Picked up my R9 Stealth today.
Unfortunately, the only 9mm JHP the store/range had was Federal 135 gr. personal defense and Cor-Bon DPX. Knowing that the Federal was nothing like any of the recommended ammo, I figured I would give it a try and maybe get lucky.
No luck. It jammed on at least 40% of the rounds. So, I am now in the process of looking for 115 gr. Winchester Silvertips.
Many of my jams occurred with the round at a high upward angle, which were cleared simply by retracting the slide and releasing it. I really think stronger magazine springs - at least 10% - would help eliminate these jams by getting the round up in front of the returning slide a bit quicker. I will guess that stronger magazine springs could really improve the selection of workable ammo.
However, I did have one occasion when the round released from the feed lips prematurely, and the slide attempted to feed two rounds. This resulted in a jam that wedged the magazine down and back, preventing me from removing it using the magazine release. I had to pry the offending round out with a screwdriver and then release the magazine. I think this is a serious disadvantage with the heel magazine release as compared to a frame-mounted push-button.
The trigger stopped working after 38 rounds. A quick inspection revealed that the right grip panel had loosened. Because I didn't have an Allen wrench that would fit, that ended my shooting session. Once I got home, I removed the grip panel, put the sear trigger bar spring back in place, and re-installed the grip panel. Trigger function returned to normal. The fix is simple, but I am a little surprised that a $1,100 pistol would come from the factory without the loctite applied if only 38 rounds will loosen it up enough to put the gun out of action.
Knowing what I do about this gun, I have high hopes for it. The trigger was absolutely beautiful for a DAO with repeat strike capability. The sights, while small, are a very good compromise between shootability and snag-free draw, and are surprisingly well regulated for a pocket gun. The grip is comfortable for a gun that size, and recoil is more pleasant than that of my North American Arms .380 despite the extra weight of the .380. The grip/spring issue can, as has been reported on this forum, be cured with a bit of loctite, which I have here.
Without the information I have learned from this forum, however, a shooting session like the one today would make me ready to tell Rohrbaugh to take back their POS and give me my money back.
At this point, I am hopeful that the gun will work better once it is loaded with the recommended ammo. I knew when I bought the gun that ammo sensitivity is an issue, as it is any time a gun pushes the size and weight limits of a given caliber like this one does. However, I do need 100% reliability with at least one readily available JHP before I carry it.
