MIM was a way an American company had to do to cut costs.
Actually, MIM addresses a number of very important concerns with regard to the manufacturing process. Number one is the ability to make high quality, very close tolerance, very intricate components in the most cost effective manner. In many cases, parts made thru the MIM process could not be manufactured at all using normal machining processes or they could be made put with relatively high reject rates.
The last I heard, the objective of most manufacturers is to build the highest quality possible product at the most competitive price point- not at an unrestricted price level. Just ask Colt. They were and in some cases still are doing it the way they were 50 or 60 years ago with methods and equipment equally old. The fact is that the vast majority of American consumers actually shop and make cost vs quality decisions-even gun owners. Manufacturing parts using the MIM process is a very expensive undertaking. The engineering and other setup costs are enormous and the raw materials are also extremely expensive. The savings are not in the cost of the part but rather the labor required assemble product.
High quality MIM parts using the correct alloys and heat treatment are 94% to 97% the strength of similar forgings. This is well within the specs. including the safety factor for similar forged or barstock parts. Used in the correct applications, this is far more than strong enough. That said, MIM is not suitable for every application.
To answer your question about being in a machine shop, my first full time job was in a machine shop learning the basics. I ran auto screw machines, turret lathes and chuckers. My grandfather, a couple of uncles and a number of my friends were career machinist. My cousin was a tool & die maker. I grew up in Milwaukee and during that time we had many and the best machine shops in the world and that included Germany. If you didn't go on to school after high school, you apprenticed to be a machinist or tool and die maker. The other alternative was the breweries. So, I'm acquainted with machine shops. My recollection is that forging changes the grain structure of the steel and not the molecular content.
Anyway.............
Bruce
P.S. Casting is not the same as MIM but that said, Ruger has proven time and time again that investment cast receivers are more than stout enough to complete with forging based competitors.
