Plastic?

[Garvin]

I've noticed the tolerance on here for plastic is low. I totally agree. I understand why manufacturers have used it for economy but would always rather pay a bit more myself.

Otherwise, I can just about tolerate plastic on metal triggers where the point is to keep cold metal away from warm fingers, but that's about it!

I can live with the early type of plastic - bakelite - though I always prefer horn or wood.

I'm fine with steel casting and machined steel. On a sliding scale, my least preferred material is plastic or ABS, then pot metal, then lightweight alloy, then brass, then steel.

[Muskett]

I just detest anything that self destructs over time, or in the sunlight. Such horrid materials have crept in over the years, though it started a good while back.

[eyebull]

It can be a fantastic material for stocks, when done right (thinking in particular of the superb synthetic stocks that used to be on the BSA Ultra and Lightning), or on some contact parts, but I generally don't want to see it anywhere near actions or mechanisms.
I think I dislike mazak and other pot metals more intensely though. Hateful stuff.

[45flint]

May hatred of plastics probably stems from how it seemed to overtake America airguns over time, especially Crosman. It’s probably why my collection now is focused on prewar. But even then the rare Tell 3 pistol grip just doesn’t make it for me. Thus the Haenel 28R is held in higher esteem in my camp? (Forgot it’s my emoji)

[ogilkes]

I quite like ABS or synthetic stocks for specific use purposes, but plastic sights and especially plastic triggers (shuuder) are abominations. That said I do own a few cheap rifles encased in plastic, mainly because I wanted to see how they worked. Particularly fond of a Stoeger silencer model, but overall nothing beats nice wood and steel - and a bit of alloy.

[Garvin]

especially plastic triggers (shuuder) are abominations.

This is so true. When I bought my FWB Sport Mk1 new I was dismayed to find it had a plastic trigger, although fortunately it didn't break. I replaced it 25 years later with a lovely wide alloy Jim Maccari one and it transformed the gun. What a stupid decision that was in the 1970s by a company famed for its careful choices!




The company made a similar choice later on the FWB 90 pistol, though it's more of a plastic shoe than the complete trigger and it rectified the mistake quickly, apparently.

[Hsing-ee]

Ideally an air-rifle or pistol would be made of BLUED steel, wood and maybe as Garvin suggests, a small amount of horn or mother-of-pearl. Ideally it would go together without any bolts pins or screws like a Mauser 1896 pistol.

Even if it is structurally sound, like with the polymer Glocks etc are made of, plastic gives the thing a 'disposable' impression.

Modern plastic stocks are OK, I have one on my BSA Scorpion. The one on my old Hammerli 420 is fragile and has cracked in some places.

[Geezer]

I think I too dislike Zamak more than plastic (at least good plastic). With use, it has the robustness of a Pringle.

[45flint]

Have issues with castings as well. I know the love out there for the Crosman 600 but castings just doesn’t make it for me.

[ogilkes]

So what we mostly want is an old guy in a brown coat with half moon glasses, beautifully cutting bar stock into marvels of the machinists art, while his almost identical colleague hand finishes walnut stocks all to make a rifle costing a couple of hundred quid?

[Geezer]

Have issues with castings as well. I know the love out there for the Crosman 600 but castings just doesn’t make it for me.

It’s fine except where it obviously will break when used for stress-bearing parts. Which is sadly too true with many guns. The 600 appears not to be one of those.