Thoughts/feelings on a Kahr PM40?

[sslater]

So the R380 will be a locked breech pistol, like the R9?  Most .380s are blowback design. Smaller, lighter, (cheaper).  

Like flyandscuba said,

just a rebarreled R9?  Without a size advantage, it may be difficult to justify a purchase compared to the LWS380

I guess there'll be diehards who must have one of every model Rohrbaugh produces.  Not me.  Some guys are collectors, others are shooters, still others are accumulators.  I must be a "shooting accumulator".  Already have a .380 NAA, don't need another .380...
Now if I hit the lotto  
  

[DDGator]

Well... not to bash the Seecamp...

I have never fired one and don't know that much about them.  Do Seecamps have no cast, MIM, forged or plastic parts?  I am not sure.

Most important, however, is the difference mentioned above.  The R-9 is a locked breech, while the Seecamp and most (all?) other pocket  .380 out there are retarded blowback.  This makes a HUGE difference in shootability.  Have you ever shot a larger, heavier Bersa Thunder in .380?  Snappy little gun.  Blowback.

When Eric and Karl showed me the R-380 prototype at the factory, my reaction was the same -- Why bother?  Eric smiled and handed me his R-9 and the R-380 and let me shoot both.  I saw the light.  The R-380 is a complete pussycat.  The nicest .380 I have ever shot.  Recoil becomes almost a non-issue.  Now I am a believer in the need.  This will be a great pocket gun.

Also -- Rohrbaugh anticipates selling a lot of R-380s in the overseas markets where 9mm is prohibited as a "military" caliber.

[flyandscuba]

I can see the .380 being marketed overseas.  Here in the US, if you want locked breech in a .380 pocket pistol -- look no further than the very reasonable KT P-3AT.  Mine has been reliable out of the box, and was my daily pocket carry since it replaced the P-32.

I've come to feel that the smaller (less powerful) cartridges are not sufficient to be considered effective as a self defense pistol. (I know, better to have something than not).  

The R9s (or other 9mm) to me, is the minimum for self defense.  I now prefer something stronger -- .40 or .45

Thr R-380 will sell, and I expect it will be the Cadillac of pocket .380s -- but if the price is expected to be in the same $900-1000 range, I'll not be adding one to my collection.  Too many suitable, lighter, and less expensive .380s on the market.

[rtw]

That will be a tough one. I love the size of my Seecamp .380 and am willing to live with its recoil since it's not a gun I blast away with at the range-nor is my R9, for that matter.

The only reason to have the Seecamp .380 (or .32) from my perspective is to gain a smaller gun that just disappears in pockets and can be carried very easily. Otherwise, I'd only have the R9 for pocket duty.

Perhaps if recoil is much less than other .380's it will attract buyers who appreciate quality and want an easier to shoot platform.

[ezeg]

Duane,
Since you have actually held a R-380 prototype, I am curious about your perception of the weight vs. the R9. I carried a P3AT for a year or so before I obtained a R9. For me the R9 is superior in every way save one: weight. The P3AT is ~ one-third less weight and that little 4 oz does make a difference. Based on your comment about recoil of the R-380, I am a little concerned that the R-380 may not deliver a meaningful reduction in eight over the R9. Thoughts ... ?

[DDGator]

Any reduction in weight would be minimal or perhaps non-existant.  It is literally the same gun with a different barrel, recoil spring and slightly modified magazine.

The additional weight, I am sure, contributes to the shootability.  

To me, the R-380 was far more pleasant to shoot than a P-3AT.

[Michigunner]

My hope is that the R-380 and R9S can share the same holster.

[DDGator]

Absolutely they should.

[Bubbaman]

Oh boy. I have a comment and then a question. Comment - the Kahr trigger is superb and if the size is down close to the P-3AT, I think the Kahr will be the Cadillac of the 380s. The price will still be say $300 less than a Rohrbaugh. Can you tell I'm a Kahr fan? Question - What is the trigger like on the "high priced" Seecamp 380?