Plastic Pistols

[Dead Buff]

This maybe doesn't belong in the Hate section, but I hate plastic pistols. In this case: STI!!!

This weekends nationals a friend shot his STI/Caspian racer in .38 Stupid...many things contributed to what happened, but he had a case head blow when he pulled the trigger. All the gas and pressure vented into the mag...blowing the mag base off and all the insides out, but not before the mag body expanded enough to split the STI plastic grip at the rear into two pieces, blowing the 3-finger spring and mainspring housing out and away and blowing a piece of plastic out on the right side of the grip...cutting the shooters hand and upper lip. Only then did the mag part with the gun as well...had a real close-up view since I was the RO....

The case was prob weak from too many reloads and the 175+ PF didn't help the pressures, but the above can not happen with a steel gun...loose a mag, but not your hands!!!

[statichead2k]

Wow! My fiance had the same thing, sort of, happen with her STI limited in 40. We were at the practice range and a double charge of Tightgroup blew the snot out of the case. The plastic grip frame cracked in a couple of places, around the mag release and down by the bottom of the Mainspring housing, but it did stay together.

The next bullet in line took alot of damage from the gas and shrapnel, but the mag did not drop.

There was not a big enough piece of the case head to find, and the rest of the case stayed in the barrel. She had one or two small nicks on her face, but nothing more. I was really mostly impressed at how the gun stayed together.

Besides a new grip frame and extractor she is still using all of the parts.

I am not familar with 38 super but from my understanding it is not really possible to double charge and still seat the bullet. Still, it amazes me that a weak case would have that devestating of an effect. I used to want an open STI. That all steel open witness is looking much better now.

[Guest Larry Cazes]

I have seen similiar devastation to All steel 1911 framed guns. You just end up with split plastic or wooden grip panels and schrapnel from there. A case head seperation is a potentially dangerous event no matter what the design........Makes you think twice about cutting corners when inpecting cases and reloading, huh?

[diehli]

Makes you think twice about cutting corners when inpecting cases and reloading, huh?

That's what I was thinking.

[EricW]

If I have the choice, God forbid, of what gun to blow up in my hands - I'd take the plastic gun every time. Absorbing energy is just one thing that plastic does better. Especially the glass filled stuff STI uses.

[38supPat]

I've seen the results of steel 1911 coming apart after similar incidents. The wooden grips don't resist much energy. The one Glock I saw come apart did little damage, a blood blister and mild burns, but no splinters to pick out.

[Dead Buff]

Personally I was thinking along the line of a Para or Bul. The Para's grip is almost completely steel with some holes in it and if I understand correct, the Bul has Stainless Steel plates over which the polymer is moulded...

But ya, that case was loaded at least 50 times, but still looked good.

We do not have the capability to re-grow parts of our body, so let rather be careful.

The above incident happened with a STI and could have happened with any other gun. I'm just glad the guy walked away with minor cuts and a ego that will be battered for some time to come - we'll make sure of that....

[Skywalker]

From a theoretical viewpoint, I'd say that a steel-framed gun will not absorbe the explosion energy, it will re-direct it towards less strong parts and components.

Come think of it: it could act as a barrel.

I think I'd prefer a plastic frame rather than a steel one in that unpleasant event.