Gimme metal over plastic!

[PALADIN85020]

Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the Glocks, the HKs, and the multitudes of other perfectly serviceable handguns using a polymer frame. They work well, are light, and they are UGLY.

It seems to me that the primary reason behind the polymer craze is easier and less costly manufacturing. Unfortunately, the arms makers have not done a very good job of passing those savings on to the customers.

It used to be that one of the benefits of owning a great handgun was pride of ownership. You could appreciate the painstaking craftsmanship and the artistry and strength of forged and machined metal. Heck, I even find many of the injection molded metal frames interesting and attractive when they are done properly.

Yeah, plastic doesn't rust. It will probably still be around in 200 years. And that's a pity, because it will still be UGLY and future generations can appreciate how utilitarian our generation had become.

I love going to gun shows and picking over classic and artfully crafted handguns that are still pretty much available. But I pass right by the tables packed solid with UGLY black (and even pink!) polymer guns. As a collector, they hold exactly zero fascination for me. Maybe even less than zero. They are a complete turn-off. Sure, I have a few, and they are good tools, I suppose. But I guess it's like being married to a really ugly and slovenly spouse who can cook excellent meals. That's nice, but it sure isn't the whole package, what the package should and could be, given a choice. I think it's a quality of life issue, folks!

Here are some comparative shots - I think you will see what I mean. Call me an old-fashioned guy who is living in the past, but I know what I like, and this current crop of plastic junk is definitely NOT it.

John

 

[JJEH]

I hear ya...

Love it!

 

[Nacho Man]

how bout this one. i got a chance to fondle one these at a gunshow, just for laughs though. my friend has one, he says you have to aim up & to the left to hit center mass. yep i think i will probably sell my xd9, maybe get me a nice minty nickel model 39

 

[Snapping Twig]

IMO, plastic frames is the answer to the question that was never asked.

Specialized applications, perhaps, but don't overlook the fact that internals and barrels MUST be metal, so how much does the plastic frame matter - really?

Weight is a benefit for recoil and stainless is corrosion resistant, so I don't value plastic based on what I understand as function.

Will plastic hold up over time? No one really knows. We can guess and hope, but we KNOW metal holds up, no question.

Make mine steel.

 

[18DAI]

Amen brother. Put a cylinder in my metal guns though. Regards 18DAI

 

[bamabiker]

I tend to agree.
By the way, great pics, they look like I could pick up the gun right off the screen.

 

[vytoland]

paladin..............

i'm with you..... the only thing that catches my attention is made by S&W, has a rotating cylinder and is made of forged steel.

 

[bubbiesdad]

I have both plastic and steel. Each has their place in my wants. Even have an LCR, although, it has become my wife's for when I am away from home.

 

[feralmerril]

Dont give me no plastic saddle, I wanta feel thet leather when I ride!

 

[Allen-frame]

John , you're preaching to the choir brother. Tell it to the youngsters
that love the tactikle plastic wonders.

Love the shot of the 39-2, do you shoot it?

The advantage is when you go to a show, fewer people are looking at the ones we love!

May I add a photo or two??

I do have a polymer Kimber , but at least its a 1911!

But I must ask; does a suppressed FNP 45 Tactical count for any cool at all?

Regards
Allen Frame

 

[ridewv]

Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the Glocks, the HKs, and the multitudes of other perfectly serviceable handguns using a polymer frame. They work well, are light, and they are UGLY.

It seems to me that the primary reason behind the polymer craze is easier and less costly manufacturing. Unfortunately, the arms makers have not done a very good job of passing those savings on to the customers.....

LOL I believe their goal is to KEEP most of the savings for their own company, not give them away to buyers. I imagine Glock is financially a healthier company then S&W.
But I'm with you as far as how I feel about these polymer guns. To me they are more like an appliance than a fine firearm. (A very good appliance.)

 

[PALADIN85020]

John , you're preaching to the choir brother. Tell it to the youngsters
that love the tactikle plastic wonders.

Love the shot of the 39-2, do you shoot it?

I shot it and I shoot it - but not as much as some of the others I own. It's a "semi-safe queen."

John

 

[Andy Griffith]

That's a nice looking glock!

 

[quneur]

Ever notice how the Hipoint looks like the XD? The only thing XD is missing is the white teen with the Yankee ball cap and hankerchief covering the lower part of his face.

 

[hatt]

I love blue steel and wood. But around town, I prefer plastic. Same with a debit/credit card. Sure I like knots of $100, but that little card is easier to carry, weighs less, easier to use, and holds more $$ than a money clip.

 

[Bat Guano]

The bug bit HARD when I handled my first 1911 at age 17, even if it was "just" a parkerized GI pistol. If it had been a Glock I think I would have doing something else with my time and money for the past 50 years.

There's something to the notion that if something LOOKS good it probably IS good. Por ejemplo, the 1911, Colt SAA, BHP, M19, etc.

 

[Bicky Robby]

Ever notice how the Hipoint looks like the XD? The only thing XD is missing is the white teen with the Yankee ball cap and hankerchief covering the lower part of his face.

Made me chuckle

But baaaaaaaaaaaack to the topic, I go both ways these days. Glocks and M&P's for competition shooting, and metal on the night table and carry.

 

[mike_1100]

easier and less costly manufacturing - - -

Polymer firearms fill a utilitarian need similarly to a Toyota Yaris. It's reliable, decently priced and quite frankly boring.

I've driven a Yaris and shot a Glock. Both while perfectly fulfilling their intended role left me uninspired.

It's not just handguns either. I enjoy shooting an M1 Garand a lot more than the new plastic wonder Bushmaster ACR I recently purchased.

 

[Straightshooter2]

I enjoy shooting an M1 Garand a lot more than the new plastic wonder Bushmaster ACR I recently purchased.

I tend to agree though I'm actually shooting a M&P 15/22. The gun is polymer in both upper and lower with steel reinforcement and it's ugly. But with four 25 round magazines, a reflex sight, laser and flashlight, I can throw a lot of .22 downrange in a hurry day or night. Now if I want to just throw some lead downrange and take my time to enjoy the beauty of punching holes in a target, out will come the Henry Golden Boy. Same for handguns as my defensive arms are my Combat Commander .45 ACP or my SP101 .357 Mag both in stainless or my Taurus 92 9mm along with my Taurus 5 shot in .38 spcl revolver (actually belongs to my wife). My favorite is my Combat Commander. It's that 1911 thing that just grabs you and won't let go.

CW

 

[oldman45]

I own some plastic guns but I do not like them. A good metal gun with nice grips and a finish that shines is what I look for when buying a gun.

My experience is that a Glock is not much different in weight from a S&W of the same caliber and size. So why carry an ugly gun when you can carry quality.