Polymer frames vs. steel frames

Dumby

Dumby

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What are the advantages and disadvantages of both? What should I know before I decide which to purchase?
 
Most but not all polymer framed gun are less expensive. Steel is heavier and absorbs recoil better.

If I was going to be carrying it around I'd get a Glock. For range use I use mostly steel frame guns.
 
Most polymer frames have a steel center.

Steel guns with modifications look cooler than plastic guns with modifications.

They both go bang
 
Don't forget the alloy /aluminium; it’s metal but a bit lighter the steel. That’s what I prefer.

Most polymer frames have a steel center.
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If by ‘center’ you mean steel sub frame than not really; Steyr and FN forty-nine (IIRC) have them, but not Glocks, Walthers or Hks..
 
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Let say a steel magazine will deform under pressure or heavy dropped but polymar won't. Polymar flame is stronger than Aluminium and lighter than Aluminum. I have 7075 Aluminum tent pegs won't lasting for a camping season but the polymar tent pegs already 6 years without any problem. I used the same hammer. Go back to the steel flame, Steel flame look much better but heavier, absorb recoil better. Less muzzle jump than light weight plastic gun but generally polymar flame gun has a large grip angle to prevernt muzzle jump and I think they work very well.
Most of the time it will go back to persaonal taste. I pefer a steel flmae gun with polymar magazine. How often you heard Glock guys have problem with their magazine?

Trigun
 
Dumby said:
So I don't have to worry about longevity and durability then or do I?
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you probably wont shoot it enought to see any difference, i have both and they are both fine, in the polymer guns, the area in the ploymer where there is a bit more wear like along the slide rails, there are steel inserts and what not...
 
Dumby said:
So I don't have to worry about longevity and durability then or do I?
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The longevity problems I've know of with well-shot Glocks have all involved slide cracks--I've never heard of frame failures. For range guns I usually would prefer steel frames for lower recoil, although I do have a couple of polymer-framed pistols that I enjoy shooting. As mentioned up-thread, the main advantages are lighter weight (which is primarily am advantage only for carrying) and lower production costs for the manufacturer (which does not neccesarily translate into lower prices for us!)
 
Let say a steel magazine will deform under pressure or heavy dropped but polymar won't. How often you heard Glock guys have problem with their magazine?
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Glock doesn't make plastic mags because they think they're stronger (if that was the case everyone would do it), they do it to save money...
 
Trigun said:
Let say a steel magazine will deform under pressure or heavy dropped but polymar won't. Polymar flame is stronger than Aluminium and lighter than Aluminum.

Trigun
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One word. "Thermolds." :p

Ok, not a fair comparison, but not all plastic mags are bulletproof (pardon the pun.) And there are new Scandnium (sp?) framed autos that will give polymer frames a run for the money. Light and strong, but not cheap.
 
IM_Lugger said:
Glock doesn't make plastic mags because they think they're stronger (if that was the case everyone would do it), they do it to save money...
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Steel mags are not necessarily stronger, as they have a tendency to crack at the welds. Polymer mags have no such problem, obviously. And Glock is not the only company to use polymer mags; HK uses them too.
 
capp325 said:
Steel mags are not necessarily stronger, as they have a tendency to crack at the welds. Polymer mags have no such problem, obviously. And Glock is not the only company to use polymer mags; HK uses them too.
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Never seen a busted HK mag?
 
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