LORCIN Budget Priced Semi-Autos:

I was flicking through the Gun Digest 2000 just now - and spotted what surely was a printing error - a seven shot semi-auto 'thirty-two' pistol listed at US$89. and the .380 ACP at only $100. - But no - no mistake there, as that was what they cost.

  - Where have I been not to know these are said by everyone to be "Saturday night specials" that even Wikipedia says that these are meant to be sold out of pawn shops to 'low income people'.

Made out of injection molded "pot metal" ZAMAC zinc alloy - that even the soft-air-gun boys hate.

Matchbox Zinc Alloy & Plastic Toy Car.

Lorcin L22 Zinc Alloy & Plastic Gun.

Sure it's the right size and shape for a pistol .. Now I worked in the plastics injection molding industry for just short of 15 years and there is nothing much wrong with parts made from the right engineering polymer in the right application.

You make buttons or toothbrush handles from cellulose acetate and you're not cheating customers - If you engineer a pistol frame in high strength Nylon 6 or glass-fiber filled Nylon you may have a superior quality tool. Make "tupperware" out of low density polyethylene or polypropylene .. fine & fit for purpose. - Wet cell lead-acid batteries for cars? - Their casings may be multiple layers of three different polymers.

 -  And I'd suggest that toys for example, are fine when die-cast from Zamac zinc alloy .. but the slides on semi-auto pistols? ... Naah.

There's a phrase much used in the computer techie world 'GiGo'
 - "Garbage in - Garbage out."

Owner / salesman Jim Waldorf named his firm LORCIN after his two daughters Lori & Cindy .. and this South California gun maker would sell you one of his toys with pink grips to match your lipstick.

Wikipedia says: "In 1993, Lorcin was the number one pistol manufacturer in the United States, producing 341,243 guns. However, in 1996, Lorcin filed for bankruptcy, with 18 pending product liability, personal injury, and wrongful death lawsuits. The company emerged from bankruptcy in 1997, but went out of business permanently in 1998 with an additional 22 lawsuits having been filed."

Marty K.

P.S. Talking about the "Weaker Sex" - have you watched this failed-defended Tulsa armed robbery?
(.. after the annoying advert!)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/crime/article202118409.html

Marty.