Not steel vs. poly...really...well

C

Coop de Ville

New member
Hi all,

Not much luck on a search. Just wanted to ask the readers about the longevity of the polymer pistols. Not so much round count and use, but more the effects of time. Glock's been around since the early to mid 80's and my understanding is that H&K has had plastic guns in circulation for longer.

I bring it up because a coworker recently had his issued Glock 17 retired which, as he told me, manufactured in the later half of the 80's. There was so much slide wobble that the armorer deemed it unsafe... unknown round count, but if I do the math... it should be somewhere around 2,100 to 2,500 rounds in requalification. This in addition to the 1,000 rounds for the academy qualification.... This obviously excludes personal practice.
There was a time, when ammo was cheap, I would put anywhere fom 500 to 1,000 round a week through my issued 19... Still not a lot of rounds.

I need to say that if anyone takes care of his weapons, it's this fellow, he is very much a "gun nut."

Anyway, is there a time effect on polymer? I know nothing lasts forever, even steel. Just wondering when it comes to burying a gun in the ground for 20 years... would one need to consider material?

Seems like polymer would wipe or hose down and be ready to go, where steel might need a good brillo scrubbing but then be good to go (no shortage of steel).

So on that note, I'm sure some of you have the very first of the polymer lineup... what's your feeling on how they've held up?


Best,

-Coop
 
W

_W_

New member
For what its worth, it takes hundreds of years before polymers start to decompose. Steel doesn't exactly decompose, but corrodes and does so depending on environment.

IMO a polymer gun should last a beyond a lifetime and thats as far as I would be concerned.

As far as "slide wobble" goes, was it concluded that the wobble was due to the frame "decomposition"? To an extent, the frame of Glocks do have some significant flex, even when new.
 
Last edited:
E

EnoughGUN

New member
irrelvent, both stell and poly guns will last far longer then any person will when taken proper care of. Take a block of steel and a block of the poly guns are made of put expose them to the enviorment for 100 years and the poly block will remain mostly intact while the steel will be baddly damaged. Both guns use steel in some part so even if the poly lasts forever the steel is still going to degrade. Point being it does not matter. A gun needs to be taken care of and if it is either will give a life time (or many life times) of service.
 
O

OldShooter

New member
The wearing parts on a "poly" gun are made of some type of metal. So, I would bet the slide and rails of the discarded Glock had seen excessive wear. the poly part of the frame won't see wear.
 
J

JohnKSa

Administrator
his issued Glock 17... There was so much slide wobble that the armorer deemed it unsafe
Click to expand...
The slide is not retained by any polymer parts, it rides on steel rails molded into the polymer frame.

So the slide wobble has nothing to do with the gun's frame being polymer--rather it has to do with steel-on-steel wear. The guy may keep his gun very clean, but it sounds like it could have used a bit more lubricant on the slide rails.

It's hard to find information on the specific plastics (and therefore the specific characteristics of those plastics) used in firearms. I can tell you that the polymer used in Glock frames is composed to resist degradation from UV exposure. I've seen claims that accelerated exposure tests predict that 100 years of continuous sunlight exposure will not affect the functionality of the frame. I imagine that other quality manufacturers have done similar testing to insure that their products will serve under conditions that they reasonably expect them to endure.

The key to having something survive long term storage is in knowing how to preserve it. Just about anything will last virtually forever if properly preserved and, in the same vein, just about anything can be destroyed in short order by exposing it to hostile conditions.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top