MIM

[GeorgeCaplin1958]

Metal Injection Molding. What's the upside? I've meet few who like the practice and dislike the cost cutting measures of the gun companies. I understand the savings of time and money, but I've never understood it's origins.

 

[SolubleSpork]

I think it really depends on the part being made, the company's production of that part, and the use of the part. In my engineering classes we hit hard on things regarding to feasibility of production procedures. If you need something extremely precise on its surfaces and dimensions, you wouldn't hardly do anything other than precision CNC manufacturing processes to create it. The same can be said about materials used. Different metals or polymers are used for different properties of wear and corrosion resistance as well as flexibility and hardness. In the case of metal injection molding, a metal part can be made without the use of CNC equipment cost and time so its a matter of cost-benefit analysis. If the company decided that MIM is good enough for meeting specs requirements on the part, and yet is easier or cheaper than other methods, why not do it? After all, most companies have the goal of making the best profits possible, where as fewer companies operate on the basis of creating the best of the best from the best materials and most advanced production techniques.

 

[GeorgeCaplin1958]

I think it really depends on the part being made, the company's production of that part, and the use of the part. In my engineering classes we hit hard on things regarding to feasibility of production procedures. If you need something extremely precise on its surfaces and dimensions, you wouldn't hardly do anything other than precision CNC manufacturing processes to create it. The same can be said about materials used. Different metals or polymers are used for different properties of wear and corrosion resistance as well as flexibility and hardness. In the case of metal injection molding, a metal part can be made without the use of CNC equipment cost and time so its a matter of cost-benefit analysis. If the company decided that MIM is good enough for meeting specs requirements on the part, and yet is easier or cheaper than other methods, why not do it? After all, most companies have the goal of making the best profits possible, where as fewer companies operate on the basis of creating the best of the best from the best materials and most advanced production techniques.

Indeed. I can't argue with your logic. I suppose I'm one of these guys who wishes he was around for the heyday of the revolver in 70's/80's.

Today even Smith seems lax compared to the prior standard. I miss the day when quality mattered in a firearm. Sure you can pay thousands of dollars, but there was time when even a stock firearm was treated with greater respect. Such is life.

 

[SolubleSpork]

Agreed. I, as an engineering student, get tired of being told that I will have to design these compromises into my designs. I wish I could bring back the design philosophy of designing to the best of my abilities and make things the best that they can be made. I don't mind as much with some things like my 10/22 having a plastic trigger pack because it does make it cheaper, but just like you said. I wish I could have the utmost in quality.

 

[GeorgeCaplin1958]

Agreed. I, as an engineering student, get tired of being told that I will have to design these compromises into my designs. I wish I could bring back the design philosophy of designing to the best of my abilities and make things the best that they can be made. I don't mind as much with some things like my 10/22 having a plastic trigger pack because it does make it cheaper, but just like you said. I wish I could have the utmost in quality.

That used to be the embodiment of America.

 

[SolubleSpork]

If your username is any bit a reference to your age, I am jealous of your generation. Wish I could be in a more polite and wholesome time.

 

[pokersamurai]

I'm not an engineering student, but from what I've gathered form various gun forums is that MIM is a process created by Lucifer himself by melting down orphans and baby puppies into a metal paste and then turning that paste into cursed "metal like" pieces that will cause any gun they are put into to instantly transform into a worthless pile of garbage that will catastrophically fail and get you and everyone else in a five mile radius killed, should you ever have to use your gun in self-defense.

 

[GeorgeCaplin1958]

I'm not an engineering student, but from what I've gathered form various gun forums is that MIM is a process created by Lucifer himself by melting down orphans and baby puppies into a metal paste and then turning that paste into cursed "metal like" pieces that will cause any gun they are put into to instantly transform into a worthless pile of garbage that will catastrophically fail and get you and everyone else in a five mile radius killed, should you ever have to use your gun in self-defense.

 

[bingley]

If your username is any bit a reference to your age, I am jealous of your generation. Wish I could be in a more polite and wholesome time.

You know, today some people look back to the 50s and think, man, it was so good back then. But they just overlook all the problems. This is selective memory. Polite and wholesome are desirable, but I wouldn't apply either of these terms to some of the stuff that characterizes the 1950s, such as institutionalized racism, poor treatment of women, the Cold War, or the fear that the world will go up in smokes in a nuclear holocaust.

My attitude is that each age has its strengths and weaknesses. Let's be inspired by the good stuff, and learn from the bad stuff. It would be nice if more people dressed like Mad Men.

Alright, off my soap box.

 

[Robjps]

MIM is like everything in life. Some is high quality with nothing wrong with it some is junk.

 

[David]

They have been making automotive connecting rods using metal injection molding for decades. It's all about quality control, I'll take a good quality MIM part over a poor quality forging or bar stock piece every time.

 

[IncendiaryGunner]

I'm not an engineering student, but from what I've gathered form various gun forums is that MIM is a process created by Lucifer himself by melting down orphans and baby puppies into a metal paste and then turning that paste into cursed "metal like" pieces that will cause any gun they are put into to instantly transform into a worthless pile of garbage that will catastrophically fail and get you and everyone else in a five mile radius killed, should you ever have to use your gun in self-defense.

Just to make sure nobody gets the wrong idea, he only uses the redheaded orphans - not the "real" kids. This often leads to an even higher frequency of part failure.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

They have been making automotive connecting rods using metal injection molding for decades. It's all about quality control, I'll take a good quality MIM part over a poor quality forging or bar stock piece every time.

I don't doubt this, but from what I've seen in Diamondback firearms, when MIM parts do fail, they do so catastrophically. In other words, they don't give any warning that they're starting to go bad so you can replace them before something bad happens... they just break suddenly.

 

[GeorgeCaplin1958]

You know, today some people look back to the 50s and think, man, it was so good back then. But they just overlook all the problems. This is selective memory. Polite and wholesome are desirable, but I wouldn't apply either of these terms to some of the stuff that characterizes the 1950s, such as institutionalized racism, poor treatment of women, the Cold War, or the fear that the world will go up in smokes in a nuclear holocaust.

My attitude is that each age has its strengths and weaknesses. Let's be inspired by the good stuff, and learn from the bad stuff. It would be nice if more people dressed like Mad Men.

Alright, off my soap box.

Being human beings, no age in history is perfect, but I am getting tired of everytime the time is mentioned the only context given is the litany written above. Truth is truth, but "selective memory" can apply to perspectives as well.

 

[GeorgeCaplin1958]

I don't doubt this, but from what I've seen in Diamondback firearms, when MIM parts do fail, they do so catastrophically. In other words, they don't give any warning that they're starting to go bad so you can replace them before something bad happens... they just break suddenly.

That's the issue.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

That's the issue.

I dunno... I may be totally off base, but to me, MIM is to solid steel (or other metal) as particle board furniture with an oak veneer is to a solid oak piece of furniture...

 

[GeorgeCaplin1958]

I dunno... I may be totally off base, but to me, MIM is to solid steel (or other metal) as particle board furniture with an oak veneer is to a solid oak piece of furniture...

Pretty much.

 

[SERparacord]

MIM is to metal like Oblamer is to presidents.

 

[IndyDave1776]

OK, I am going to put on my horned helmet and pick up my pitchfork and offer a defense of MIM. In the manufacturing process, the tradeoff (for quality MIM) is a high cost for equipment up front with the return in form of making pieces of remarkably uniform dimensions every time. If you get it right once, you have it forever. For firearm use, one particular advantage is uniform hardness through the entire piece so that you don't have problems like digging through surface-hardened steel into soft metal while smithing on your trigger. The other side of this coin is that MIM is more brittle and less tolerant of being side-loaded (For example, dropping a MIM S&W Model 60 on a concrete floor is a good way to get about half of the hammer spur broken off. Don't ask how I know this.). In the end, of my four S&W revolvers, two are MIM and two are old school. Aside from not particularly liking the look of the gray metal and the hollowed out back side of the triggers, I can't complain about the MIM parts. The only problem I ever had was due to my own mistake.

 

[walt o]

This is like the old argument as to which is better on a car repair
LEAD or plastic (bondo) Back in the early 60s that was the big controversy now every one uses plastic even new manufactures . It has become the standard .As for breaking ,if MIM is done correctly any fractures will happen at the start of use , if not it will hold up for years .Its like plastic guns PROGRESS .But I will HOLD ON TO MY WOOD & STEEL GUNS. because I am an old codger and set in my ways.