Extreme cold & polymer frame pistols

O

Onward Allusion

New member
As winter is approaching up North, the temps around here can stay below zero for days at a time. Would a polymer pistol stored in a car trunk be more likely to suffer stress damage when fired completely cold?
 
Would a polymer pistol stored in a car trunk be more likely to suffer stress damage when fired completely cold?
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More likely? Absolutely.

Are the odds of an actual failure so low, as to not be a consideration?

Absolutely.
 
The best thing to do (assuming the information isn't in your manual--and it usually isn't) is to contact the manufacturer and ask them what the recommended operating temperature range for your pistol is.
 
troy_mclure

i froze my xd in a block of ice for the torture test, busted the ice and shot it.
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I doubt it got below zero, unless you had a spl freezer. And why did you (If you really did) do that?
 
i read about it on the glock torture test, so i went a step further. i did have it in a z-lok bag, and had to buts the block of ice from around it.
 
Liquid nitrogen "Bad :D" Cold winter weather, not so bad. It's worst on you than your gun. :rolleyes: But if your really worried, put a pair of "grip muffs" and "barrel thermals" on it and it should survive winter.:(
 
Elvishead said:
I doubt it got below zero, unless you had a spl freezer. And why did you (If you really did) do that?
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Typically, the MAXIMUM temperature for a freezer, ANY freezer, is zero. The normal range is zero to minus 10.
 
I can imagine two problems: the polymer becomes brittle and cracks, or it shrinks at different rate than metal, causing separations.

I figure it's only a concern in arctic/antarctic temp extremes, if there. I'd be interested in mfr's recommendations.
 
I have never owned a polymer handgun,sothis is just a thought.

Where steel and polymer are bonded together,hey expand at different rates.

I saw a high quality(Mad River)Royalex canoe that cracked at every gunwale screw during a Montana winter.MFG advise,loosen the screws.

Does this apply,I don't know.
 
The reason why this came up...

I had lasers/light combos (plastic/polymer & steel housing) attached to a .45 and a .40, and the pistols sat in my car over night in temps just below freezing. When I took it to the range the next morning, I shot both pistols *completely cold* and after a few mags one of the laser's mounting bracket cracked/flew off from the recoil. I initially took it to be a fluke, but then after a couple of mags on the .40 the same thing happen to the other laser!!! The things were not overtightened either...

These were two different brands of lasers/lights and I've installed the same models on other pistols without issues. However, this was the ONLY time that I had shot totally cold pistols that sat overnight in the trunk in below freezing temps.

This got me thinking as I usually keep something in my car (unloaded) just-in-case... Should I stick with old fashion steel for this purpose?
 
As stated, the metal and plastic bits expand/contract at different rates due to thermal effects. But since the parts and temperature changes are relatively small, the dimensions don't change much. The manufacturer should be able to provide a recommended temperature range.

Another, and possibly more important issue to consider is the lubricant in your pistol. It can get very thick when cold and cause malfunctions. I took my HCP class in February at an outdoor range, it was about 25 deg that day. There were 2 SIG's and an HK (?) that suffered repeated malfunctions. The owner's and instructor's opinion were that the failures were due to excessive oil in the actions gumming up the works.
 
Typically, the MAXIMUM temperature for a freezer, ANY freezer, is zero. The normal range is zero to minus 10.
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This is a F/C issue.

I think the OP is saying he will be below 0* F, which is about -15* C. 0* C correlates to 32* F.

Typical freezers don't reach 0* F.
 
Typical freezers don't reach 0* F.
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They better. Zero fahrenheit is supposed to be MAX temperature. Normal freezer temperatures are -10 to 0 fahrenheit. Ice cream that is above approximately 5 fahrenheit will be too soft.

For example, the freezer where I keep my chicken wings, which is a standard upright residential freezer, is currently measuring -.5 fahrenheit. It is set at 6 1/2 out of 9, so nowhere max.
 
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^^^Where as I have a XD that clean drops every mag...just sayin.

Don't do much shooting in below zero temps. I do hunt in those temps sometimes. My "shotty":barf: has a composite foregrip and stock. It has never had a problem. Big difference between that and a poly frame.

Beentown
 
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