Cracked R-9S Slide

[EdMan]

Thanks for all the kind responses to my post. I have some pictures of the R-9 cracked slide, but I'm new to this Forum so I'm not sure how to get the picture posted. I'll figure it out and post it later. Thanks again everyone.

[jarcher]

If you want, email me the pic and I'll post it for you.  Send it to jim@archer.net.

[mefly2]

This is a fantastic forum for a great product from very customer oriented management, but the reliability issues and cracked slides on such a small number of custom produced pistols gives me pause... especially when it was sent back, upper assembly replaced, test fired, and still is not 100%.  I will still try to get one, but not for the originally intended purpose.

[EdMan]

I sent my R-9 back to Rohrbaugh for repairs today. It cost $36.47 for FedEx over night from Cincinnati Ohio. I'll keep posting the progress of the repairs and follow up functioning reports. I've sent jarcher pictures of the cracked R-9 slide to post. When I have more time I'll figure out how to post pictures myself. Thanks for all the support.

[jarcher]

Here are the pictures:

http://www.archer.net/r9/R9_crack_1.jpg

http://www.archer.net/r9/R9_crack_2.jpg

[MountainMan]

Here is one for you:

[MountainMan]

The other:  Looks like it is above the slide rail where it is thin.

[Richard S]

EdMan:

Welcome to the Forum.  It's unfortunate that you have had a problem, but the R9 is a fantastic pistol and the Rohrbaughs will make it right.

[Michigunner]

Edman,

Welcome to the forum.  I know you will enjoy all the people here.

They will take care of it for you.

Bill

[SAWBONES]

The crack on mine went all the way to the front of the grasping grooves, and around to the back.
The height of the area where the crack occured (thinnest part of slide) was the same.

[R9SCarry]

Dave - thx for pic post - as ever graphics help so much.

Well - predictably that is over the thinnest section.  Odd thing is despite imagining considerable stresses under firing - the tolerancing of frame/slide fit is so good that it's hard to see enough deviation from mainly longitudinal forces - those being ''shared'' pretty much along whole length.

I wonder if at final lock up stage there is a stress spike that can affect the very rear - and the crack Sawbones describes has obviously started in same place but ''run'' further, and maybe quicker.

I have little doubt these rare instances will have given the Bros R much valuable info re the metallurgy, and stresses.

[EdMan]

Thanks to all you for all of the welcome messages, and concern. Thanks to jarcher and MountainMan for posting pictures of my cracked slide. Yes it is at the thinest part of the slide. But I have GOOD NEWS! I saved a bunch of money.... oh oh wrong commercial. The good news is That Eric Rohrbaugh called me this morning and told me he got my R-9. He told me some of the things they were going to do to fix it. He sounds like a great guy. This is indeed great customer service, especially considering today's trend for businesses to take your money and give no, or crapy service. So I guess the high price of my R-9 was worth it after all, since it included such great customer service. So as the jumper from a tall building was heard saying, "so far so good."  I'll keep you all posted on the situation.

[Skyhook]

So as the jumper from a tall building was heard saying, "so far so good."    

[sslater]

So as the jumper from a tall building was heard saying, "so far so good."    

Skyhook, It's not that bad!  Most of the Rohrbaugh slides will never crack, but the jumper knows that in a few seconds he's gonna be saying, "So far so.....[SPLAT] "

Seriously,I took another look at my R9S with Deer Park slide both inside the frame groove and on the outside.  No indications of distress after 200 rounds.  There are tight radii in there, but no different from other brands of pistols I own.  I'll be putting another 50 rounds thru my gun this weekend or early next week.  "So far so good..."  

[EdMan]

Today Karl Rohrbaugh called me and told me that my R-9 was fixed, and he was shiping it back to me. It has only been two days since I sent it to him. This is really extraordinarily outstand customer service!! He told me all that he did to my R-9. At my request he even replaced the unsighted R-9 slide with one with sights (as I really wanted, but couldn't get at the gun show where I bought my pup), so now I will have a
R-9S! Too cool for school (as we used to said in the old days). I asked Karl why the slide cracked. He told me he had gotten some bad stainless steel bars from his supplier. So it sounds like any new Rohrbaugh pistols should be free of this defect. So any of you out there who were leery of buying a Rohrbaugh pistol because of the cracked slide problem, don't be. Buy one and enjoy it. After I get my pup back I'll test fire it and give further reports. "So far so good." Maybe there is a big cusion under the jumper. Range time will tell.