"Ask the Rabbi" by R. Mermelstein
Extensive tests of endurance have been run on pistols with aluminum alloy frames. They have fared quite well. They are not as fragile as many would have you believe. I've seen steel 1911 frames crack around the hole used for the slide stop/release. Put it in perspective: Will you use your Colt Commander to fire in excess of 10,000 rounds a year? The U.S. Government considers the life of a Beretta 92 to be 8,000 rounds. That number was stipulated in the original test requirements when the U.S. armed services were evaluating sidearms to replace the venerable 1911A1 A former associate shot an all-steel Browning Hi Power to pieces, literally. Browning, in Ogden, UT, returned the bag of pieces with a note that the gun was out of warranty since "it was fired too much"! Always use a good quality lubricant on the frame and slide at all contact points. My favorite is Lubriplate 630-AA. Don't bother looking for it in gun shops. It's only sold in places that sell machine bearings. Contact their corporate headquarters at:
Sincerely,
R. Mermelstein
