Why are all of Ruger's 9mms Polymer Frames Now?

[Tarheel]

I guess I fell asleep at the wheel.....

Most of my Rugers are revolvers. My only Ruger pistols are a Mark I, and Mark II, and a P90. I liked the P90 like enough to put a compact 9mm on my wish list soon after getting the P90... That was several years ago.... Now that I've worked my way down the list a bit - all I see are Polymer Frame 9mms - no P series metal frame 9mms any more

When did the aluminum frame 9mms go away?

I don't care for plastic, never have, never will..... In fact, my preference is ALL steel, but I can tolerate aluminum in a carry gun for the weight advantage.....

So what's the deal - were the aluminum frames not selling in sufficient volume after the polymers started coming out??? I guess it is similar to the Vaquero, Security Six, and ROA - where demand picks up after they're no longer available, but I missed the grieving period this time around.....

 

[Mike J]

Polymer frames are a lot less expensive to make. I believe this is the reason Ruger went away from the alloy frames.

 

[Tam 212]

I think that's a fair assessment.

This is where the market is - Glock, S&W, et al pump out the polymer framed semi-autos and they get adopted en masse by law enforcement as well as civilians.

The only aluminum or non-steel alloy frames I see in any number these days are lightweight 1911s and small frame revolvers...

 

[Flash]

Yeah, you only have to buy a good gun once but plastic junk has a shelf life, it's that simple. I see they released another plastic paperweight.

 

[Tam 212]

I dunno... personally, I don't really care if a $400 polymer defensive pistol won't last several familial generations.

It's not an heirloom or some 1911 that has seen combat use in WWI that was bought to be a showpiece in a display case.

As far as durability goes, considering the track record of Glocks and pistol-training.com's 50,000 round tests with their HK P30 and HK45, they have combat durability, reliability and performance in spades.

 

[vacextar]

Yeah, you only have to buy a good gun once but plastic junk has a shelf life, it's that simple. I see they released another plastic paperweight.

I've seen this opinion from others. What exactly do you think is going to happen to the plastic that it has a "shelf life"? All metal corrodes.....even aluminum does. Polymer does not rot. It does not corrode. What exactly is going to happen to it? Glocks have been around for almost 25 years now......anyone see a Glock-shaped pile of plastic dust on a shelf somewhere?

I'm not opposed to metal frame guns at all, but IMO, if you're totally closed minded about today's technology, you're really missing out on some great guns.

 

[Cheesewhiz]

I always love it when someone tells a person if they don't like plastic guns they're closed minded. It's an opinion, not a defect.

 

[toysoldier]

There is a parallel to this in surgical instruments. Most of the instruments used for laparoscopic surgery now have "plastic" handles, rather than the traditional stainless.

We are still using a few stainless instruments that are marked with the name of one of the two hospitals that merged in '73 to form the present institution.
In the past month, a half-dozen plastic handles of laparoscopic instrument that have been in use for 6-8 years have broken.

The difference from firearms is that surgical instruments are subjected to steam sterilization, 270 degrees F at 30psi. I couldn't guess how many hundreds or thousands of cycles an instrument has gone through. Under these conditions, stainless lasts a lot longer, but it, too will eventually fail.

 

[Flash]

To me, all my guns are great and none of them are plastic. Using polymers isn't the best example of current technologies but it's an inexpensive one. That doesn't make the product good or close to the best, it only makes it cost less to make. I don't think polymer guns are going to turn into a pile of dust and I never used that analogy. I feel that when they do have a part that has worn over time, and a twenty five year term isn't what I'm refering to, the gun will have to be scrapped. Polymer doesn't have the long term strength of steel or aluminum so it can't possibly last as long as them on friction surfaces with constant use. I guess if someone wants to buy something to serve them during their adult years, a polymer gun is fine but I look beyond that, otherwise I'd live in a tent.

 

[Mike J]

I can understand someone not liking polymer guns but to say they have a shelf life I think is taking them too lightly. Modern polymers are very tough. I'm not asking anyone to like them but I do believe they deserve a certain measure of respect.

 

[9x19]

Shelf Life?

I guess the clock is really ticking on all the Remington Nylon rifles out there... they have already been around more than 50 years.

Having a personal dislike for synthetic frames isn't an issue... trying to convince others of their inferiority to aluminum alloys? :roll:

The reason aluminum framed guns are no longer available?

Ruger got tired of waiting for all the synthetic-averse to get around to them.

 

[Flash]

Shelf Life?

I guess the clock is really ticking on all the Remington Nylon rifles out there... they have already been around more than 50 years.

Having a personal dislike for synthetic frames isn't an issue... trying to convince others of their inferiority to aluminum alloys? :roll:

The reason aluminum framed guns are no longer available?

Ruger got tired of waiting for all the synthetic-averse to get around to them.

Just when you thought you've heard it all. :roll:

 

[vacextar]

Using polymers isn't the best example of current technologies but it's an inexpensive one. That doesn't make the product good or close to the best, it only makes it cost less to make.

Once again, I think your "opinion" on this subject is causing you to really miss out on the real advantages of newer materials and technology. As a plastic gun hater, I'm sure you've probably never taken the time to look at guns like the Ruger SR9 or 9c. I was in the market for a slim 9mm for CC, and was browsing thru all of the guns......shelf after shelf of handguns at a large gun shop. All of the guns are propped up on stands, all at the same angle, and I'm looking thru them.....paying close attention to the thickness of the grips on all of them.....searching for a single-stack 9mm to carry. That's when I spotted the SR9. I had never heard of it before and asked it they also had it in a sub-compact model. He handed me an SR9c and I was very surprised at how comfortable and slim the grip was. THAT is when I pulled out the mag and realized that it was NOT a single stack mag, but in fact had a 10rd double stack mag.

I guarantee you that no one has a double stack 9mm with a metal frame and a grip this slim. Why? Because you can't do these things in metal. In fact, my little all-stainless Sig P230 single stack .380 has fatter grips on it.

You talk of wear and tear over time and how the metal gun is so far superior and the plastic gun is a throw-away. I've posted this before but I would take my 18 year old Glock 20 and compare it to my 10 year old Browning Hi-power. I don't remember the last time I cleaned or wiped down my Glock. It looks exactly like it did 18 years ago when I bought it brand new. It is stored in the same safe as my Hi-power, and the Hi-power gets wiped down with oil every single time I handle it, and the frame is already covered in small areas of rust spots all over. They get about the same amount of use, but the Hi-power gets about 20 times more care, as I know in another 10 years, it's going to look like a rusty relic.....and my still un-cleaned Glock will still look exactly as it does today.

Many Glocks out there have well over 100k rounds thru them without wearing out. How do you explain this if the material they're made from is so weak and non-wear resistant?

As I said, I'm definitely not opposed to metal framed guns (I own plenty of them)....but I have yet to hear any evidence of why I should be opposed to plastic framed guns. Anyone got a worn-out plastic gun for show and tell?

 

[Sal1950]

I'm an "old school" guy. I grew up going to the range with my dad shooting his M1 Garrand, M1 Carbine, and 1911. When I took my basic training in very early 1969 it was with a M14. BUT then I got to AIT at Fort Polk LA and they handed me this POS plastic M16. Never could get to love that gun, even today with all it's popularity I've never come around to the AR platform.
That said, I have several handguns each in steel/steel, steel/alloy, and steel/poly. I love my all steels, they are so solid and you just know they'll still be busting caps many, many thousands of rounds down the road.
But when it comes to comparing the alloy framed guns to my polys I'm not so sure about alloy being superior. A couple of my alloy guns have started to show wear on the frame where the steel slide rails run on it. Compared this to my poly framed guns which have steel inserts that are the bearing surfaces for the rails, etc; and from what I see I think I might get a longer service life from them.
Can't argue about shelf life, we know we've seen various plastics age, get brittle, and fail over the years but I've no idea what the modern polys will offer. I do know I'll be long dead before anything like that might start to show up.
Sal

 

[Cheesewhiz]

But when it comes to comparing the alloy framed guns to my polys I'm not so sure about alloy being superior. A couple of my alloy guns have started to show wear on the frame where the steel slide rails run on it. Compared this to my poly framed guns which have steel inserts that are the bearing surfaces for the rails, etc; and from what I see I think I might get a longer service life from them.
Sal

Sal, there are forged aircraft quality aluminum framed pistols out that have tested to be equal in wear resistance to steel framed guns, they're just not made in this country.
It is amazing that there really aren't any 9mm metal framed service pistols made in this country anymore, besides Beretta (foreign company). The fact that Ruger doesn't make one is what the OP lamented about.

 

[boomer1]

Welcome to the party..... :wink:

 

[9x19]

Shelf Life?

I guess the clock is really ticking on all the Remington Nylon rifles out there... they have already been around more than 50 years.

Just when you thought you've heard it all. :roll:

That was really meant to be sarcasm... sorry you missed it. :lol:

 

[Flash]

Using polymers isn't the best example of current technologies but it's an inexpensive one. That doesn't make the product good or close to the best, it only makes it cost less to make.

Once again, I think your "opinion" on this subject is causing you to really miss out on the real advantages of newer materials and technology. As a plastic gun hater, I'm sure you've probably never taken the time to look at guns like the Ruger SR9 or 9c. I was in the market for a slim 9mm for CC, and was browsing thru all of the guns......shelf after shelf of handguns at a large gun shop. All of the guns are propped up on stands, all at the same angle, and I'm looking thru them.....paying close attention to the thickness of the grips on all of them.....searching for a single-stack 9mm to carry. That's when I spotted the SR9. I had never heard of it before and asked it they also had it in a sub-compact model. He handed me an SR9c and I was very surprised at how comfortable and slim the grip was. THAT is when I pulled out the mag and realized that it was NOT a single stack mag, but in fact had a 10rd double stack mag.

I guarantee you that no one has a double stack 9mm with a metal frame and a grip this slim. Why? Because you can't do these things in metal. In fact, my little all-stainless Sig P230 single stack .380 has fatter grips on it.

You talk of wear and tear over time and how the metal gun is so far superior and the plastic gun is a throw-away. I've posted this before but I would take my 18 year old Glock 20 and compare it to my 10 year old Browning Hi-power. I don't remember the last time I cleaned or wiped down my Glock. It looks exactly like it did 18 years ago when I bought it brand new. It is stored in the same safe as my Hi-power, and the Hi-power gets wiped down with oil every single time I handle it, and the frame is already covered in small areas of rust spots all over. They get about the same amount of use, but the Hi-power gets about 20 times more care, as I know in another 10 years, it's going to look like a rusty relic.....and my still un-cleaned Glock will still look exactly as it does today.

Many Glocks out there have well over 100k rounds thru them without wearing out. How do you explain this if the material they're made from is so weak and non-wear resistant?

As I said, I'm definitely not opposed to metal framed guns (I own plenty of them)....but I have yet to hear any evidence of why I should be opposed to plastic framed guns. Anyone got a worn-out plastic gun for show and tell?

Vacextar,
We are going to agree to disagree here. I grew up with products being made of either wood, metal or hard rubber and have become somewhat jaded by the failure of plastic products over the years. So when polymers entered into gun manufacturing, I figured it was a passing phase but I do realize it's here to stay. This would account for the size and type of my firearm collection and the complete absence of polymer guns.
It's not possible to change many parts of polymer guns and this in itself is a detriment.
Enjoy your polymer guns and have a Merry Christmas.

 

[Flash]

Shelf Life?

I guess the clock is really ticking on all the Remington Nylon rifles out there... they have already been around more than 50 years.

Just when you thought you've heard it all. :roll:

That was really meant to be sarcasm... sorry you missed it. :lol:

What I missed was the reference to a polymer framed gun with a nylon stock.

 

[mdmaysp95]

plastic bottle landfills 100 yaers iwonder