Happy Holidays/Holydays
Seems alot of frustration and ruffled feathers as of late. In the spirit of Christmas cheer, I thought it'd be nice to recap some of the issues for R-9 "tune-ups" and diagnosisis for clarification AND benefit of new members and lurkers who may be having problems.
O.K.: First off, this is a computer. If you dont agree or like what is said you can always TURN IT OFF, or retort. I am not a writer so if anyone gets offended, apology/s offered in advance. here goes:
If you own a R-9, odds are you probably bought it for DEFENSE. NOT target shooting, hunting, or collecting. You couldnt care less WHO makes it, how much it costs, or what "rep" you may have owning it....You just want it to work!
Many have reported flawless performance and many....have not. If you are having problems in the reliability department try these remidys but remember, I am NOT a gunsmith, and thier is no substitute for FACTORY repair/replacement and or consulting. Like it or not, right or wrong, at present, Bros R have a monopoly on the "pocket-9" market. No other 9mm to me, is known to be smaller, or easier to conceal/carry. Im a big bore kinda guy and the 9mm is the smallest caliber id ever consider for carry, THEN, only in a small "pocket size" configuration. Just my 2 cents. Im 5'11, 262 lbs. I consider this about average (maybe a little heavy) but for my frame, I have trouble with anything bigger than an R-9 for true pocket carry. So, instead of .380, .32, .25, etc. I want a 9MM. Thats why I got the pup. I carry it all the time, and when weather permits it backs up my .44 snubie. In the warmer months its the R-9. Ive owned it since May. O.K., enough with my background. On to the pup.
The R-9 is a defense pistol: Its not meant to be shot alot. No long plinking sessions here. One or two mags a session. If shot more, it can "overheat" ( tight tollerances that fill and swell with increase in temp CAN induce failures)
Limpwrist: The R-9 NEEDS a stable platform more than most pistols due to the compact design. (this is true with ANY small handgun with powerful ammo)
Grip: Make sure grip screws are tight. If loose, the grip plates can shift in the hand inducing limpwrist malfunctions despite the tightest grip. G-10 grips are "stickyer", carbon fiber are thinner. I like the slimer grip Carbon fiber offers. I chose Blue for appearence only. I dont use slip on grips because they can shift as well, enducing failures as well as change the configuration of the grip in the hand. Grip tape seems to work well and seldom slips on the frame like rubber. Try grip tape if you think you need more surface area to grip. The abrasive qualitys often make up for smaller surface. Quality, not quantity.
Maintenance: Lube with high quality OIL. I avoid grease. It collects dust and can slow slide momentum inducing failures.
clean at least once a month. Keep it clean and lubed. Like the famous Luger, The R-9 has TIGHT tollerances. While a tribute to craftsmanship, and effective in keeping dust out, little room is offered for error with regard to the displacement of dirt, etc. from the confines of the gun. Its not like a AK you can throw in the mud, pick up and shoot 100 rounds through trouble free.
Springs: Karl himself advises replacement of recoil springs every 100 rounds. I dont follow that rule, but if your still having trouble, its a place to start. Magazine springs are now offered by Rohrbaugh in a + package ( 20% I think). Try stiffer mag springs if your still having issues but you'll have to go thru Rohrbaugh. Although wolff does make them, they only sell to Rohrbaugh. If you contact them for tech support or info on "tweaking" springs, be for warned, Wolff doesnt have alot of nice things to say about Rohrbaugh. (or kel-tec and kahr for that matter).
Conclusion: If your springs are good, screws are tight, and the guns cleaned and lubed and you STILL have problems you can switch and or expieriment with various ammo, riffraff here on the forum has done an exhaustive test of various ammo manufacturers and offers some of the most inclusive insight available. Im sure one of his reccomended brands if not several
will work in your R-9.
Drastic measures: If youve sent the pup back to the factory and or are still having issues you have to wiegh the totality of circumstance. For me, a modified floorplate fixed things, ( see pup goes to Seecamp bootcamp thread) Others have polished feedramps etc. with dremels. Modifing your R-9 can void the warranty and cause irrepairable damage so be careful and make sure youve made up your mind as to what your going to do. For me, the choice was obvious, I wanted the R-9 to work and I NEEDED it to function with heavy (147 grain) ammo. The floor plate mod/fix was discovered by accident and is revearsable so I decided to use it. Karl Rohrbaugh has listened to many customer complaints and offered up some solutions, with better/longer grip screws and magazine springs as of late. In addition he has been known to buy back pistols from customers who were unable to be satisfied.
Good luck.
