I'm seeing frame wear - any comments?

[Datan]

Has anyone seen anything like this wear on their R9/R9S?









I am seeing wear on the under/out side of the rails, inside of the rails, below the barrel lug, and on the front/top end of the frame.  It started with loss of the anodized coating.  I thought this was normal.  After the last time out shooting (today), I disassembled/cleaned and noticed quite a bit of wear into the aluminum frame.  This was new and quite alarming to me - I won't shoot the gun again and will send it in for a look-over.

Some of the details on my use:  I've had the R9S since May 2004.  I have ~600 rounds through it.  The first ~50 rounds were silver tips and the remaining have been 115gr gold dots - std pressure.  I have taken the gun apart after ever range session and cleaned/lubricated.  I shoot between 13 and 50 rounds per time.  I lube the heck out of it per the pics that Eric sent Duane and Chris posted on the FAQ site.  I changed the spring at ~300 rounds and then again at ~550 rounds.  I saw some removal of the anodized coating right from the start so I figured this was normal.  Eric had told me that this gun was in the first batch to get the new darkened anodized finish - don't know if there is any relationship here…

I've carried this gun in my pocket for over a year now and can count it's daily absence from my person on under two hands.. Putting it in the box to send in feels like taking off a piece of my body.  Love this gun and my Hedley back pocket holster (in my front/right)… but then I know you folks feel the same.

Any insight is appreciated..
Brian

[Newt]

Looks like you gotta send it back, something is wearing outa spec.

[R9SCarry]

Brian - thx for excellent picsd and a good description.  I am to be honest somewhat mistified.  First look of course one thinks - ''must have run dry'' but no - you seem to have been very methodical and careful in your maintainance.

True - it must go back and hopefully the folks will establish some ideas on the ''why'' of this.  With the precision fit of parts and lube this should not in theory be able to happen - certainly not in a gun so young - in thruput terms.

I can well imagine the reluctance to part with it - but seems only way.  Mine is not daily carry - just BUG and sometimes primary but heck - even with mine I'd be sorry to not have it here.

I wonder - any ''witness'' marks inside slide - anything that matches up with that frame wear?  Probably not but just wondering.

Do give any feedback possible later - and sorry not to be of much use with suggestions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To add - just looked at pics again - is that hole for the pin looking a tad ovoid?  Hard to be sure from pics but - has pin developed some slop?

[MountainMan]

An unlucky R9 day.  Zamboni has a cracked slide on another thread, and Brian all of the sudden gets unusual wear at the 600 round mark.  Keep us informed what the Rohrbaugh guys have decided caused these problems.  Sorry gentlemen!

[Datan]

I wonder - any ''witness'' marks inside slide - anything that matches up with that frame wear?  Probably not but just wondering.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To add - just looked at pics again - is that hole for the pin looking a tad ovoid?  Hard to be sure from pics but - has pin developed some slop?

To the first, I did look at the inside of the slide and the barrel lug and see no indication of "witness" marks, but then I'm not surprised as they are steel vs aluminum - I'm sure that is what you were thinking.

To the second, the pics do make the hole look a bit oval but this is not the case.  The pin fits very tightly.  

Thanks for the comments

[R9SCarry]

Hmmm - gremlins coming out of the woodwork!  

Well - hopefully these issues will be resolved and - more useful - add to the database of experience for the Bros R.  

I am sure we are still going to see occasional hiccups - part perhaps of the evolution of the pup.  This is one thorobred that is still growing the last teeth.!

Probably inevitable.

[Datan]

Brian,

Yes, I have the same wear markings on my R9S. I also clean & lube (per Eric's recommendations) after each & every trip to the range. (i wonder if my cracked slide is related to the frame wear...?)

I'm going to miss my R9S while it's being worked on; will have to carry my GLOCK 30 instead (great piece, though quite a bit larger than the Rohrbaugh.)

Thanks.

Zamboni

Yeah, I'd like to have the 30.  I have a 26 that I will have to carry for a bit.  Never carried it consistantly - nor any gun for that matter, until the Rohrbaugh.  It fits me perfectly.

[ketap]

Mine coming soon, this post has me worried, is it an isolated case?  I couldnt live with a gun that has weak points. Am anxious to hear more about this situation.

[R9SCarry]

I think factory feedback is what we need so as and when there is further info - hopefully it'll be seen here.

[Newt]

Datan & Zamboni how close are your serial #'s? This could be a bad run of materials or machining out of spec. :-/

[MountainMan]

It would be nice if others who have put a few boxes through their R9s took a close look to see if there has been any anodization loss on their guns at the wear sites of Brian's R9.

 If I'm reading Brian's post corectly the wear at these areas, that are now into the frame metal, started with slight Anodization loss.

Zamboni says he has seen Anodization wear also - don't know if he means at the exact same areas as Brian.

It would seem that some very slight anodization rub off at slide contact sites would be normal - or is it?  Think all would appreciate some feedback and comparisons.

[R9SCarry]

I will have to strip both mine down to analyze - my #1 in fact has had the greater ammo thruput tho only a tad over 300 - the second one I have got broke in at 100 or so rounds and left it there - approx 50 for starters and then the odd mag' now and again.  

I dry fire quite bit too.... which of course has no effect in this regard.

Once I have looked I'll give any relevant feedback.

[R9SCarry]

I will have to strip both mine down to analyze - my #1 in fact has had the greater ammo thruput tho only a tad over 300 - the second one I have got broke in at 100 or so rounds and left it there - approx 50 for starters and then the odd mag' now and again.  

I dry fire quite bit too.... which of course has no effect in this regard.

Once I have looked I'll give any relevant feedback.

[Datan]

Datan & Zamboni how close are your serial #'s? This could be a bad run of materials or machining out of spec. :-/

Well, I have a custom serial number as you can see.  What I know is that mine was in the first batch to receive the dark anodized finish.  I'd call this an early gun.  I've had the gun in my possession since May 13th, 2004.  I paid the money for the gun in Sept 2003 and Eric told me it was in production in October 2003.  

Zamboni's is in the 500 range so these guns were probably manufactured at different times.

[Aglifter]

I'm having some wear in the finish after 30 rounds -- not really any more than my 1911 had on it's Al frame after it broke in -- if this isn't normal, though, I'd like to know.

Brad