Rohrbaugh Firearms Corp. Historic Photographs

[ECR]

I have thought of writing a book on the company and many other things Karl and I have done in our lives.

Eric-

I hope you do write a book.  Your giving us the back story on the company and the R9 is very much appreciated.  And I still think you and Karl should develop the 45 - I was really looking forward to that one.

-Chris

Many people were looking for the R45 Chris. A few years to go on our "Do Not Compete" clause . . . . . . ecr

[ECR]

Developing the Rohrbaugh .45 I believe would be an expensive proposition. The prototype picture I saw of it was exciting, elegant, & most of all alluring. Alluring sells. I bet an infusion of some venture capital would make the process easier. I, for one would be interested in being a part of it & I'm sure that I would not be alone. Food for thought......

You never know . . . . . .   ecr

[ECR]

OK everyone. . . . . Here are the next photographs of some prototype parts for the R9 Series Pistols. These were fixtures and different style firing pin designs we tried for the R9. They were all machined by Karl and a good friend of his here on Long Island in the late 1990s. Remember, there was no functioning pistol yet at this point, just working on all of the small details to work up to a complete firearm! These were just for the firing pin and firing pin spring!

[ECR]

Hello everyone. Here are a few more photographs from the Rohrbaugh Archives. This was the first frame that Karl made with the help of a good friend of his who had a machine shop. The frame has a slit in it for our introduction to "Safe Gun" technology. That is the item that helped us get investors for the project as shareholders in the early days around 1996. Notice the slit in the trigger guard of the frame. That was where the lever was hidden for the trigger lock mechanism. Enjoy the photos.

Regards,

Eric C. Rohrbaugh

[ECR]

Some more shots...........

[ECR]

and a few more............ Note the bottom photograph shows the first style trigger sear/transfer bar. This frame and components were for the predecessor of the R9 9mm Series pistols. This was a .380 caliber blowback design pistol with the "Safe Gun" System. Karl was competing against the Seecamp .32 caliber pistol and wanted to make something a little larger in caliber, hence the original pistol from Rohrbaugh was too be this handgun design. More to follow here in a few days if I can stay on it for you.

Enjoy the History!

Regards,

Eric C. Rohrbaugh

[offrdmania]

Thanks Eric, this is some great insight into those days. Please keep them coming 

[kevinqjhps]

THAT is impressive. Hats off to you sir!

[ECR]

Thank You offrd and Kevin. More to come. I felt it only proper for those of you who are R9 connoisseurs and historians should have these available. It is a good and safe place to have them logged.

ECR

[ECR]

Here is the very first fixture Karl made to test his theory for his gun. He didn't even know if it would work at that time! This was somewhere around 1999 or so. Anyway, we set it up with a backstop and it was affixed to a vice behind a steel plate so if it "blew up", we would be protected from the debris. It worked just fine as we all know by this point. We attached a string to the trigger, not shown here, and went behind the steel plate and pulled the string to set things into motion. Being it was a pressed-in barrel at that time, the bullet (.380) did in fact go downrange, and then the rifled sleeve went off right behind it! We had that on camera somewhere. It was funny as hell watching the sleeve go out of the barrel right after the bullet did!  Ha haa. . . . . Whelp. . . Back to the drawing board we went. Ha haa. . . . yeah, but the bullet was almost dead center in the paper target! Success!  Yes! 

[ECR]

More shots of the first test fixture.

[ECR]

The original prototype magazine in .380 acp.

More to come in the following days everyone.

Enjoy your evening.

Eric R.

[offrdmania]

I still think this needs to be a book. You can call it "From Rohrbaugh to Remington"

[ECR]

I have thought of that offrd. . . . . . But I'm currently busy with three different musical ventures right now and also I am heavily involved as an officer in our local BMW motorcycle club here on Long Island. Add into the mix is we have two grandsons, 2 & 4, so everything takes a lot out of me at this point to even think about writing a book about our venture with Rohrbaugh. . . . . Although, I do have a strong recurring feeling to make such an effort for that to happen. We'll see as time goes on.

Thank you for your interest in what we have done with the R9. Many other companies have taken some of our design traits and utilized them in their own designs. You know what they say about copying. . . . . it's the greatest form of flattery. Ha haa....

[ECR]

Here is where I spend a good amount of time each day. . . . . my home studio creating. Also, I forgot to mention I am currently refurbishing a 1976 Fender Rhodes Electric Piano (Stage 73) for a friend of mine. . . . yeah, I'm a busy guy!  lol