Have you had a MIM part break?
- Thread starter Dean1818
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rcmodel
Member in memoriam
No, not yet.
MIM parts are a whole lot better then they were back when they first started using them.
Probably still some inferior ones being made as econemy / cheap replacement parts though.
But the major manufactures seem to have it figured out well enough they don't have a constent flood of returned guns to fix under warrenty every day or they wouldn't use them.
rc
MIM parts are a whole lot better then they were back when they first started using them.
Probably still some inferior ones being made as econemy / cheap replacement parts though.
But the major manufactures seem to have it figured out well enough they don't have a constent flood of returned guns to fix under warrenty every day or they wouldn't use them.
rc
earlthegoat2
Member
Slide stop lever on a RIA 1911 broke.
ichiban
Member
Grip safety on an EMP.
steveno
Member
I had a slide stop break on a Colt but that doesn't count because it wasn't MIM. I have 6,000 rounds through a Kimber Compact sst with no problems and close to 2,000 rounds in a S & W 1911 with no problems either. I guess I don't care whether it is MIM or not.
JoelSteinbach
Member
Never had a NIM part break, buy a qualaty weapon, cast or forged parts, it will probably out live most of us.
The grip safety on the EMP isn't MIM...it is cast like just about every other 1911 grip safety on the market
But I am curious, which part of a grip safety can break?
ichiban
Member
Oops, my bad. The tab that contacts the trigger broke off.
Thank you, I've just never seen one break.
That area would have been my guess also, but I couldn't see how there would be enough force applied to it to break it.
Did it have any effect on the gun continuing to operate after it broke? I know it wouldn't block the trigger, just wondering if the broken tip would jam/block any other function.
That area would have been my guess also, but I couldn't see how there would be enough force applied to it to break it.
Did it have any effect on the gun continuing to operate after it broke? I know it wouldn't block the trigger, just wondering if the broken tip would jam/block any other function.
wheelgun6T9
Member
broken mim part
snapped mim ejector on a Kimber Ultra raptor. Replaced with a steel part.
Shooting factory brass - no steel.
snapped mim ejector on a Kimber Ultra raptor. Replaced with a steel part.
Shooting factory brass - no steel.
Carl Levitian
member
Almost 5 years ago I bought a new S&W model 617 with the 4 inch barrel and 10 shot cylinder. Since my wife and I are both retired, we have time for a lot of shooting. I've put about a bulk box of Federals a week through it now since new, and it's going great. It's become my favorite gun, and see's more range time than any other two guns I have. No problems at all, except I hate to stop shooting it when the box of ammo is empty.
The wife shoots it and her own S&W model 317 three inch, and her 5 inch model 63. No problems with her's either.
Carl.
The wife shoots it and her own S&W model 317 three inch, and her 5 inch model 63. No problems with her's either.
Carl.
HM2PAC
Member
MIM slide stop on my RIA peened the takedown recess in the slide. That GI model was replaced by Armscor for other reasons. The slidestop was swapped out on the new pistol as the former was harder than the steel. My reasoning was that it was too hard which could also be translated as too brittle.
IMTHDUKE
Member
A gun shop owner told me this. Is it true? He said that Sig had began to use some mim parts in their handguns. I should have gotten more details on what, when, how, etc.
sinbad339
Member
Extractor on PT1911 after about 700 rounds for me. But from what I've read, I believe that was possible with any manufacturing method.
They've been using MIM parts for quite a while, I didn't know it wasn't common knowledge...theirs has been pretty high quality MIM...folks used to laugh about their stamped slides too
There are very few manufacturers who don't have MIM in their guns anymore and I don't think any of them don't use cast parts in them somewhere
Grip safety failure on S&W 1911
Hammer face excessive peening on S&W 629 revolver
Do not attempt to do any sort of polish or tuning work on any MiM parts as the hardness factor is so shallow it is far to easy to cut through this layer exposing the soft inner core thus ruining the part.
MiM parts are of limited durability in my opinion.
They are designed to wear out at a faster rate than a convetional drop forges or even investment cast metal object under similar strain.
Once worn, the part is not recoverable for anything but scrap and must be replaced.
Reason being is the MiM part is more elastic in the properties which means it will stretch to a greater degree under duress than a conventionally produced old school part.
As the part wears, the tolerence dimensions begin to exceed maximum allowance due to battering and stress.
A MiM part cannot be welded up and redrilled nor can it be impact adjusted, it becomes junk once worn past acceptable levels.
Wear through the hard outer skin of a MiM part and it is but a matter of time before imminent part failure as the softer inner core is breeched because the core will not stand up to the stress imparted on the part without the hard outer core in place and intact, the part will shear at that point.
The ONLY advantages MiM offers is to the manufacturer, NOT the consumer.
Hammer face excessive peening on S&W 629 revolver
Do not attempt to do any sort of polish or tuning work on any MiM parts as the hardness factor is so shallow it is far to easy to cut through this layer exposing the soft inner core thus ruining the part.
MiM parts are of limited durability in my opinion.
They are designed to wear out at a faster rate than a convetional drop forges or even investment cast metal object under similar strain.
Once worn, the part is not recoverable for anything but scrap and must be replaced.
Reason being is the MiM part is more elastic in the properties which means it will stretch to a greater degree under duress than a conventionally produced old school part.
As the part wears, the tolerence dimensions begin to exceed maximum allowance due to battering and stress.
A MiM part cannot be welded up and redrilled nor can it be impact adjusted, it becomes junk once worn past acceptable levels.
Wear through the hard outer skin of a MiM part and it is but a matter of time before imminent part failure as the softer inner core is breeched because the core will not stand up to the stress imparted on the part without the hard outer core in place and intact, the part will shear at that point.
The ONLY advantages MiM offers is to the manufacturer, NOT the consumer.
It may be simpletarian of me, but I have always stuck with Factory magazines for handguns especially and sporting rifles in general.
Outsource magazines are always reverse engineered and look how well that works with any Chinese made product,,,,
Pay the extra money, buy as many as you can afford, and stick with factory made and/or authorized/recommended magazines.
A major and often overlooked tip for keeping any firearm running reliably.
Outsource magazines are always reverse engineered and look how well that works with any Chinese made product,,,,
Pay the extra money, buy as many as you can afford, and stick with factory made and/or authorized/recommended magazines.
A major and often overlooked tip for keeping any firearm running reliably.
Remo223
member
MIM parts are less dense than forged. They are not as strong as forged but by now manufacturers have figured out which parts can be made from MIM and which cannot (or be redesigned so they can be). The upside to MIM is the parts are more accurate so need less gunsmithing. The downside is MIM will not polish quite as smooth and shiny as forged so actions with MIM parts will never be as good as with highly tuned forged parts.
I have not had any MIM parts fail. But I still stockpile old forged internals for smith&wesson revolvers and remove the MIM parts from the newer ones I buy.
I have not had any MIM parts fail. But I still stockpile old forged internals for smith&wesson revolvers and remove the MIM parts from the newer ones I buy.
PRM
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I bought a S&W Model 60-9 and a year or so after I got it, it broke the hammer block which was a MIM part. S&W had gone to MIM hammer blocks over the stamped metal ones for whatever reason. I contacted S&W and they sent me a new hammer block free of charge. OK, I thought it was a fluke. The hammer block should not be under any bind that would break it. Dropped the new part in and around 250 rounds later ~ another broken hammer block. S&W's response was to send me a new MIM hammer block. I started research it on the internet and found this not to be an isolated problem. I guess S&W have enough of a problem with the MIM hammer blocks they finally decided to do something about it. I was talking to one of their customer service reps last year about my concerns and was told they had gone back to the stamped metal ones. They sent me one of those and I have experienced no further problems.
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earlthegoat2
Member
It would seem it would be more cost effective for the manufacture to use stampings instead of MIM.....
Shear_stress
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Believe it or not, stamping requires a hefty investment in presses and dies to do right. Plus, most parts would still need to be fitted and finished afterward.
There's a reason why pistol magazines are surprisingly expensive for mere "sheetmetal".
The Wiry Irishman
Member
I have two Kimbers, with a combined total of ~11,000 rounds through them. No parts breakages.
My MIM-free Les Baer has had 6 parts breakages in 15,500 rounds.
Weird.
ETA - I've got a new model S&W 629 with 5,400 through it, no parts breakages there, either.
My MIM-free Les Baer has had 6 parts breakages in 15,500 rounds.
Weird.
ETA - I've got a new model S&W 629 with 5,400 through it, no parts breakages there, either.
RSVP2RIP
Member
I wouldn't think that just because a part is made using the MIM process it would be inferior to a forged or machined component. MIM parts are made with powdered metal and many exotic metals can be combined in the mix to strengthen it. Maybe some manufatuers are using a poor metal mix (read cheap) to make the parts. S30V blade steel could be considered MIM and it looks to be one of the most desired blade steels out there for a good combination of edge retention and durability. If comparing a part made from MIM 420SS and one made of forged 420SS then yes the forged one will out last the MIM part. If using a MIM from a mix with a end toughness higher than forged 420SS then whats the difference? The process shouldn't be condemned out of hand.
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