Author Topic: Range trip new (to me) R9 vs new (to me) Solo  (Read 4150 times)

Offline backupr9

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Range trip new (to me) R9 vs new (to me) Solo
« on: August 22, 2013, 05:34:56 PM »
Purchased a new to me R9 (R18xx) from a forum member, and found a stainless relatively new but used lightly Solo at a gunshow...both to the range today:

R9:  This one has had one prior range trip and loved Lawman and Gold Dot 124.  This time it ate 13 rounds of Lawman 124gr; 13 rounds of Gold Dot 124; 6 rounds of Federal premium 124; 13 rounds of Black Hills subsonic 147 FMJ...all went "bang" with no issues.  I used the one mag that came with the pistol.

Solo:  Multiple jams (failure to extract cleanly) with FMJ (Lawman and with Black Hills), more with one of the mags than with the other.  One mag liked the Gold Dot 124, with one jam that I attributed to limp wrist.  The other mags didn't do as well (the same one that was a problem before).  The good mag liked the 7 rounds of Federal that I had left to shoot.  I will ask Kimber to replace the questionable mag if they will. 

R9 vs Solo:  R9 recoil was, as usual, very brisk...my arthritic wrist noticed it after a few mags!  Nevertheless, it required less of a death grip than the solo, which had a more gentle recoil but required a much tighter grip and stiffer wrist to function.  Interestingly, the Solo was less likely to jam with one hand shooting, while my R9's do better with two hands on the wheel.  The Solo sight picture was a quantum better than the R9, with impressive accuracy at 7 to 12 yards vs the R9, which was close until I started to flinch due to painful wrist joint.  The Solo was more fun to shoot but is not yet trustworthy as a carry piece.  The stainless Solo is really very "pretty" while the R9 looks functional and solid. The new R9 is almost ready to carry, but needs another 50 rounds through it before I'll do so.  Meanwhile the trusty Covert remains in my pocket at nearly all times...and it just looks black and deadly (as a covert carry piece should look).
Life is good!
John
"Those who would sacrifice a little freedom for a little order, will lose both, and deserve neither." 
Thomas Jefferson

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Offline Richard S

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Re: Range trip new (to me) R9 vs new (to me) Solo
« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2013, 06:35:46 PM »
Thanks for the good range report.
(1963-1967) "GO ARMY!"

Offline Reinz

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Re: Range trip new (to me) R9 vs new (to me) Solo
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2013, 12:40:01 AM »
Sounds like a fair, objective comparison to me.

Thanks Backup!
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Offline C0untZer0

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Re: Range trip new (to me) R9 vs new (to me) Solo
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2013, 05:30:31 PM »
Thanks for the range report.

I read a range report on the Sig P938 where the owner shot 115gr FMJ practice ammo through it.  To me that's not very helpful because I wouldn't use 115gr FMJ for self defense. 

I practice with 124gr and 147gr Lawman and then shoot 7 rounds of 147gr Winchester Ranger "T" Series RA9T at the end of my range session.  My R9 has been flawless with those so far...


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« Last Edit: August 24, 2013, 06:51:34 PM by C0untZer0 »

Offline backupr9

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Re: Range trip new (to me) R9 vs new (to me) Solo
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2013, 05:32:32 PM »
Good to know...I haven't use much Winchester 9mm...can't find the premium versions here right now, but will keep it in mind.
"Those who would sacrifice a little freedom for a little order, will lose both, and deserve neither." 
Thomas Jefferson

Endur Fortis