Polymer80, Spectre Frame

[Psychbiker]

Almost bought a $95 spectre v1 but came across this thread. Should I wait? I was going to have to sand it down anyway for my hand size. Wonder if waiting is a good idea.

[Nelson_2016]

Almost bought a $95 spectre v1 but came across this thread. Should I wait? I was going to have to sand it down anyway for my hand size. Wonder if waiting is a good idea.

If you can get it for no more than $100, and you don't mind having to shim the trigger housing and buying shorter screws, e.g., from McMaster Carr (or filing down the 1/4" screws down a little bit), I'd say buy it now.

And then if they ever address the issues in a future version, you can always get another one and just transplant the parts into it.

[Kayo Kelly]

Almost bought a $95 spectre v1 but came across this thread. Should I wait? I was going to have to sand it down anyway for my hand size. Wonder if waiting is a good idea.

Waiting is always a good idea with any purchase when you are unsure!

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[jakeair777]

It's been 4 months since Polymer80 released their new full size frame designed to accept the Glock 17/22 barrel/slide. I've seen a couple of videos explaining options to finish the polymer frame, and now thinking of ordering a frame to complete it myself. Although I own and disassembled many Glocks, I'd hate to invest what could end up equaling the cost of a new Glock and be disappointed with the end result. I thought I'd first ask for the following feedback from those of you that have had a change to finish the Polymer80 Spectre frame.

1. Did you use OEM frame parts, or aftermarket parts, e.g., lone wolf?
2. Did you have fitting issues, and if you called the company for technical assistance were they helpful?
3. How did the gun function after all the frame parts were installed?
4. After shooting the gun, are you noticing any wear on the rear "polymer" slide rail? I realize the locking block is metal, but metal rubbing on polymer won't wear very well .... even though other manufacturers frame are made the same way.

Also, I was advised Polymer80 is in the process of modifying their Spectre frame due to some technical issue associated with their early release of their frame. Has anyone had a problem and know what this is about?

1. I used aftermarket slide and barrel but all glock factory slide internals
2. no fitting issues. i made my tolerences tighter than the jig specified and adjusted from there
3. shot just like a glock 17, lockup is a little more rough but all over a good gun
4. i was also concerned about the rear slide rail but after 200+ rounds i see no noticeable wear.

all together it was a fun project and i regret nothing

[Nelson_2016]

...i made my tolerences tighter than the jig specified and adjusted from there...

The jig doesn't really "specify any tolerances", does it? All it basically does is locate the pin holes and make it easier to hold the frame squarely in a vise or whatever.

[TaylorNight]

Houston we have a problem!

I need some help guys!! I just finished my build and of course I have some challenges, not to mention the Poly80 has issues too. I am a newbie go forgive me in advance if I call parts by there wrong name...I am trying.

OK, so I think I have a trigger engagement issue. I can rack the slide back but it will not engage the trigger and then the slide is stuck on the lower. I then do full disassemble and only then can I get the slide off.

I place the shim(s) in the trigger housing area per the read. I have not called Spectre yet as it is the weekend. Will do first thing in the AM.

I continue to loosen it up, small files to the rear rails but still no engagement. Please advise or point a newbie in the right direction.

Thx!

[Kayo Kelly]

Houston we have a problem!

I need some help guys!! I just finished my build and of course I have some challenges, not to mention the Poly80 has issues too. I am a newbie go forgive me in advance if I call parts by there wrong name...I am trying.

OK, so I think I have a trigger engagement issue. I can rack the slide back but it will not engage the trigger and then the slide is stuck on the lower. I then do full disassemble and only then can I get the slide off.

I place the shim(s) in the trigger housing area per the read. I have not called Spectre yet as it is the weekend. Will do first thing in the AM.

I continue to loosen it up, small files to the rear rails but still no engagement. Please advise or point a newbie in the right direction.

Thx!

If you didnt yet figure it out, be sure the rear of the handle has been milled correctly. It will be sloppy compared to a 1911. It will look deep and too thin. I used a micro file kit from Harbor Freight to be sure the rails were clean. Slow and careful is not a bad thing. Once you are able to shoot it you may have battery problems. That means the rails are still to rough and large.

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[TaylorNight]

Update: One step closer

Hi All,

Thanks Kayo and my NV friend! I also called support and basically said the same thing the thread states....thin to win!

I am using my mini files and I finally got it to charge the trigger and dry fire!! Woot...one step beyond (closer).

I can actually pull the slide off now too!! WooT! Two steps closer. Now jus have to go to range later.

Should I oil? I have SLIP 2000 EWL (extreme weapon lubricant)?

Thanks all
Steven
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Update: Here are pics of the rail when it was not working. And final gun pics.
See the attachments... hope it works.

[atlastrekker]

I filed mine down pretty far too. Mine went just like yours did, but I kept filing until it worked and now it runs like a top.

[Kayo Kelly]

Hi All,

Thanks Kayo and my NV friend! I also called support and basically said the same thing the thread states....thin to win!

I am using my mini files and I finally got it to charge the trigger and dry fire!! Woot...one step beyond (closer).

I can actually pull the slide off now too!! WooT! Two steps closer. Now jus have to go to range later.

Should I oil? I have SLIP 2000 EWL (extreme weapon lubricant)?

Thanks all
Steven
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Update: Here are pics of the rail when it was not working. And final gun pics.
See the attachments... hope it works.

One more word of advice, rack that slide a bunch. Repeatedly. Then pull it off and look at the rails on the handle. If you see peeling or curled polymer file it more. Then put the slide back on and do it more and take another look at the handle. Do it till that slide goes into battery easily. All the way forward. I use oil on mine but in my research I read the Glock is ment to fire dry and dirty.
In the process, I made a couple of upgrades. All purchased from Glockstore.com
Pyramid Trigger
Extended slide lock
Tungsten guide rod
I like them all. My "Not a Glock" works well now.

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[Nelson_2016]

Another Polymer80 "Spectre" Issue That Concerns Me

I noticed that, compared to a pistol with a factory Glock frame, the locked barrel and slide of a Spectre based pistol don't travel as far to the rear before beginning to unlock.

This concerns me.

I haven't tried to do any calculations yet, so I don't know if I should worry about it very much, but the fact that it seems noticeably different than a factory Glock pistol does raise a flag, IMO.

It seems the distance that the locked barrel and slide will travel to the rear together before beginning to unlock depends on the distance between the tip of the "wedge" of the "locking" block and the rear face of the slide lock.

When I measure this distance on an assembled Glock factory frame, it's about 0.473"; whereas on a Spectre frame, it's about 0.436".

Another conspicuous difference between a factory Glock and a Spectre, is the wedge angle of the locking block. This angle is significantly larger on the factory Glock. And to me this implies that Polymer80 recognized that they had an "issue" and they tried to compensate for it by making it unlock more slowly (as a function of displacement to the rear) to compensate for the earlier engagement of the wedge and barrel.

So Polymer80 didn't just copy the Glock action; they partly re-engineered it, IMO. This worries me, firstly because I don't trust them. I hope they hired a competent mechanical engineer with firearms design experience to work out the details, but you never know.

For all we know, the action of a Spectre based pistol may be unlocking while at a significantly higher chamber pressure than a factory Glock. This may not pose much of a safety hazard, under "normal" conditions depending on details, but it may make the pistol an inferior host for a suppressor, for example.

I'm wondering, has anyone fired any hot loads of a Spectre-based pistol?

[Kayo Kelly]

Hopefully v1.5 addresses the issues. I do like the idea of 80%ers. I just dont like being the Gunnea Pig. Even worse paying for it.

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[Nelson_2016]

The more I look at this Spectre frame, the more I don't like it.

Do you have a Glock frame to look at for comparison purposes? If so, look at the channel that holds the slide lock; particularly look at the thickness of the front wall of the channel on the two frames.

The front wall on the Glock frame is much thicker than that of the Spectre frame. I wonder: Why would Polymer80 deviate from a proven design and instead make this area of the frame so thin, considering the forces that are exerted on it?

I'm beginning to think that "Polymer80" is just a bunch of teenagers fooling around out in the garage.

[Awesomesauce]

I am going to go out on a limb here and "guess" that they couldn't exactly copy all aspects of the OEM Glock frame due to Intellectual Property claims.

I don't think bad mouthing the Poly80 folks is really going to positively contribute to our ongoing thread. Constructive criticism on the other hand IS needed, especially if they (Poly80) are going to make a G19 version that is better quality than the issues we are working around with the current Spectre.

I was an early adopter and bought in during pre-production, so I accepted the risk.

I appreciate the information you posted earlier (as well as everyone else's posts), and look forward to your lessons learned and range-reports since I will incorporate them into my build efforts.

Oh by the way- Poly80 folks if you are paying attention, please incorporate the cast-in-place 3.7 ounce steel piece in your future builds that is able to be electo-etched or engraved.

[Nelson_2016]

I am going to go out on a limb here and "guess" that they couldn't exactly copy all aspects of the OEM Glock frame due to Intellectual Property claims.

Being an unsupported and unlikely bare assertion, I agree; that really is going out on a limb.

I don't think bad mouthing the Poly80 folks is really going to positively contribute to our ongoing thread.

You have your opinion and I have mine.

Constructive criticism on the other hand IS needed, especially if they (Poly80) are going to make a G19 version that is better quality than the issues we are working around with the current Spectre.

Now that they see they have such a captive, gullible audience, how do you know it won't be worse? What they need is serious competition.

I was an early adopter and bought in during pre-production, so I accepted the risk.

Reasonable risk is one thing, incompetence and lousy business ethics are something else.