maclean3

Well, the easiest way to identify an MIM part is if it has a seam line, though sometimes those lines aren't always easy to see because of machining and/or deburring. Also, I'm not sure but castings might have similar lines - hopefully Shizzlemah will offer some info there.

Non-magnetic material production is pretty cost prohibitive due to the process of making the material and the difficulty in machining it - when the ingots are "green" they're so soft they break easily while being worked, or even just being handled. Most of what my shop did in the way of non-magnetics were big, heavy parts like 30 kilo gear cogs or tooling for production line machinery like slicing blades and tooling punches.

I'd be really surprised if any of the gun makers were using non mag parts in their guns. If anything, they might invest in it for tooling in their machinery but even then I'm not sure they'd find it a worthwhile cost.
Jack

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crzy4guns

Thanks maclean3, I really appreciate that and I will be looking for those seam lines on the thumb safeties, slide releases and decocking levers on all of my next pistol purchases.

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Shizzlemah

There would also be a seam on an investment cast, or even die cast part.

There are no real differences in casting a non-magnetic metal. 3xx stainless, Bronze, Aluminum, etc. The only real changes are heat of the molten metal and heat of the shell or tool.


NOT directly related to the Ruger issue, but I did have an interesting story about that. I do finish machining on castings, and machined a batch of a few hundred cast at Ruger's facility. The same tool with the same alloy at a different foundry - nothing but trouble. Parts were nearly impossible to machine and were shattering in use. By impossible to machine, these parts would wear out drills and end mills in about 10 pcs.

The foundry made a 0.2% change in the alloy for the next batch.... I was getting 1000 pcs per drill and 800 pcs per end mill. And best of all, they were not shattering in use.

Sometimes, it's the little details taken for granted that can cause trouble. Or it could be a little change from the pre-production samples to the mass production procedure.

crzy4guns

Thank you Shizzlemah, I am learning a lot from this thread. Amazing how just a wee bit of difference in alloy content makes a whole lot of difference in structural integrity.

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Zach and Holly

Greeeeeat. We've got two LCP's -- will keep the forum posted how they hold up.

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longo244

+1

My LCP has been flawless thus far. The LCP is in such high demand right now and there's so much publicity among the CCW community that each and every little problem is bound to come out. Just because 4 people experienced a problem doesn't mean that the LCP is a piece of junk. It is like anything else though, nothing is 100% failure free. I have a friend who has a Glock 27 that won't feed; he's tried my G27 mags and mags out of another buddy's 23 as well as several different brands of ammo and no luck. Does that mean I should throw my Glock away???

FN1910

I just think it is funny that before it was available all the talk was how it was going to be the perfect P3AT and put Kel-Tec out of business. It doesn't seem to be any worse than the P3AT and comparable guns in the price range and size. However it doesn't seem to be any better. It may in the future but I would say that so far it has been right about what I expected but sure hasn't lived up to the super gun hype that was put out. So far my P3AT has been perfect and would expect that an LCP would also but there are going to be bad ones produced.

crzy4guns

Hey Zach and Holly, I wouldn't worry, it is beginning to sound as if it may be a small batch of bad parts. Let QKShooter see what he can find out for all of us from Ruger. That is if they ever return his phone calls.

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realitycramp

I sure hope the problems are limited. I am sure pleased with my LCP. No offense intended to FN1910 but there seems to be a big quality difference bewteen the LCP and the P3AT.

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TX Husker Fan

So far I have put 200 rounds through my LCP and like my other Ruger(P90 45 ACP), reliable as always! Will never replace my main sidearm but so far no problems whatsoever and still consider it a bargain for only $289!