Has your polymer pistol ever bent or been damaged by sitting?

[cslinger]

To be fair an alloy receiver handgun is the least durable of major frame types. I don’t disagree that a quality alloy pistol will last many thousands of rounds (SIGs, Beretta 92, CZ P01 and brethren etc ) but at the end of the day a Glock 17 riding on steel frame rails will likely in vast majority of cases outlast a comparable alloy framed pistol. Now is that number relevant to the VAST majority of shooters, nope not likely but like for like alloy is the weaker of the big three. (Steel/poly/alloy).

For what it’s worth I much prefer my weak Beretta 92 to a Glock 17. .

Now the real question is how long will my Ruger P97 frame rails last. All polymer all day. .

[Shadow9mm]

Originally Posted by Alan0354

Aluminum alloy is aluminum alloy, they are brittle, Sig P226 cracked the frame in the military test, read about Beretta Tomcat crack frame. Also aluminum frame rail wears out, I have Beretta 950BS to attest to that.

In all fairness, ALL frames AND rails will wear out eventually. I have had steel, aluminum, and polymer framed guns over the years. Although I have never had a frame of any kind break.

After my experience with my Ruger LC9s, and the polymer grip texture getting worn off with pocket carry I am personally leaning towards guns with chassis systems so the actual frames can be easily replaced when worn or broken.

[HighValleyRanch]

The only cracked frame that I've ever experienced was a High Standard 107 Supermatic Trophy. Known for cracking around the magazine area. That was after over 10,000 rounds during my bullseye days. The frame warped also. But an good friend welded it back up and it still shoots to this day.
Probably from using High velocity instead of standard .22

[Alan0354]

I guess I should stop glorify the polymer too much. This is my believe, I don't have personal proof aluminum frame crack. I can only attest to how strong the polymer is. To each there own. I will buy all polymer this time even though I am getting a plastic toy gun as long as I can't buy ammo!!!

Take care.

[dgludwig]

That FN thing was an anomaly and probably just a bad batch of polymer that got out the door.

It no doubt was an "anomaly", but after watching the infamous U-Tube video, I would never buy one before testing it first.

[AustinTX]

Originally Posted by Alan0354

I made up my mind with facts.

But not particularly applicable ones, unfortunately.

[Hawg]

I'm not a big polymer fan but since my wife has bought a couple of them I'm warming up to them some. But honestly the only frame I've ever personally seen crack was an old Colt Heavy Barrel Officers Model in .38 special I had that cracked at the bottom of the hammer channel into the grip area. It never affected anything tho.

[sevt_chevelle]

Aluminum alloy is aluminum alloy, they are brittle, Sig P226 cracked the frame in the military test

d

That's pretty funny since the Sig P series of guns are considered some of best combat pistols designed with a long proven track record.
My CZ PCR saw over 5k rds in its first year of life, barely a mark on its sub par alloy frame.

[Ignition Override]

sevt chevelle:

Our Czech PCRs seem to be made of the highest-quality materials. Mine has seen approx. 1,000 rds. and been carried IWB (Remora) over a dozen times.

You would probably know that my VZ-58 (and the older military versions) from the Czech Republic traditionally used aluminum magazines.

I've been somewhat curious about their strength, only from a long-term durability standpoint, but many hours of reading about the Czech/CSA VZ ....rifles.... (even about the Century 2008 version) has revealed zero info on any aluminum (or polymer) magazines failing to function.

[Nanuk]

Just don't put in the oven.

[Alan0354]

Look at the lips, if they don't show wear after 1000 rounds, you should be good. Aluminum alloy do wear, good thing is bullet casing is softer than steel.

[ciwsguy]

Originally Posted by KyJim

Everyone is forgetting the Taurus Curve.

Have to admit imo the Taurus Curve is one of the ugliest handguns on the planet. That and the High Point.

[Carl the Floor Walker]

Originally Posted by Alan0354

Ha ha, I can only attest to my own experience.........Which doesn't include burning it!!

But seriously, polymer is a generic terms, different composition can be different. I just trust that the big company use the best materials.

I believe in polymer, that's the best of both worlds, steel is the most durable, but heavy. Aluminum is light but brittle, they crack like frames of guns. Polymer frame with steel guiding rails is the best of both worlds. I would never buy another aluminum frame. I would still buy a steel frame if it's for home defense that I don't carry out.

I agree Ploymer with steel rails or at least steel inserts is much better quality. I had to replace 4 different LCP's with cracked Polymer frames. Here are two cracks another one not shown has a one crack ran all the way down the back strap.

That said, I had to LC9's that never had the same issues.

[Alan0354]

Hi Carl

Ruger frame is not polymer, it is glass filled nylon. I don't know exactly what is the difference, but Ruger is very specific.
https://www.ruger.com/products/lcp/specSheets/3701.html

I am surprised though, it has a whole aluminum trigger unit that takes all the stress like LC9 or LC380.

How many rounds you shot before they started cracking?

One thing, it's a lot of pressure from the 380ACP putting on such a small pistol also. That's why I never want to push to the limit on the size and weight.

[AustinTX]

Originally Posted by Alan0354

Ruger frame is not polymer, it is glass filled nylon. I don't know exactly what is the difference, but Ruger is very specific.

That's just a type of polymer, which is a term that encompasses a broad spectrum of materials. Glock frames are also made from a nylon-based polymer.

[Carl the Floor Walker]

Originally Posted by Alan0354

Hi Carl

Ruger frame is not polymer, it is glass filled nylon. I don't know exactly what is the difference, but Ruger is very specific.
https://www.ruger.com/products/lcp/specSheets/3701.html

I am surprised though, it has a whole aluminum trigger unit that takes all the stress like LC9 or LC380.

How many rounds you shot before they started cracking?

One thing, it's a lot of pressure from the 380ACP putting on such a small pistol also. That's why I never want to push to the limit on the size and weight.

I always believed that you start to look for cracks in them at around 1500 rds. I had one that made it up to about 2200 rds. Ruger might now have a new upgraded material by now, but I would not know.
The good news is Ruger would keep replacing them. But they did give me a warning that I was coming to a end of getting them. So I keep the last one I received and just do not shoot it any more. The Gen 2 (Not LCP ll) with the nice DAO trigger.
You can push some small 380's to extreme limits. But they will have steel chassis or steel inserts. I am in the process or was pushing one very hard and no sign of wear.

[Sarge]

The only living thing I ever saw damage a Glock was a 5 month old Lab pup that belonged to a young officer who worked for me several years ago. It was his personally owned G22. He had it field stripped to clean when his phone rang, which kept him busy 15-20 minutes. The pup saw it and said "Chew Toy!!" and snatched the frame off the bench. It sorta custom textured the bottom third of the grip but didn't hurt anything.

Lab pups are natural-born kleptomaniacs (I also know this first hand) so y'all have been warned

[Alan0354]

Originally Posted by Carl the Floor Walker

I always believed that you start to look for cracks in them at around 1500 rds. I had one that made it up to about 2200 rds. Ruger might now have a new upgraded material by now, but I would not know.
The good news is Ruger would keep replacing them. But they did give me a warning that I was coming to a end of getting them. So I keep the last one I received and just do not shoot it any more. The Gen 2 (Not LCP ll) with the nice DAO trigger.
You can push some small 380's to extreme limits. But they will have steel chassis or steel inserts. I am in the process or was pushing one very hard and no sign of wear.

I think 1500rounds on a tiny gun is quite a bit!!! I put a little less on my Beretta 950 (25ACP) and I bought a new one as the reliable one already!! That is actually a quite robust gun in my opinion, just firing bullet is quite a shock to the gun.

Between steel and polymer, of cause steel is more durable, I still trust polymer over aluminum alloy frame.

Which 380 are you torturing? How many rounds you have on it. I am very interested in this!!!

For target guns, I don't mind putting more rounds. On self defense ones, I try to limit to less than a few hundred rounds, just enough to proof the reliability. Like my S&W 659, it's a robust gun, I have less than 1000rounds and that's it. It's not going out unless I change to different ammo.

[bill460]

I've never seen or heard of a Polymer frame taking a set. But I did have a plastic guide rod take one on a CZ 97B in .45 ACP so bad I couldn't rack the slide. And this was on a brand new pistol that had never been fired.

I bought it new, and it sat in my safe for the better part of 4 years. When I finally got around to shooting it, this is what I discovered. I simply replaced it with a Stainless Steel model from Cajun Gun Works, and never looked back. Plastic is good for many things in firearms manufacturing. But I'm not a fan of plastic guide rods. Unless they are a 2 piece design, with the spring designed into it. Much like Glock has used successfully for years.... But not this kind of cheap, worthless crap.

https://cajungunworks.com/product/st...actical-sport/