Is it normal to get a small chip out on the frame?

[ACP]

Concur with those who believe this is not normal. It is also odd that I am the opposite side of the factory on this issue.

R9 is not a cheap gun and factory's response appears to be a cheap answer for them.

[tracker]

One more point then I'll lay off. If this chip is normal wear and tear why is it so uncommon? These two reports are the first I have heard on this forum. It seems to me that in a CCW the carrier must have full faith and confidence in his weapon. This one leaves me with a nagging question mark as I'm sure it does the owners.

[kjtrains]

And also, how can it be wear and tear with only 50 to 100 rounds fired?  I'm perplexed by the factorys' answer.

[Toddm]

Anyone have an update on this issue?  After my third range trip with my R9s I noticed it has a similar chip now, same place, not quite as big as the one pictured in the thread, but of similar appearance/location.  I would say I'm somewhere in the 200-250 round range on mine.  While I don't plan on shooting it much, the amount of damage the frame has already taken does concern me.  Perhaps there's just no way to make Al take this much abuse.   I'd happily give up a couple ounces for a steel frame that didn't have several areas of visible damage after 200 rounds even though it looks like Rohrbaugh is absolutely against it from previous posts.  Mine already shows wear/damage to the frame rails, frame deformation above the take down pin, and wear deformation where the barrel drops down during cycling and now this chip in the frame.

I haven't had any functioning problems aside with a few rounds of UMC ammo that showed flat primer pressure signs even thought it's not marked +P and did not extract reliably.   115 gr WWB and GD has run flawless.   It does concern me though that I have handguns with 30K+ rounds through them that show less wear/damage than my R9s with 250 rounds does.  I keep trying to tell myself it's a pocket gun, designed for low round counts and specific use, and I'lll probalby never get to 1000 rounds in it.  I consider it broke in and will just run a couple mags of GD's through it now and then to cycle carry ammo, but it still bothers me to see the frame exhibit this much damage with so few rounds.   It certainly does not seem normal wear and tear to me but it seems normal from what other users are posting and Rohrbaugh is saying.

[jetman]

Here are the pics if it helps out.

[Brian894x4]

I've yet to even shoot my R9 Elite, so I'm probably totally unqualified to respond, but every gun I've own has some sort of wear when shot, even just a few rounds.  

It could as minimal as rubbing the finish off of my glocks at the wear points, to as big as the flame cutting above the forcing cone on some S&W revolvers.   Usually whatever is going to wear as a result of too much material somewhere in the gun that gets in the way of something else, is going to wear early the process of shooting, then stop.  

I would imagine that if Rohrbaugh simply cut a notch out in that part of the frame or rounded that corner off, none of us would see this or be worried about this.   But that would add significant time and expense to the assembly of the gun so why bother?  

If I start seeing frames cracking or other parts actually breaking, where the gun doesn't function, then I'll be worried.  

[tracker]

After 350 rounds or so I notice a slight worn area in the same spot but nothing like the pictures on this thread. There is something going on there but to varying degrees.

[mick]

I followed the good advice given to me on this forum by calling and asking to talk to Mr. Rohrbaugh himself about this problem. Maria then called me back and told me that she had talked to Mr.Rohrbaugh extensively about this issue, according to him this is in no way something that would effect the operation of the firearm therefore is not considered a deffect. This was my second time that I spoke to her about the issue and she reasured me it would not effect the way the firearm shoots. Anyway, that was good enough for me and since I have had no problems with the gun I am not at all worried about it anymore. I also agree that if the company were to simply eliminate a small notch off that little part we would not even think about it. Thanks....... Mick.

[kjtrains]

mick.  Glad you are at ease with this.  Good also to know that this is not a concern of Carl Rohrbaugh.  I trust his judgement as I'm sure he has thought this through.  I was concerned when you first called and thought something might not be up to par, but now with the reassurance, I think all is well.

[tquieng]

I really think the dent is due to the casing hitting it prior to exit.