Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

I read an article in the latest American Rifleman, where they named the Ruger LCR as Handgun of the Year. It is an innovative gun. But a comment quoted in the article piqued my curiosity.

In the end, Gilbert reported, “It has to be said that a polymer revolver is a development that immediately inspires curiosity, but also disbelief, especially given the troubled history of aluminum-frame guns.

I guess I'm not up on the "troubled history". Typically, the only criticism that I hear about aluminum frames is that recoil is more because of reduced weight of the gun. But that's an acceptable trade-off for a carry gun. I'm supposing that modern production pistols and revolvers have the bugs worked out with respect to problems with aluminum frames. I don't hear of S&W Airweights or Kimber carry pistols having frame problems.
Can someone educate me on the troubled past of aluminum framed guns?

Parry

I know that galling can be a problem where the steel slide contacts the aluminum frame. One method to prevent galling is to have the surfaces in contact coated with carbide.

Other than that, I don't know of any serious issues with aluminum frames.

I love my aluminum frame Commander...they are sweet shooters.

They had a bad rep in the distant past. Part of it was galling with steel parts, some of it was not really knowing how to use aluminum properly. Some early S&W aluminum revolvers are not considered to be safe, mainly the ones that had aluminum cylinders.

Any halfway decent aluminum-framed gun made since about 1980 should be fine (high round count and abused guns excepted).

Diomed wrote:They had a bad rep in the distant past.

I figured that it was something like that. I understand that there were bugs to work out when aluminum was intruduced to firearms manufacturing, and I get the analogy he was making concerning the LCR, but I think the that the guy writing the article used a broad brush when making his statement and probably could have clarified it a bit more.
Thanks for the input, guys.

Parry

Well, do keep in mind that aluminum is quite a large bit softer and more malleable than steel. I can see early renditions of an aluminum-frame gun going miserably wrong due to this. But I'm just going to say that the technology in rifles and handguns has progressed tremendously, as has our ability to work with aluminum.

Modern aluminum alloy is very tough stuff. I have owned several S&W .38 airweights and have used them plenty...to include a goodly amount of +P rounds. My only concern at one time was what seemed to be some topstrap cutting above the forcing cone, but after close examination, the corrosion was the clearcote they apply to these revolvers...the alloy held up very well.

I bought a used FEG PA-63 a few years ago and have put a few hundred rounds through it -- no problems so far!

I've got a Colt Commander with an aluminum frame and its a sweet shooter...light but still easy on the recoil...

Zephyp,

Be easy with the Commander and remember what Jeff Cooper said...

...a Commander is to be carried much and shot little...

or close to that.

My Commander is a safe queen. I usually carry an IWI Baby Eagle in .45...its chrome and weighs a ton but its a sweet gun...