melting point

[PRS]

What is this melting point nonsense and how does it apply to all the polymer framed handguns out there?

[CZscout]

NEVER leave a GLOCK in car on a hot sunny day!

The only melting issues I have seen (not in person) is the GLOCK 1,000 round rapid fire torture test (YouTube)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_JuF23qazI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyZxQfIB ... re=related

I think the polymer guide rod deformed/melted. The GLOCK kept firing though.

Good luck!

[LarryFlew]

It's the metal within the frame and for MN the Saturday night special number is 1000. Fit most states it is 800. Although they are not legal for an FFL to sell they are still legal to own.

[PRS]

That 1000 degree melting point law doesn't apply to polymer though?

[TH3180]

What is this melting point nonsense and how does it apply to all the polymer framed handguns out there?

Never heard anything about it. Could you expand on what you're talking about?

[PRS]

Saturday Night Specials
(Gross Misdemeanor)

It is a gross misdemeanor for a federally licensed firearms
dealer to sell or for any person to manufacture or assemble,
in whole or in part, a “Saturday night special” pistol. A
“Saturday night special”pistol means any pistol (other than
an antique firearm, air gun, or toy gun) that is made of any of
the following materials:

< any material having a melting point of less than 1,000
degrees Fahrenheit;

< any material having an ultimate tensile strength of less
than 55,000 pounds per square inch; or

< any powdered metal having a density of less than 7.5
grams per cubic centimeter.

Minn. Stat. §§ 624.712; 624.716

Obv a polymer would be less than that and I read that even a 1911 is about 900 degrees

[gyrfalcon]

What is this melting point nonsense and how does it apply to all the polymer framed handguns out there?

It doesn't apply to a polymer framed handgun if it's made of a thermoset polymer,

"A thermoset polymer is one that doesn't melt when heated. Thermoset polymers "set" into a given shape when first made and afterwards do not flow or melt, but rather decompose upon heating. They are often highly crosslinked polymers, with properties similar to those of network covalent solids- i.e., hard and strong."

[PhilaBOR]

Most plastic handguns are made from glass filled nylon. Which is most definitely not a thermoset. There was another saturday night special thread a few months ago on this or another local board and somebody said there's some kind of exemption for plastic guns. Which is good because 33% glass filled nylon melts around 600 degrees and has a tensile strength of around 20,000 psi.

[Seismic Sam]

The concept of "melting point" does not apply to thermoset polymers, which once they are cast cannot be heated to revert to their original state. It's like epoxy resin. Once it reacts and sets, there's no going back to the original ingredients with the addition of heat. Same for glass filled nylon, or polyester, or SBR rubber, or a lot of other polymers. All of these polymers will thermally degrade and finally char or ignite and burn, but they are NOT going to melt per se.

[1911fan]

Someone is missing a simple fact.

Ever look at where the serial number is on a Glock, XD etc?

Its on that steel piece that makes up the core of that plastic bottom half.

According to the ATF the frame on accepted pistols is the steel core and the rest of the plastic bits are considered the gripping surface.

[DeanC]

Saturday Night Specials
(Gross Misdemeanor)

It is a gross misdemeanor for a federally licensed firearms
dealer to sell or for any person to manufacture or assemble,
in whole or in part, a “Saturday night special” pistol. A
“Saturday night special”pistol means any pistol (other than
an antique firearm, air gun, or toy gun) that is made of any of
the following materials:

< any material having a melting point of less than 1,000
degrees Fahrenheit;

< any material having an ultimate tensile strength of less
than 55,000 pounds per square inch; or

< any powdered metal having a density of less than 7.5
grams per cubic centimeter.

Minn. Stat. §§ 624.712; 624.716

Obv a polymer would be less than that and I read that even a 1911 is about 900 degrees

Your quote is not a quote of the actual legal definition and omits a very specific term contained in the statute: "liquidus".

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=624.712

Subd. 4.Saturday night special pistol. "Saturday night special pistol" means a pistol other than an antique firearm or a pistol for which the propelling force is carbon dioxide, air or other vapor, or children's pop guns or toys, having a frame, barrel, cylinder, slide or breechblock:

(1) of any material having a melting point (liquidus) of less than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, or

(2) of any material having an ultimate tensile strength of less than 55,000 pounds per square inch, or

(3) of any powdered metal having a density of less than 7.5 grams per cubic centimeter.

[RobD]

Your quote is not a quote of the actual legal definition and omits a very specific term contained in the statute: "liquidus".

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=624.712

Subd. 4.Saturday night special pistol. "Saturday night special pistol" means a pistol other than an antique firearm or a pistol for which the propelling force is carbon dioxide, air or other vapor, or children's pop guns or toys, having a frame, barrel, cylinder, slide or breechblock:

(1) of any material having a melting point (liquidus) of less than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, or

(2) of any material having an ultimate tensile strength of less than 55,000 pounds per square inch, or

(3) of any powdered metal having a density of less than 7.5 grams per cubic centimeter.

Bingo.