Use of plastic in top competition pistols

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

I have recently learned that the Morini 162 and the latest Feinwerkbau have plastic trigger guards.

I believe the trigger blade on the Steyr LP2 is also made of plastic. I've even read that the trigger housing on the LP10 is made of plastic.

I assume this has to do with weight reduction and balance. And the use of good quality plastic is not a problem for me. When I lived abroad I owned a Glock, and loved it.

However this got me thinking about just how much synthetic is used in modern target guns, and where it is found, apart from in obvious components like seals and o rings.

[1066]

I would think there's also a very significant profit incentive too. Injection moulded and more recently, high quality 3D printed parts, must be so much cheaper to produce.. Any manufacturer will try and produce an acceptable item at the lowest possible manufacturing cost..

I see there's now a company that will 3D print a "wooden" grip. Printed in wood fibre filament and measurements taken from a scan of your hand.

[Bjacobs571]

I don't think that plastic is acceptable in a pistol costing £1400+ although my Hammerli AP40 does have a plastic grips, but it is a very good grip and not part of the pistol you expect to be made of metal. if they want to save money it means they are not trying to produce the best pistol possible.

[bullbarrel]

Similar letter in a recent Guns and Ammo magazine but in fullbore pistols and rifles. Saying the plastic is strong enough and wears too easily.

[1066]

I don't think that plastic is acceptable in a pistol costing £1400+ although my Hammerli AP40 does have a plastic grips, but it is a very good grip and not part of the pistol you expect to be made of metal. if they want to save money it means they are not trying to produce the best pistol possible.

I don't think they are trying to produce the best pistol possible.
They are trying to produce a pistol that that gives maximum profit for the company - That is their "raison d'etre ". They produce a pistol that keeps up with the competition in that price bracket for the minimum price.

If they were trying to make the best pistol possible the bits that are plastic would probably be made of Titanium etc. the pistol would then cost £5,000 and no one would buy it.

The Chinese could probably produce a fake that would be almost impossible to tell from the real one and sell for about £150.

[zooma]

I don't think they are trying to produce the best pistol possible.
They are trying to produce a pistol that that gives maximum profit for the company - That is their "raison d'etre ". They produce a pistol that keeps up with the competition in that price bracket for the minimum price.

If they were trying to make the best pistol possible the bits that are plastic would probably be made of Titanium etc. the pistol would then cost £5,000 and no one would buy it.

The Chinese could probably produce a fake that would be almost impossible to tell from the real one and sell for about £150.

Who do we ask in China?......sounds like a good idea

[1066]

Who do we ask in China?......sounds like a good idea

http://shop.ehobbyasia.com/target-sh...l#.WP5lxYWcHcs

Just need to add a Walther barrel for about £50 and adjust the internals and away you go.

[Modski66]

The Boeing Dreamliner and the Airbus XWB have a lot of 'plastic' in them to save weight...