disassembled it, to get the bolt back in place. For some reason it felt like plastic to me. Oh well, I stand corrected. Thanks.

 

[Broken11b]

I've used it, it works, and everyone says "polymer" is strong, but does anyone here trust it?

 

[rcmodel]

Must be a lot of people trust it.

Ever hear of a Glock with a broken frame?
And fifty gazillion people says Glocks are the best guns ever made, ever!

rc

 

[Broken11b]

but glocks have more metal than plastic, or so I've been told. If I'm wrong someone correct me please.

 

[General Geoff]

By weight.

 

[R.W.Dale]

but glocks have more metal than plastic, or so I've been told. If I'm wrong someone correct me please.

Well it's not like you're going to find a rifle with a plastic barrel or bolt, which is the equivalent to the slide and bbl on a Glock

 

[lobo9er]

british military trusts it in the F2000 thats alot of people

 

[Broken11b]

I thought the brits used the SA80 and the M4

 

[surjimmy]

I hunt with a Tikka, it has a plastic trigger guard and mag. Have never had a problem and it is my favorite hunting rifle.

 

[rcmodel]

but glocks have more metal than plastic, or so I've been told.

The slide, barrel, springs, and some internal action parts on a Glock are steel.

Most everything else, including the grip frame, trigger, magazine, sights, and other internal parts are plastic.

Glock was first imported to the U.S. in 1984, nearly 26 years ago.
So far as I know, even the very first ones are not breaking into little pieces yet.

rc

 

[Broken11b]

I'm not doubting the glock, and I'm ok with some plastic being used. But is there a limit, at some point is it just too much polymer being used?
and would anyone use such a polymer heavy rifle for home defense?

 

[R.W.Dale]

I'm not doubting the glock, and I'm ok with some plastic being used. But is there a limit, at some point is it just too much polymer being used?
and would anyone use such a polymer heavy rifle for home defense?

What's it matter?

I hear that some folks use rifles fitted with parts made from Natural Cellulose fibers

AKA wood

 

[Maverick223]

My M17 has a polymer lower (Al. upper) and trigger, but all other internals are steel. My DTA SRS .300WM has a polymer chassis, all internals are steel save for a few Al. parts. These two are some of my favorite arms (and I have several others that are partially polymer), and they have several important components made of durable high quality plastic, and they haven't fallen apart...so it doesn't bother me one bit (and polymer is more stable...and therefore is often more accurate). My H&K USP .45ACP also has polymer components (part of the trigger and frame), it has also been 100%, and is my favorite pistol. The only drawback (at least from my perspective) is it doesn't look nearly as good as nice walnut.

 

[LibShooter]

Everyday folks trust their lives to planes, trains and automobiles chock full of polymer parts. And it's not just trim and ornaments... wings and wheels are made of carbon fiber and polymer resins.

Trusting one's life to a plastic wing is a little less hypothetical than a firearm with a plastic hammer sitting in a night stand. So yep, people trust plastic parts.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Ever hear of a Glock with a broken frame?

No...but I have seen a Glock that lost a fight as a Rottweiler chew toy...and one that resembled a black pancake after a long night left on top of the pellet stove at deer camp.

If you have never seen the face of a man that has just realized that black oozing pancake is 'his' Glock....you haven't seen anything....priceless, simply priceless!

Nothing really wrong with polymer.

 

[Orlando]

Only plastic that should come close to a firearm is a credit card.
Trust them, ya probably, like them? Absolutly not, I'm metal and wood guy when at all possible