How long will polymer pistols last?

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  • ericoak

    don't drop Aboma on me
    Feb 20, 2010
    6,806
    Howard County
    Are there any estimates out there for how long polymer frame handguns can survive? I love polymer frame guns, but will they keep trucking 100+ years later like a steel 1911? I am not referring to damage from use, more long term degradation of the plastic itself. Even though I am young, I am starting to consider the importance of being able to pass down firearms that future generations might not be able to buy.
     

    BradMacc82

    Ultimate Member
    Industry Partner
    Aug 17, 2011
    26,177
    That is an interesting question.

    There's a lot of testing done to see how they'd handle duty use and abuse, but I'm not aware of any estimates on how long the polymer itself could last.
     

    aquaman

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 21, 2008
    7,499
    Belcamp, MD
    That is an interesting question.

    There's a lot of testing done to see how they'd handle duty use and abuse, but I'm not aware of any estimates on how long the polymer itself could last.

    The oldest Glock 17s are very early 80's. If we could locate a large sample size we could get some kind of idea.
     

    Minuteman

    Member
    BANNED!!!
    Great question.

    I've owned one of the first for well over 20 years and I see no degradation.

    In many firearms, it seems to me that the poly is less brittle and gives it - a little more flexibility after the shot, so the recoil and affect on the firearm is a tad bit less.

    who knows?
     
    Dec 31, 2012
    6,704
    .
    Keep the strong solvents and UV off of the plastic to extend life expectancy. There's still functional bakelite plastic and the landfills are full of so called 1000 year plastic. The polymer should hold up against time well enough to see multiple generations but once you add wear and tear stresses things change. Treat it well, shoot it less, pass it on, or just buy stainless and worry less.
     

    jaybee

    Ultimate Member
    interesting point

    well steel is good for hundreds of years if maintained
    plastic etc does get brittle with time

    I checked and it is 97 years 341 days and 22 hours and 36 minutes

    get back to me after that time if I am wrong

    :D
     

    mtel

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 21, 2012
    1,071
    Virginia
    I'd wager some manufacturers must do accelerated weathering tests but actual real-time wear? I suppose that's TBD for another several decades.

    I'm no statistician but I'd think you'd have to get to that 50 - 100 year mark before seeing some usable data for estimating life expectancy.

    Not a clue... :shrug:
     

    Gryphon

    inveniam viam aut faciam
    Patriot Picket
    Mar 8, 2013
    6,993
    When it finally evaporates don't forget to notify MSP with 48 hours :)
     

    AlpineDude67

    Active Member
    Feb 17, 2013
    771
    I think if you want to buy something for future generations, it should be made from something with a demonstrated lifespan. Polymer guns don't have one yet. Polymer isn't even one thing, it is just a short-hand term for lots of different compounds used by various manufacturers. I am sure some formulations will age better than others, and all of them are going to be impacted by how much exposure they get to UV rays. Whether that means an effective lifespan of 50 years, 100 years, 200 years, 500 years, nobody really knows. The things just haven't been around long enough.

    So if you want something to pass down, I wouldn't buy polymer. That said, think about how useful a civil war era musket would be to you today. That is probably about how useful a Glock 17 will be to future generations in 150 years. Either technological advancement will make it woefully obsolete, or some disaster will mean people are shooting bows and arrows at each other and don't even know what a gun is, much less how to make reliable ammo for it. Those are the most likely scenarios - so buy what you like and enjoy it while you are here.
     

    Jim12

    Let Freedom Ring
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2013
    33,860
    I think Obama's EPA now requires them all to have the recyclable materials triangle, and a "use by" expiry date encoded in the serial number. See your owners manual. : -)
     

    Bob A

    όυ φροντισ
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
    30,687
    I have an HK P9S from the early 1970s; it's polymer/steel. No sign of deterioration, 40+ years.

    Of course, it's kept indoors, stable temp, out of the sun. All these factors could influence longevity.
     

    smokey

    2A TEACHER
    Jan 31, 2008
    31,412
    In terms of long-term damage to firearms, it's probably much more probable the gun would suffer from some form of corrosion damage than a degradation of the polymer. Luckily, most modern polymer-framed guns have very good surface treatments like tennifer and melonite to offset that form of damage.
     

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