Less recoil = better accuracy ... a hit with a .380 will do more damage than a miss with a 9mm.
>>On that note - there is a good selection of serious self defense .380 ammo on the market these days...so if you did choose to carry the R-380 as a deep carry BUG or otherwise gun...I feel the R-380 could be as good or better protection for folks who don't/can't/won't shoot an R-9 well within the limitations of what both guns are for = close range protection.
Certainly the R-380 will be a big success in other countries where private ownership of anything of a bigger caliber is banned...not to forget police looking for an effective BUG.
And if the .380 critter has even the basic sights that are applied to the R-9 these days...the R-380 should even be a decent plinker / defense gun at more extended ranges (20...maybe 25m...?) for ALL shooters. I should also imagine the R-380 will withstand a lot more shooting than the R-9 is made for. I suspect a well loved R-9 can be made to stand up to many thousands of rounds with proper tweaking and the occasional part replacement. But as we all know the R-9 was constructed to be carried a lot....shot a little. Besides...who in their right mind would want to shoot the R-9 day after day...?...ouch. The R-380 is a whole new game to this regard...easy on the hands, and hopefully more easy on the gun itself.
BTW...The R-Bro folks told me recently that nowadays the R-9 comes with sights as standard...!...you have to special request one if you don't want sights. To this end Rohrbaugh and those of us with "sighted" guns owe it all to the fella some of you older R-9 followers will remember as Blackhawk. Blackhawk was just a bit ahead of my time but I've heard Eric talk about him a lot, and always with a spark of fondness and appreciation. Blackhawk will always be an important part of early R-9 history...so I would like to add my thanks to the man...!
As I understand it, Blackhawk was effective in getting the R-Bros to listen up about sights by making his thoughts known on the subject on this and/or other gun forums. The term, "cranky about it" is probably a fitting description as to his mode of expression Blackhawk used to relay his feelings on the matter..and apparently he found or made a bunch of other folks feel that way too because as I understand it from Eric - they received a lot of noise on the subject...enough to sway Brother Karl to make a few...then more, and more - until today where as I said...sights are now standard on the R-9.
If we could just find a way to impress upon the boys to start making R-380s sooner than later by making similar noise...maybe some of us will be able to find an R-380 in our Christmas stocking this year...! What do you think...? So make those calls and write those letters boys and girls...!! If nothing else put your thoughts down here at the unofficial Rohrbaugh Forum (which IS followed by the R-Bros, BTW)...lets find a way to get the attention of other Rohrbaugh Forum members who may not be aware of what an R-380 is all about. And for those of us who interact on other gun forums where mouse guns are a respectable topic - lets make our thoughts about the R-380 known there too. All which makes me think...anyone have current contact points for the Blackhawk...?...!!...TW<<
