Interesting Rohrbaugh Review--Your Thoughts

[Alphonso]

http://pistol-training.com/archives/1329

[Richard S]

That is a fairly good review, but I personally think it fails to give the R9 the full praise it deserves as the smallest and lightest 9mm pistol yet produced.

[ACP]

I read the article and thought it was fair and reasonable. It addressed the "quirks" of the R9 and yet retained a positive point of view.

Indeed, the biggest problem I have faced with R9s previously owned goes to the stovepipe issue and this article vindicates my concern.

When I get my new Stealth, I intend to stick to Winchester and Speer ammo, period. The fact that we all love the R9 (warts and all) is testimony to its appeal.

[Richard S]

By way of amplification, the sentence in the review with which I most disagreed was this one: "Plainly spoken, the R9S is the most unreliable pistol that I have chosen to keep, and I love it nonetheless."

My R9 has not malfunctioned in what will soon be five years of service. Although I admittedly feed it premier ammunition and am absolutely obsessive about its maintenance, the word "unreliable" simply does not apply to this R9 of mine.

[size=10]Edited to correct typo.[/size]

[kjtrains]

Nor mine either!  I started with the premium grade ammo and will not use anything else.  I feel this report is leaning toward the negativity rather than objectivity of the Rohrbaugh.  There is a bias in this report that is very evident, trying to show fairness, but in reality spouting forth a negative point of view that spreads it's wings much further than being fair to the Rohrbaugh.  As I've said before, mine has had no problems whatsoever!!  

[RickP]

I really thought the review was poorly done.

He ran it dirty and dry with what he admits in the text is poor ammo.

He measured accuracy shooting standing with one hand.
While that may be a good measure of his ability with this particular pistol shooting in that manner, it is in no way an accurate measure of the R9's ability.

Rick

[ACP]

My favorite caliber is .45ACP. Since we are not getting the R45 anytime soon, 9MM works for me. However, stovepipes happen and I only hope that my Stealth will behave like those of you who have never experienced this misfortune.

I concur with others, and have begun strings of my own, in which I wish for conventional frame mag release, micarta grips, R9 +P ammo capability & altered grip profile. However, consider for a moment that I am ordering my third R9 in four years. Does this appear like the behavior of an R9 non-believer?

My favorite carry gun is a Walther PPK. I like the gun much more than the .380 caliber. This one is pre'68 ban (1966), pre Interarms, all German, ordnance marked, glorious blue steel and perfect grips. Does this beauty feed everything from Fiocchi to +P HP? Yes. Does this little gun (hammer) bite the hand that feeds it? Yes. However, my love for the gun overrides these shortcomings.

[Richard S]

ACP:

I had one of those early, all-German Walther PPKs -- and still have a slight scar on the web of my right hand to remind me of the famous "Walther bite." I purchased it in Germany in 1963, and I purely loved that pistol. Letting it go in 1990 prior to deploying on an overseas assignment was one of those poor decisions which I most regret in my life.  

[ACP]

Mine is a PPK (not PPKS) and I hope never to part with it. However, given the extraordinary guns you have posted, Richard, I am not feeling sorry for you

[DTM_39]

Interesting Review,  My personal experience has been Totally Reliable.  Keep it clean and oiled,  Feed it quality ammo and this gun will be reliable.  This is not a battlefield gun that you will be picking up whatever 9mm you can find to fight.  Running it dry with @#$%$ammo doesn't seem to logical to me.  But what do I know.  All in all it wasn't a bad review.  Dan

[slashsplat]

Overall good review.  Too much time was spent with ammo that is CLEARLY NOT recommended for the pistol.  I am 100% reliable with Gold Dots.  Why bother testing ammo that is known incompatible?

Doesn't an "owner" read this forum and KNOW that most of the brands tested will be less than optimum?

That is like reviewing a high power .308 rifle designed for Federal Gold Medal Match 168g and testing with Wolf 150...  What is the point?  Crappy or inappropriate ammo degrades accuracy and/or reliability.  No lesson there...

[ACP]

Good point. My earlier posts did not pick up on this matter.

In a perfect world the R9 would digest any ammo, to include +P. This forum is festooned with these comments and concerns.

However, given the quality of the R9 we tend to forgive its shortcomings and {rightfully} regard it as the gold standard of 9MM pocket pistols.

For a LEO on the job it certainly makes more sense to have a primary gun in .357 SIG or .45ACP with an R9 as a backup gun. For myself, the R9 is my primary weapon, particularly during summer months when my outer clothing and pockets migrate north.

[RickP]

My understanding is that for the R9 to be able to use +P and to be able to digest any ammo it would have to be bigger and heavier. Wouldn't that be defeating the purpose?

Rick

[kjtrains]

I think so.  I like it like it is!!         

[ACP]

Concur. Quality of standard velocity 9MM (if we can find any) warrants the size efficiency payoff.