Polymer/Metal

[Popeye]

Own both like both. As long as it goes bang when I want it to I'm good. If I had to choose one though steel/alloy hammer fired is the way I'd go.

[berettabone]

Many folks are obsessed with weight. There is a place for light weight handguns. People that pocket carry benefit a lot for the lighter weight, folks that use ankle holsters benefit from the lighter weight.

I don't pocket carry and don't even like the concept myself. Wearing a belt and a proper holster a steel gun works just as well and much my preference.
Sitting all the time my ankle gun could easily be a steel gun, for many years it was a K40 and off and on an officer size 1911. But I'm not a good example of the ankle thing since I don't move my legs and really don't know they are there.
A walking guy with the leg swing and movement would benefit much from a light gun. My ankle gun now of course is a PM45 mostly cause they don't make a K or MK 45. If they do the PM45 may want to worry some but at the same time I like it enough that it might be viable long into the future.

Many of the same folks are obsessed with small guns too. I don't really subscribe to that either. Again if they want to pocket carry, size matters.
A proper holster on a proper belt allows a lot more lee way in size.

I like the feel and comfort of a commander on my hip.

I think it was Clint Smith who said a gun should be comforting not comfortable but I find it very much both and it usually will go unnoticed by both myself and others as well, emphasis on the others.

I do pocket carry an all steel MK9............just sayin..........

[muggsy]

Both polymer and steel guns have their advantages and disadvantages. I have both polymer and steel guns and enjoy them equally. I can see no reason for all this debate. This is America. Shoot what you want to shoot.

[ltxi]

Plastic no longer equates to bakelite and oil cloth. Just sayin'.

[berettabone]

I have been shooting handguns off and on for 35+ years. By no means an expert though. Always learning. I have owned one partial polymer firearm, an SR40. Sold it. I currently own all metal firearms, and have no plans to purchase a polymer firearm. Besides the weight issue, I have not found a single reason to own a polymer firearm. Am I missing something? I just cannot think of another reason to own one. This may have been discussed before, haven't looked back to prior posts. Thoughts?

This wasn't a debate....................it was just a simple observation/question...........besides the --weight--, why would you want a polymer firearm? If you don't really know, or don't have an opinion, then let it go.

[ParabellumJ]

Polymer/Metal

Own both like both. As long as it goes bang when I want it to I'm good. If I had to choose one though steel/alloy hammer fired is the way I'd go.

+1. My thoughts exactly. If I carry it all day I want light weight polymer. Otherwise I like the weight of an all steel gun.

[berettabone]

So, what I am learning, is that BESIDES the weight, which was the original question.....no one so far, has a real reason, other than weight, for owning a polymer firearm. No one mentioned grip, which was a surprise. Cost was mentioned. No one mentioned life of firearm. This is why I asked the question, for opinions, not certain people getting their jockey's in a bundle......................

[jocko]

never seen a polymer gun worn out, not like the barrel is made of plastic, so thegrip portion should have no more wear than a steel gun IMO. as far as grip hell they can make any polymer gun the same grip configuration as any steel gun, . cost, one wouldthink polymer would cost less and basically they do but not buy much. I doubt if the material in a steel gun is that much more expensive, alot of investment casting in steel guns today, so similar to polymer molds sh!t.

Weight has to be the real reasonwhy anyone would go with a poly gun. Was for me, asI never had anything against a steel gun. I still love um today but just wont carry one when I can carry my pMJ9.

I do not thik I would own a poly wheelgun but like O'dell stated, I have owned alot of allow J frames and loved them probably more than any gun I ever owned. Just sumpin about a J frame that grabs ones nuts. Just sayin

[b4uqzme]

but I just LIKE metal! Every time I think about a polymer gun I run across another steel one and buy that instead.

Agree with Jocko. You kinda hand-cuffed us leaving out the weight issue. Other than that, the only other valid reasons are "personal preference".

[chrish]

I don't have anything steel and have never owned anything steel. Why? Point? My Kahrs are polymer, CZ is alum, .22 rifle is polymer, aluminum, graphite. I may end up with some steel in a bolt action gun soon, but guaranteed it'll be a polymer stock. I don't do 'black rifles', but if I did, it'd be a new Windham Carbon. Before Kahr, I owned S&W airweights, aluminum and/or alloy.

There are more and more aluminum or alloy frame guns out there too. Take the CZ P-01, 4 ounces lighter than it's Sig P229 equivalent. Closer to (or below) the weight of many of its polymer competitors (M&P, XD/XDm, etc). Still not a Glock at that weight, but a sub 30oz all metal gun? Not bad.

I don't have anything against any particular material, but never run across a steel gun ( that I _NEEDED_ ) that there wasn't a better or equivalent alternative in polymer or aluminum. I'm a weight nut, I want everything light, always have. It all carries back to my backpacking days and wanting something to keep my load down. But I don't see any real advantage to steel over polymer/aluminum. It's double the amount of care to deal with rust prevention, cleaning, etc. Polymer is easier to care for out of sheer volume of material. From a durability standpoint, either is going to outlast even the young shooter. I've seen pictures of metal frames cracked. A cracked frame is a fluke either way.

Dunno. I just don't care I guess. As long as I have something that's comfortable to carry (cuz a gun left at home is useless), I'm good. If that's means polymer, okey dokey, aluminum, sure...steel, probably not cuz its never gonna be lightweight.

For the sake of a snarky comment, we don't ride a horse-n-buggy or poop in an outhouse anymore either. Well, jocko, Bawanna, and ltxi might, but they are a different breed and you can't teach old dogs new tricks.

[b4uqzme]

Yeah but a horse and buggy gets better gas mileage than today's Prius or Insight. Dumb analogy ==> dumber answer.

No offense meant

[Bawanna]

So whats so wrong about an outhouse anyhow, never have to use a plunger.

With my luck if I had a horse and buggy I'd have to put the horse down for something, I'm not really lucky when it comes to transportation.

[chrish]

Yeah but a horse and buggy gets better gas mileage than today's Prius or Insight. Dumb analogy ==> dumber answer.

No offense meant

None taken, hehe. And when the horse dies, it doesn't leak battery acid into the ground or require thousands of dollars to dispose of it. Green ain't always as green as greenies think it is.

[berettabone]

This wasn't a reading test, but some got it and some didn't.........my original question never said "steel"...it said "metal"............

[Armybrat]

One thing for sure, if my gun ran out of bullets I'd rather hit the bad guy upside his head with my Ruger SP101 than my CW45.