The very first polymer-frame pistol! AND it shoots!

[Dalkowski110]

While we're at it, don't forget "Coltalloy" for the early Colt Commanders (aluminum) and "Coltwood" for most of the grips (plastic).

With that said, if you marketed a gun as "plastic-framed", I doubt you'd have as many customers. On the other hand, I honestly don't think calling a gun "aluminum-framed" would be a negative. With that said, when the Colt Commander was introduced, people were used to aluminum bending. Even though the Army never accepted the Commander, they did at least acknowledge its structural integrity, and my guess is that's why you saw Colt marketing its guns as "Coltalloy" and then just plain "alloy". But aluminum has aged well enough that you can call gun "aluminum-framed" without dissing it (especially since the actual metallurgy got better).

"Plastic" doesn't have particularly high connotations, though. "Plastic gun" and "plastic frame" have evolved into derisions and unlike "aluminum frame", I don't think that will change any time soon. Still, I do see another case for specifying the kind of plastic. Thermoset, Polymer, ABS, and even Bakelite are or were all used in the gun industry and all are pretty different from each other. If you're going to call a plastic gun a "plastic gun", you might as well also call any gun made of metal a "metal gun".

 

[GatorFarmer]

I had an HK P9S for a while. It was built in 1976. I think they were made until about 1986. I ought have kept it. Was a handy single stack 9 mm. I had 9 mags for it.

 

[J. W.]

I had the chance to shoot one a few years ago. It by far had the worst trigger I've ever seen. It must have a 20lb break...

 

[Kanewpadle]

Paladin, you forgot one!

Remington Xp 100 1963-1998

 

[Out West]

I purchased one when they first came out. I was impressed by the fusion of caliber, plastic and capacity. Unfortunately, I was not impressed with the trigger or the SIZE of the pistol. Way too big. Definitely a game changer in small arms design: most high capacity polymer guns made today owe a hat tip to the VP 70 vision of what handguns could be.

Out
West

 

[Tom K]

Back in the mid-eighties I had a chance to buy one of these at a very reasonable price. Since then I've often regretted passing on it. They are fine pistols, unappreciated at the time.

Yeah, I remember reading about the VP70Z when they first came out and I knew that they predated the Glock as a polymer frame pistol. Although how many people know that the system of pre-cocking the mainspring halfway precedes the Glock 17 by about 70 years, in the Steyr 1908? (I call it 1-1/2 action - halfway between single action and double action.)

Wasn't that long ago (maybe 5 years) that I was still seeing the VP70Z for $300-350. I think the last few I've seen have been around the $500 range. Kept thinking about getting one for the novelty value but never did. $500 isn't out of my range for sheer novelty (depending on what it is) but after passing them over for so long when they were $300, I can't bring myself to pay $500 now.

 

[DWalt]

"Why is it always 'polymer' and not what it really is , plastic?
Why is it always "lightweight alloy" and not aluminum?"

Plastic and polymer are not actually synonymous. In fact the term "Polymer" is a little more precise than plastic, which simply means "moldable." But even at that, there are hundreds of different chemically-diffferent polymers (nylon, teflon, polyethylene, styrene, polycarbonate, and on and on). Lightweight alloy could encompass numerous metal alloys based on aluminum or magnesium. A better generic descriptive term would be aluminum alloy (or possibly magnesium alloy), but then there are a great many different aluminum alloys just as there are a great many polymers.

 

[pawncop]

This one of the guns I regret trading back in the day. The trigger was not the best but it was not the worst by any means.

I traded it to a THP trooper for a 645 so I did OK but still wish I had it back even though I am not a big fan of 9mm.

 

[10mmauto]

I got one of these when they first came out. (I can probably dig up the SN.) The trigger pull was atrocious. It is one of the few guns that I've traded that I don't regret!

 

[PALADIN85020]

Paladin, you forgot one!

Remington Xp 100 1963-1998

I must be getting forgetful in my old age. In fairness, the XP-100 was more of a rifle than a pistol. However! You showed me yours; I'll show you mine!

John