Are Aluminum Grip Frames Passe' ?

Given the discussion of the new rimfire grip frame being zinc rather than decades of aluminum, are we seeing the end of aluminum grip frames?

Is Ruger management taking a lesson from Hi-Point and Raven? :roll: :roll: :roll:

Dunno, Sam. Could be they are running the zinc concept up the flagpole to see who salutes it.

Next test might be to try it on heavier-hitting guns to see how that goes.

Do you mean zinc like in a cap pistol?

If it holds up, who cares .

There are many grades of "zinc"....and a few different ways to cast it...just like aluminum...the goal was to reduce cost, get the same result, cut down on any machining by upping the "As Cast Quality"...using Zinc...and coating it..we will see if it works for them.

Some states have laws which prohibit guns with major zinc components being sold there - think MN and MA, for starters. The gun-banners aren't stupid, so if zinc frames (grip or otherwise) come into vogue, you can definitely look for more states to pass 'Saturday Night Special' laws prohibiting them. Ruger has to be aware of this (I hope, anyway).

Enigma said:

Some states have laws which prohibit guns with major zinc components being sold there - think MN and MA, for starters. The gun-banners aren't stupid, so if zinc frames (grip or otherwise) come into vogue, you can definitely look for more states to pass 'Saturday Night Special' laws prohibiting them. Ruger has to be aware of this (I hope, anyway).

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Which would account for the Wrangler not being sold in those two states.

Are these Wrangler grip frames possibly made of the old alloy "Zamak"? It was used in a number of inexpensive guns in the past. The only one I've ever had was an Ithaca lever action single shot .410, a strange gun that worked very well.

Anybody know what alloy "Zamak" was? I always thought it was zinc and aluminum, based entirely on my amateur interpretation of the trade name....

Zamak (formerly trademarked as ZAMAK[1] and also known as Zamac) is a family of alloys with a base metal of zinc and alloying elements of aluminium, magnesium, and copper.

Zamak alloys are part of the zinc aluminium alloy family; they are distinguished from the other ZA alloys because of their constant 5% aluminium composition.


We might be surprised to know that the Modern Henry rimfire rifles have a Zamak receiver underneath the sheet metal cover. And other makers with a less than stellar reputation also use Zamak. :mrgreen:

Zamak alloys are also used in firearms, including those manufactured by:

Gyrojet
Hi-Point Firearms
Raven Arms
Jimenez Arms
Sundance Industries
Lorcin Engineering Company
Arcadia Machine & Tool
Davis Industries
Phoenix Arms
Henry Repeating Arms - Lever Action .22lr Receiver Covers


So in a gripframe, it probably doesn't matter. But I sure wont seek out any firearm made from predominantly Zamak.

I read the Wrangler thread and now reading this. I don't understand what's the difference between Aluminum and Zinc? Why do some states not allow guns with major components made from Zinc?

Kevin said:

I read the Wrangler thread and now reading this. I don't understand what's the difference between Aluminum and Zinc? Why do some states not allow guns with major components made from Zinc?

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Because they can!

Really . . . it's a carryover from the old "ban the Saturday night special" laws wherein the melting point of zinc is considered too low to be part of a "quality" gun and therefore not allowed in certain states. Just another attempt at gun control.

As mentioned, properly-specified and applied zinc alloys are perfectly adequate in certain firearm applications.

There's more to this zinc thing.

It seems they've discovered that zinc is hard on fish in heavy concentrations, but even in light concentrations, it will completely turn away a fish run.

So some states are figuring out ways to outlaw zinc.

WAYNO said:

There's more to this zinc thing.

It seems they've discovered that zinc is hard on fish in heavy concentrations, but even in light concentrations, it will completely turn away a fish run.

So some states are figuring out ways to outlaw zinc.

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Man, that's a stretch, isn't it?!

Sure wouldn't surprise me, though.

:roll:

Kevin said:

I read the Wrangler thread and now reading this. I don't understand what's the difference between Aluminum and Zinc? Why do some states not allow guns with major components made from Zinc?

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Zinc has a relatively low melting point, is cheaper and easier to manipulate into finished parts and is used predominately to make cheap guns like the Heritage and HiPoint. Mostly used for low stress parts like the grip frame of a single action revolver or the receiver of a .22LR. States outlawed them by default by setting minimum melting points of 800-1000° (so-called Saturday Night Special laws) to virtually eliminate cheap, zinc alloy guns.

Aluminum has a much higher melting point and is a much stronger, lighter and more durable material to make gun parts from.

I don't care for either, steel and brass has always been my choice.

Incidentally, the trade name "ZAMAK" came from "Zinc, Aluminum, Magnesium,And Kupfer, kupfer being German for copper.


Bob Wright

Thanks for the clarification. It's funny however, if a state will ban a gun because of the melting point of the grip frame. Zinc melts st almost 800 F.

I wonder what temp. will melt a Glock frame?

Zinc alloy casting dies last 10 times longer than the alum alloy dies as well as any tools used to work the zinc alloy. It melts at far lower temps (410 degrees) than alum alloy and casts much faster. So the reason for Ruger to use the zinc alloy is that there's big money savings.

The Cerakote finish is what allowed the zinc alloy to be used and capture the cost savings, because zinc alloy is difficult to finish with anything else except plating which has short longevity on zinc alloy, as we all know from our cap guns. Depending on the exact alloy mix, Zinc alloy is also heavier than alum alloy.

I don't see Ruger switching to zinc for anything but this sort of budget-priced, entry-level sixgun.

Kevin said:

Thanks for the clarification. It's funny however, if a state will ban a gun because of the melting point of the grip frame. Zinc melts st almost 800 F.

I wonder what temp. will melt a Glock frame?

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It doesn't apply to plastic/polymer, only metal. Which makes no sense whatsoever but that's what happens when people who know nothing about the subject write firearms laws.

CraigC said:

Kevin said:

Thanks for the clarification. It's funny however, if a state will ban a gun because of the melting point of the grip frame. Zinc melts st almost 800 F.

I wonder what temp. will melt a Glock frame?

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It doesn't apply to plastic/polymer, only metal. Which makes no sense whatsoever but that's what happens when people who know nothing about the subject write firearms laws.

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Well said!!