Polymer guns. Will they last?

[Dannicus]

Sorry if this has probably been discussed here before.

I personally love polymer guns. The Glock 26 that I carry everyday is the best CCW pistol I can imagine. My concern is wether or not polymer will degrade over time. I'm talking about generations.

Growing up, guns had a historical air about them. Guys would show off old guns that their grandpa brought back from the war or got in a trade during the depression. These guns would shoot like the day they were unwrapped from the wax paper.

Part of me feels like polymer will just get brittle after 40 or 50 years. The plastics we use today are very different from those made some 30 years ago that are brittle and fragile now. How do we know what will happen to the frame of a Glock after a generation?

[Chaos47]

Plastics have changed a ton over the past 100 years. Early ones like Bakelite are still around and kicking and they where just sawdust and resin.

They say it takes hundreds to a thousand years for a simple water bottle to break down so I would think the advanced polymers used in firearms will last much longer...

[voiceofreason]

The first gen Glocks with over 100k rounds through them will go first.

I haven't heard of any issues outside of normal wear and tear, so they're probably good for at least 30 years IMO.

[Legasat]

There will likely be replacement frames made of something we can't even imagine yet. With that said, having a couple of steel handguns around too ain't a bad idea...

[Merc1138]

Have 100+ year old wood stocks all degraded? They're more susceptible to environmental damage than most polymers, yet plenty of them have survived(some get beat to hell with use, some look amazing). Even the polymer finishes on those wood stocks have lasted quite a while.

[mexicancolt1]

Enjoy your Poly weapons. You'll be dead before they turn to Shxxxt. I own a first year Glock. Lost track of rounds down pipe. Still an amazing pistol.

[MXRider]

I own a 21 year old Glock 17 that is still going strong. I'm confident I'll be able to pass it on to my kids one day.

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[G60]

Firearms are consumables.

[paul0660]

a thousand years for a simple water bottle to break down

Believing that is a problem. In a year, exposed to sunlight, a water bottle disappears.

Polymer guns are going to last for hundreds of years. Doesn't mean you should get one in the first place.

[ClarenceBoddicker]

I would keep them out of the sunlight or UV light as much as possible though to be on the safe side. The US military supposedly has a chemical weapon that was designed to melt tires & gas masks. It will probably melt a Glock also. That's why I have all metal guns like the High Power, in case my Glocks get melted.

[xtra870]

I think the only way they would become brittle and fragile is if they were left in the sunlight or exposed to the elements for months or years but general gun maintnence and care they will probably be fine for a loooong time

[InGrAM]

We will see in the next 30 years or so what happens to the gen 1 glocks and other similar polymer pistols.

[drdanno84]

Proof plastic doesn't last indefinetly

[The War Wagon]

Nah. Just a passing fad.

[MXRider]

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Right, because a metal frame pistol or rifle has never failed in the same way.