The name Glock is synonymous with Polymer handguns and many in the Airsoft and real steel shooting world think that Glock produced the first plastic gun.
Not true. Apparently, Remington introduced a 0.22 rifle called the Nylon 66 back in the late 1950's and it is often thought that this was the first use of a plastic frame.
Heckler & Koch came with their Polymer VP70 9mm pistol in 1968. Designed by the great H&K designer Helmut Weldle, it really was ahead of its time. Unfortunately, they only made around 400 units so it never really caught on.
The Glock 17 followed in 1985 and Gaston Glock certainly seemed to accelerate the use of Polymers in the firearms arena. Now in the 21st century, most weapons manufacturers have adopted the use of Polymer in their designs to some extent.
Polymer allows the weapon to be lighter and cheaper to produce.
It is argued by real steel "gun-buffs" that you get a greater muzzle lift when firing a Polymer weapon because of the different inertia and so they are less accurate. Also, there is talk of them being more susceptible to overheating with the potential for expansion and cracking due to temperature variations. Some critics say that metal shooting components sitting on top of the lighter Polymer frame and grip, raise the centre of gravity and this makes it harder to keep a handgun on target.
However, it seems to be generally accepted that their lighter weight, lower cost and greater short term durability in terms of resistance to corrosion means that they are here to stay. Certainly, Polymer is gaining popularity in the personal weapons market in countries like the USA where owners seem to prefer carrying something lightweight and are voting with their wallets.
Doubting Thomases have been vocal about the projected service life of Polymer, stating that as a relatively new construction material, its longevity is unproven and ask, will it last as long as a steel or alloy gun ?
Modern Polymer guns are modular and although it has been said that the plastic frame might crack or deform with age or misuse, its relatively inexpensive to buy a new replacement plastic part.
As was mentioned in an earlier post on this blog, Gaston Glock began in the plastics industry in his native Austria and entered the military world by supplying plastic entrenching tools to the army. His expertise in plastics probably brought a fresh eye to the subject.
There is a mystery around the exact make-up of the Polymer used in Glock pistols, but it is believed that he doesn't use glass strands in his material, in order to minimise problems in the extreme cold. Also, the flexibility allows some recoil to be absorbed by the flexing itself, so there is less "felt recoil" for the shooter.
As we go forward, new assault rifles coming on to the scene are making increasing use of Polymers, mainly to reduce weight. When an infantryman has so much else to carry over long distances, every little reduction counts.
Polymer is also being used to produce rifle magazines and it is even being used in the tips of bullets to aid flight and energy transfer on penetration.
As a material in the firearms industry, its definitely here to stay and no doubt, technology advances will yield improvements in plastic gun construction over the coming years.
Personally, I have Airsoft weapons like the H&K UMP in my collection where the upper and lower receiver, stock and mag is Polymer. Its light and works well, but as a traditionalist, I prefer the heavier feel of a steel and wooden model.
If I had to carry it everywhere with me, all day - well that would be different wouldn't it ??
