No one knows because the Remington Mohawk rifles are still going strong and look how long since they first came out. They probably will outlast you and I don't know your age.

 

I would worry more about being hit in the head by a wheel falling off a passing airliner overhead. Buy your self a P95, and plan on your children having it after your gone.

 

I would worry more about being hit in the head by a wheel falling off a passing airliner overhead.

Great! Now I won’t sleep at night!

Buy your self a P95, and plan on your children having it after your gone.

My son doesn’t want to wait until I am gone to get my P95! Should I be worrying about that too?


Whitedog,

I have two polymer framed pistols and am not concerned about wear. I have well over 3,000 rounds through my MKIII 22/45 so this gun has been disassembled and reassembled many times with no indication of wear. The P95 is still under 500 rounds so it is too new to be used as an example.

Many folks I know have polymer framed firearms and none complain of wear or damage. Many plastics are polymers but not all polymers are plastic. The ones used in firearms, at least Ruger firearms, are thermosetting synthetic polymers that are very heat resistant and won’t melt under normal use. Actually, many thermosetting polymers will break down rather than melt and only at high temperatures. They are also strong so will not break easily. The loss of volatiles (“solvents”) is not a characteristic of most thermosetting polymers and most are not photo chemically reactive (break down from sunlight). Use the right cleaning and lubrication products and they will last for many years.

 

SR-9 slides on steel rails, not the poly!!

 

After 15,000 rounds on a P95DC, there was no wear to poly rails. My support of the P95 over the SR9 is simply because the P95 does have a good track record, NEVER had a recall and the lack of a track record for the SR9. It may well prove to be a fine addition to the Ruger line, but it has not yet.

 

The everyday grocery plastic bag lasts hundreds of years in garbage landfills.

The average polymer pistol frame should last at least as long.

 

whitedog,

Don't buy ANYTHING that P95DC says....
He has a bad habit of telling the truth....lol
I got just over 30 years working in a "PLASTIC's" factory....

P95DC only lied once.
"Buy your self a P95, and plan on your children having it after your gone."

A dozen years of working with Polymers in the lab,
Think Not yer KIDS/YER Grandkids inheriting the guns.

You will become brittle long before a RUGER polymer frame does!

 

All materials have their nemesis.
Many people fear plastics partly because they have not been around for as many years so they are advancing every day. The plastics used today are substantially better than those used in the past.

If your worried about solvents degrading the plastic the think about this next time your in the store.

Rubbing alcohol comes in a plastic container.
Motor Oil comes in a plastic container.
Mineral Spirits come in a plastic container.


Buy it and shoot it until its worn out. Chances are your metal parts will wear faster.

 

The biggest single issue with polymer, plastic, rubber, and composite material in guns is ACCEPTANCE. Some of you old farts (like me) may remember when S&W introduced the Model 60 in 1965 ... the first production gun on the market made out of stainless steel. At the time, most gun owners were locked into blued guns with wood grips. We bad mouthed stainless guns with comments about wearing out faster, galling, looks, etc and just knew stainless guns would not stay on the market long. My how times have changed! 44 years later, stainless steel guns are by far the most popular handguns and are closing in on the rifle market too. It's getting where new blued guns are hard to find and in fact some models are only available in stainless ... think SP-101. Ruger has been the gun industry leader in cast stainless steel with their Pine Tree Casting factory.

Along came Gaston Glock in 1980 with his polymer frame Glock 17. By 1984 they were in full production and were introduced to the US market. In the early '90s, Glock pistols took over the market for law enforcement and are now the single biggest selling pistol world wide. Though 25 years isn't a huge amount of time, Glock proved polymer does indeed have a viable place in the gun market.

Here's some of the advantages with polymer frames: Polymer can be molded in just about any shape and can be machined to very exact tolerances. Polymer is much more resistant to body sweat, salt air, chemicals, and temperature extremes than any metal. Most things that will ruin a finish on a metal frame won't bother polymer at all ... like rust or corrosion. The color is molded in so if you get a scratch, it hardly shows, unlike a blued steel frame. Polymer is very strong and wear resistant .... more so than aluminum alloys and in some cases, better than steel. Weight is also a big advantage where polymer is way lighter than steel and rivals aluminum alloys. The cost to produce a polymer frame is a fraction that of steel or aluminum.

Many people don't understand polymer properties and fear excessive wear ... especially with the slide rails. First, polymer is "self lubricating" meaning you should not use oil or grease on slide rails ... just keep them clean and they will outlast aluminium and even steel. Again, most people don't understand how a pistol slide assembly interfaces with a frame. The barrel locks into the slide and because the sights are also on the slide, it operates as a "unit". If the slide fits loose on the frame rails ... no big deal and as the slide "wanders" a bit on the frame rails, the locked in barrel is still aligned perfectly with the sights. A loose slide-to-frame fit won't affect accuracy at all and might even improve reliability.

There are very few downsides to polymer. Some solvents will turn the surface white so you should avoid them. Carburetor cleaner, brake cleaner, and other non-gun products should be avoided in all guns but especially polymer frame guns. Some other products such as Loc-Tite, MEK, and super glue can actually "melt" polymers so they should also be avoided.

My biggest complaint about polymer grip frames is the grips themselves and the "one size fits all" concept. Because the grips are molded in the frame and are not removable, it could be a disadvantage for people with anything but average sized hands.

Being an old fart, I'm in the "blued steel with wood grips" era but I've learned to accept stainless steel guns and will probably learn to accept polymer too.

 

Iowegan,
Yet another great post.

"My biggest complaint about polymer grip frames is the grips themselves and the "one size fits all" concept. Because the grips are molded in the frame and are not removable, it could be a disadvantage for people with anything but average sized hands."

AGREE.
My Ruger P95,
Original, pre-rail model...
I had 2 problems with at first.

If wet from snow or rain, slippery,and...
I got large hands ,not a perfect fit.
I got lucky...
Spent 15 bucks on a Hogue handall grip sleeve,
it never slips, and fits my hand perfect!

 

It might be a HK, SW, or Springfield instead of Ruger, but interchangeable backstraps are helping shooters get a better fit with polymer handguns. Also, don't rule out a grip sleeve as mentioned by GhosTT.

However, the first step is to handle several before deciding what to buy. I've shopped with a few newbie 9mm buyers who handled every 9mm in the store... when they find a good fit, it is evident by the expression on their face. And it just ocurred to me, that none have bought Glocks.

 

In my opinion, when looking for a handgun, look for fit first. I can shoot a lot of handguns, but I can shoot handguns that fit me a lot better than ones that don't. A handgun that fits your hand will just automatically point better, and you will enjoy shooting it more, as well an be more accurate with it. As was mentioned, when you get the right gun into your hands, you will know it. Good luck in find that special gun for you.