"Six Perfect Polymers" by J.B. Wood -
Among the older handgun writers (and, alas, I am in that category), there are some who denigrate any construction that isn't steel and wood. Hey, a few of them even sneered when the first alloy frames came along. The late George Nonte once did a five-thousand-round comparison test of two identical pistols, one steel, and one alloy. For those too young to have seen that article (thirty years ago!), I will note that the alloy survived perfectly. And now, we have polymer frames. In the earliest applications (Hi-Standard Duramatic, 1954) the frame was indeed "plastic" in the old sense of the term. Like the stocks once used on some Savage shotguns and rifles, this material was relatively fragile. Even so, it was remarkably durable. Today, the term is "polymer," and the change in the terminology is appropriate. The material used now is quite different chemically, and added ingredients ("glass-filled" for example) have greatly increased the strength and flexibility. For handgun frames, polymer has many advantages. In manufacturing, it is much easier to pop the frame out of a mold than to cast and machine in metal. This lowers the cost. Also in polymer, you can do things in design that would be difficult in metal. |
 Six Perfect Polymers |
Obviously, a polymer frame can't rust. there is no need for separate grip panels, as these can be part of the main construction. Also obvious is the weight, much lighter than steel or alloy. And, the flexibility allows it to absorb impact that would deform a metal frame, and spring back to its original shape.
The downside list is fairly short. If you subject it to intense heat, it will melt. On the other hand, if you subject a steel or alloy frame to that much heat, the springs will soften. the other thing is the "feel" in the hand. Until you get used to them, the polymer-frame pistols tend to seem a little "top-heavy." When they are fully loaded, this factor disappears. .....
....Big-bore fans, here's the one for you, a compact polymer-frame .45 Auto, by master designer Nehemia Sirkis. Here at the start, let's avoid possible confusion about its origin. It was first produced in 1997 by Republic Arms of Chino, California. When Republic Arms went out of business, Cobra Enterprises purchased their parts and access to tooling. Cobra now manufactures their own model, the Patriot 45, which is very similar to the old Republic Arms Patriot.
The Patriot is striker fired, with an automatic internal striker block. The locking system is falling barrel with enclosed track in the barrel underlug. The DAO trigger action is continuous, with no reset. There is a single recoil spring, with a full length guide. Whatever polymer is used for the frame it is tough. The robust sized rails for the stainless steel slide are integral with the frame; there are no steel or alloy inserts. So far I have put about 300 rounds through my gun, including some fairly warm loads and the rails look just the same.
 The business end of the Patriot 45 |
The front of the trigger guard has cross ridges, but is not hooked. The front of the grip is finger-recessed with room for all three fingers of an average hand. The backstrap and the sides have good molded checkering. The square bottom of the steel magazine catch is recessed. There are no other external controls, making the whole thing very flat and concealable. In my early low-number pistol, the magazine was made from the top two-thirds of a regular 1911-pattern magazine., so the counterholes go all the way down. At the bottom, the floorplate is push-button removable. There is a low full-length sight rib on top of the slide, with lengthwise striations. The square post front sight is integral with the slide. The square notch rear is dove-tail mounted, adjustable laterally by loosening a vertical Allen screw. The vertically ridged trigger has a quick and easy pull and also a hesitation point when pulled slowly, so you can use the sights. Fired with the Federal 185-grain JHP, the Patriot made one amazing 1.13 inch group at 15 yards, just below center, touching the black. Shooting .45 in a 20-ounce compact pistol, the felt recoil was about what you would expect, but it was not unpleasant. I have fired another compact .45, almost identical in size and weight, with which the felt recoil fell into the "nasty" category.... |