"semi-poly" frames

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simonrichter

New member
there are metal frames (like classic 1911, Beretta 92 etc.) and polymer frames (like the Glock). Are there any pistols that sport a hybrid form, with the frame being part metal, part poly? (I'm well aware that eg. the Glock frame features metal slide rails or the Beretta 92 has plastic grips - that is NOT what I'm referring to...).
 
there are metal frames (like classic 1911, Beretta 92 etc.) and polymer frames (like the Glock). Are there any pistols that sport a hybrid form, with the frame being part metal, part poly? (I'm well aware that eg. the Glock frame features metal slide rails or the Beretta 92 has plastic grips - that is NOT what I'm referring to...).
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Taurus had something like that in their catalog for a while, but it never materialized.

---edit to add---

This here: https://www.iammo.com/taurus-dt-hybrid-series-9mm-13-1-3-2-pistol-in-blued-1110903113.html#full-description

Was in the catalog for a while, never made it to the US of A.
 
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Many, if not most of the polymer frames use steel rails for the slide.
ALL of them have a steel plate embedded with the serial number.
 
As far as I know, all "poly" handguns have not only steel (or alloy?) frame rails but also a steel (or alloy?) insert to contain the action. There are a couple of "polymer" 1911s on the market, and the scaled-down Browning 1911-380 is only available that way. There are also some polymer clones of the CZ-75 family.
 
i
Join Date: April 7, 2006
Posts: 10,420
Many, if not most of the polymer frames use steel rails for the slide.
ALL of them have a steel plate embedded with the serial number.
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as I said, that's not what I meant with "hybrid frame"

LCR, right, that makes sense...
 
As far as I know, all "poly" handguns have not only steel (or alloy?) frame rails but also a steel (or alloy?) insert to contain the action.
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The Ruger P series guns with plastic frames had no metal in the frame other than the plate for the SN. P95, P97 and P345. Not sure about their current production guns.
 
I know of the Sphynx. Saw a comparison between that and the CZ-P07 (polymer grip, no metal) and they are strikingly similar looking from the outside. But the Sphynx had an MSRP of ~$1,200! for that money, they could have made the whole frame out of aluminum rather than part of it.
 
I don't know of any pistol that has that design where it's poly over a thinner steel frame. I do have a ATI Omni Hybrid AR Pistol that has that type of design. There's very little advantage over an all aluminum design. It's slightly lighter, that's about it.
 
As far as I know, all "poly" handguns have not only steel (or alloy?) frame rails but also a steel (or alloy?) insert to contain the action.
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Ruger P95s were a 100% polymer frame, except for the small serial number plate in the grip. Even the rails were/are polymer.
The fire control group is all located and reinforced with polymer. The parts are metal, but there is no metal "chassis" or 'frame' to hold the bits in place, like nearly all other plastic pistols.

Edit: I see that JMR40 hit it first.
 
A new Sig P320 Legend(?) is supposed to have steel impregnated polymer frame, unless I read that wrong. And STI has, or had, a 1911 frame where the front portion from trigger guard forward, and the back half & clip well is polymer.
 
A new Sig P320 Legend(?) is supposed to have steel impregnated polymer frame
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I hadn't heard of the P320 Legend, but I do know Sig makes a P320 full size frame that has Tungsten mixed into the polymer frame. It makes the frame several times heavier (and more expensive), not necessarily stronger. It was to add weight, originally for shooting sports, and I suppose for those who really like the P320 but wish it was heavier for recoil management. I think they've released an all metal (don't know if it's aluminum or steel) grip module too.
 
If you paid $1200 for the Sphinx SDP, you're paying way too much. Before the prices went crazy, you could get one for around $700 or so. I bought one recently, slightly used for $685. Really nice gun, BTW,
 
Rock River Arms makes a "polymer" 1911 that has the entire action housed in a steel insert, with the surrounding bits of the frame made of polymer.

https://ezine.m1911.org/showthread.php?259-Rock-River-Arms-Poly-RRA-1911-Review

Fuzzy memory says that some other 1911 maker (possibly Wilson Combat) did much the same thing a decade or more ago. And then there's the Browning 1911-380 Black Label, which I'm pretty certain is built the same way.

https://ezine.m1911.org//showthread.php?229-Browning-1911-22-and-1911-380-Black-Label
 
Aguila Blanca said:
Rock River Arms makes a "polymer" 1911 that has the entire action housed in a steel insert, with the surrounding bits of the frame made of polymer.

https://ezine.m1911.org/showthread.php?259-Rock-River-Arms-Poly-RRA-1911-Review

Fuzzy memory says that some other 1911 maker (possibly Wilson Combat) did much the same thing a decade or more ago. And then there's the Browning 1911-380 Black Label, which I'm pretty certain is built the same way.

https://ezine.m1911.org//showthread.php?229-Browning-1911-22-and-1911-380-Black-Label
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Bul, maybe? Or were they the source of the RRA guns?
 
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lee n. field said:
Bul, maybe? Or were they the source of the RRA guns?
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I believe BUL was the source manufacturer of the earlier one (which I'm fairly certain was sold by Wilson Combat), but I don't think they are the source for the RRA version. I can't find any photos of it showing the complete right side in any detail, but I believe RRA says their poly pistol is made in the USA.

The earlier Wilson Combat poly 1911 was, IIRC, a sort of one-and-a-half stack configuration. The RRA uses standard 1911 single stack magazines.
 
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