With all the firearms choices folks have today, we almost take for granted that it's always been this way. Even a couple of years ago, options were much more limited than what we enjoy now. Specifically, the arrival of polymer-framed pistols on the market opened up more opportunities for shooters. As a frame material, polymer gave consumers a lighter option over metal-framed handguns. History of Handgun Construction For hundreds of years, manufacturers constructed handgun
frames from steel or other metallic alloys due to their availability. While these materials were durable, they were heavy, and weighed shooters down. In the 1950s, aluminum started replacing steel frames in some designs. Aluminum is much lighter than steel and almost as durable. For over twenty years, aluminum was the go-to lightweight metal for handgun frame manufacturing.

A Rock Island 1911 GI .45 ACP pistol. The 1911 is a classic example of a durable yet heavy steel-framed handgun.

In 1970, German firearms maker Heckler and Koch (H&K)
introduced the VP70 polymer-framed handgun. In its military configuration, the VP70 featured a three-round burst firing capability and a shoulder stock for extra stability. While the VP70 was ahead of its time, the semi-automatic pistol version suffered from a terribly heavy trigger, and it fell out of favor. Polymer pistols would not gain popularity for over ten years. Pistols from an Austrian company named Glock
blasted onto the handgun scene in the early 1980s. Their 9mm
G17 combined an extremely rugged yet lightweight polymer frame and a much more usable trigger than the previous H&K VP70 pistol. As the first commercially successful polymer-framed pistol, Glock set the stage for these handguns moving forward. While these polymer-framed pistols did not replace metal-framed handguns, just as they still have not today, they did give consumers a lighter weight option.

A 5th Generation Glock 17 9mm pistol. Glocks brought a lightweight, yet durable option to the handgun market.

Pros and Cons of Metal-Framed Handguns There is nothing quite like the smooth operation of an all-metal handgun, whether the frame is steel or aluminum. A large amount of bearing surface between the frame and the slide plays a big part in this smoothness. The smoothness of metal-framed handguns certainly raises their level of refinement. Metal-framed handguns are usually a bit hefty. However, when it comes to shooting characteristics, weight is your friend. Weight counters the felt recoil and makes a pistol more comfortable to shoot. One can also fire heavier handguns faster since the slide flips less under recoil. The weight that makes metal-framed pistols so excellent for shooting is a hindrance when it comes to toting them around all day though. If a handgun is strictly for plinking on the range, weight is hardly an issue. However, once one starts to carry that bulky sidearm, they will wish it was lighter. The takeaway is that heavier pistols are more comfortable to shoot than carry.

The Sig Sauer P226 Legion 9mm pistol. This pistol features a lighter-weight aluminum frame.

Pros and Cons of Polymer-Framed Handguns As we established earlier, polymer-framed handguns are very light. When folks first encountered them in the 1970s and 1980s, they doubted their robustness because of their lightness. Naysayers asked, "How on earth could something this light hold up to the abuses of shooting?" Nearly 50 years later, we know that polymer-framed pistols are just as durable as their metal-framed counterparts at a fraction of the weight. The lightness of polymer-framed pistols makes them a dream to carry. Some are so light that it's easy to forget they are on one's person. If someone carries all day, every day, it pays to be weight conscious because a heavy handgun weighs you down. Just like the weight of metal-framed handguns helps them to shoot with less felt recoil, the lightness of polymer-framed pistols has an inverse effect. Polymer-framed sidearms are not overly punishing, but they do recoil more than heavier handgun alternatives.

The Canik TP9 Elite SC 9mm pistol is a tiny, lightweight polymer-framed pistol ideal for concealed carry.

Conclusion Options are fantastic, and folks have countless choices when it comes to selecting which frame material they prefer in a handgun. Often, it comes down to feel and the personal preference of the shooter. The important thing is that one makes an educated decision on the type of handgun they pick, and then carry it often. Shop our wide selection of pistols
for your next purchase.