The Rohrbaugh Forum
Rohrbaugh Products and Accessories => Rohrbaugh R9 (all variations) => Topic started by: XT_Fearless on May 10, 2005, 12:51:20 PM
-
Hello to all !!
I would like to know what is the best ammo you guys or gals have had the best shot groups with, and also in terms of reliability ?
I cant wait to get my R9s :o :o
-
Speer GDHP 124gr. gives me the best groups and functions well in the R9, I think this is factory reccomended, or 115gr. :P
-
XT - go check out my small FAQ site (link in sig) - there are buttons that'll take you to some testing and results. For me too - GD 115 and 124 are way to go. Right now I have the 124's on board.
-
Speer GDHP 124gr. gives me the best groups and functions well in the R9, I think this is factory reccomended, or 115gr. :P
Much appreciated !!!
-
XT - go check out my small FAQ site (link in sig) - there are buttons that'll take you to some testing and results. For me too - GD 115 and 124 are way to go. Right now I have the 124's on board.
Nice job on the website :o :o i know it takes alot of effort to put something like that !!!!
Thank you
-
GD 115s work swell for me.. 8)
-
Gold dots seem to be the ones in 115 or 124 grain !!!
How much are they selling per box on average ?
-
XT,
I also use the gold dots in either 115 or 124. The range I go to usually has the 115s in stock, but not the 124s, so that's usually what I end up with.
I usually pay around $15 per box, but again, I'm supporting my range! ;D
Also, if you haven't checked out Richard's section on lubricating the R9, it's great stuff. I keep a printed copy for reference.
-
XT,
I also use the gold dots in either 115 or 124. The range I go to usually has the 115s in stock, but not the 124s, so that's usually what I end up with.
I usually pay around $15 per box, but again, I'm supporting my range! ;D
Also, if you haven't checked out Richard's section on lubricating the R9, it's great stuff. I keep a printed copy for reference.
I appreciate that Wayne , price is not that bad , are they hollow points ?
-
XT - yep - the classic GD is JHP. Very good design of bullet IMO. Expansion is very consistent.
-
Speer Gold Dot HP ammo is extremely high quality ammo. It uses a bonded bullet which makes a big improvement (over non-bonded bullets) for both expansion and weight retention. Many law enforcement agencies use Speer.
Other excellent ammo includes Federal Tactical and Winchester Talon. The RA9T is standard pressure 9mm and penetrates and expands as well as any +P ammo. That's what makes it my favorite 9mm self defense round.
Beware of other commonly used rounds that are old, non-bonded designs. These include Federal HiShok and HydraShok and also Winchester Silver tip. These were great rounds in their day, but their day is long gone.
You may know that there are two schools of thought on selecting self defense ammo, the “street results” school and the laboratory school. I am firmly in the corner of the laboratory school of thought. As an engineer, I believe that the only laboratory method has value, because fair comparisons can be made under controlled conditions that very closely approximate reality.
-
Chris, is there a difference in the size and shape of the 115gr vs the 124gr vs the 147gr GDHP bullets? In particular, I am wondering if there is a difference in the size of the cavity opening and diameter of the bullet at the very front end...
-
IIRC the front cavity is identical on all - certainly that is how I remember on the 115's and 124's. I have no 147's unfortunately to be able to check.
I think the weight difference is entirely taken up with the small difference in length - which means bullet base.
I am open to correction on this but am fairly sure.
-
I haven't made it to the range yet to "break in" my R9s, but I did score some GDHP in both 124 and 147. I prefer the heavier weight in 9mm. I'll report on the functioning of the 147 GDHP afterwards.
I suspect the 147 grn weights are just too heavy and don't provide enough impulse to the slide to function the R9 as designed.
The Win Ranger T 147 didn't do well in the FAQ tests much to my disappointment with some evidence of tumbling, probably due to the free-bore gap the bullet must jump before engaging the rifling. The heavier bullet travels slower across the gap and can yaw more readily.
-
I'll report on the functioning of the 147 GDHP afterwards.
I'll be very interested to hear this report!
-
I haven't made it to the range yet to "break in" my R9s, but I did score some GDHP in both 124 and 147. I prefer the heavier weight in 9mm. I'll report on the functioning of the 147 GDHP afterwards.
I got to the range today. I shot both my R9S and a GLOCK 26 for the first time. (I even sneeked out my pocket carried PM9 to fire off my carry mag after 6 months -- PM9 is a shooter!)
I took GDHP in both 124 and 147 and a box of Win Ranger T in 147. I had a couple of bobbles in shooting the GD 124. Round 9 had fail to feed, but I was shooting it one handed. I had to drop the mag and rack the slide and the round fell out the mag well. It was hung up in the middle, half chamberd.
Around round count 30, I had fail to return to battery. Slight tap on slide and in to battery it went and fired fine.
And some where toward the end of my session, the mag failed to engage and I had a fail to feed completely on round 2 of a mag. This was shooter error. I may have hit the release with the pinky of my right hand while chambering round 1 with the off hand over slide method (4 fingers and a thumb).
Other than the FTF, all ammo ran perfectly. The GD 124 is quite a hand full out of the R9S. The GD 147 was more pleasant to shoot, but functioned perfectly. The Ranger functioned similary.
The only issue with both the 147 grain bullets (worse with the Ranger), I was getting 1-2 (or 2-3) tumblers in each magazine as evidenced on the paper target. Not a clean round hole, but a hole and a tear. When I examined the target carefully and push the tear flat, I can see the telltale smudge.
I will carry the GD 124 given the company recommendation.
I'm sure glad I have the GLOCK 26 to shoot as the R9S is not a fun gun. I shot 113 rounds total in the R9S. I shot 100 round out of the GLOCK (and 7 out of my PM9 :))
-
Thanks for the report!
The only issue with both the 147 grain bullets (worse with the Ranger), I was getting 1-2 (or 2-3) tumblers in each magazine as evidenced on the paper target. Not a clean round hole, but a hole and a tear. When I examined the target carefully and push the tear flat, I can see the telltale smudge.
You may want t call the factory and talk with someone abou the tumbling. One of the guys there told me that they had a brief issue with tumbling due to the way one of the tools was cutting the barrels (or something very much like that). This problem may be curable if your pistol was one of those effected.
I have also experienced failiures to feed that were exactly as you describe. I sent the pistol back to the factory, they did a little more polishing and cutting, and told me it was running fine. I still saw some failures. I think the pistol just needs to be held just so, and I'm still experimenting.
Overall, it sounds like yours is running pretty well if not perfectly.
-
You may want t call the factory and talk with someone abou the tumbling. One of the guys there told me that they had a brief issue with tumbling due to the way one of the tools was cutting the barrels (or something very much like that). This problem may be curable if your pistol was one of those effected.
...
Overall, it sounds like yours is running pretty well if not perfectly.
Read the FAQ on tumbling: http://www.acbsystems.com/boards/rohrbaugh/basefile/tumbling.htm
I understand it and accept it as a consequence of the small size, full power, SD pistol.
I consider my particular R9S as perfect and it has replaced my PM9 in my pocket.
Perhaps our Rohrbaugh "insiders" can comment about what you were told regarding the barrel cutting.
-
I do not think any barrels would have left the factory with that problem. IIRC any actual barrel issue was very brief and in fact the main issues earlier on where I think mag related.
Open to correction of course - maybe TW or Duane can clarify.