The Rohrbaugh Forum

Rohrbaugh Products and Accessories => Gunsmithing or Modifications for your Rohrbaugh => Topic started by: riffraff on September 21, 2006, 02:29:12 PM

Title: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: riffraff on September 21, 2006, 02:29:12 PM
Hello Everyone,

I have heard in the past that ammo has been specifically made for snubby revolvers for reduced muzzle flash and noise.  If it exists I bet someone on this board has heard of it.  Does anyone know of a 9mm ammo specifically designed for short barreled 9mm's.  I haven't seen anything like that advertised but that does not mean it doesn't exist.  I do not have the time to stay up on everything gun related that I would like to.  Any info. will be greatly appreciated.

Mike
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: sslater on September 21, 2006, 03:21:38 PM
riffraff:
Speer makes a 124 grain Gold Dot Short Barrel Personal Protection round in 9mm Luger (product #23611),  but it is +P.

That means we shouldn't / can't use it in an R9..... :(

I thought there were several other brands with the so-called "short barrel" loads, but I could find only the Speer offering.

Steve
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: riffraff on September 21, 2006, 04:48:28 PM
Thank You Steve

Mike
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: tracker on September 21, 2006, 06:05:23 PM
One other for short barrels is the Federal Personal Defense
9mm. 135 gr. JHP.
Velocity  1009fps
accuracy 2.13"
50 ft. expansion  .634"
Avg. penetration  10.88"
Wound area   20.31"
Wound impact index  6.52

This is a standard pressure round wit a relatively user friendly
recoil.  
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: riffraff on September 21, 2006, 07:08:05 PM
tracker,

Is this the Hydra Shock load?   I have recently acquired a box of the 135gr Hydra Shock.  They are in the safe right now so I can't inspect them more closely.  I do remembedr something on the box about low recoil though.
If what you wrote of is what I have let me know.

Thanks to all on this fine message board,   Mike
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: tracker on September 21, 2006, 07:29:23 PM
Mike,
Yes, it is Hydra Shock--"Premium Personal Defense".
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: ronc on October 08, 2006, 01:26:39 AM
Hello,  this is my first post.  I  have owned my r9s for a little over a week now.  I received it as a transfer to my local dealer last Friday and i immediately took it into their indoor range and fired about 20 rounds through it.  I was disappoiinted at the time with the performance.  it misfired several times and failed to eject several times.  I thought it was a beautiful gun but the only reason i would pay this kind of money is for reliability.  I took it home, disassembled it, cleaned it and followed the instructions for grease and oil and reassembled it.  I have carried it for the past week.  today, i took it back to the range and was pleased with its performance today.  I had one misfire and one failure to eject.  I fired at least 30 rounds.  So, i think it may just be a breakin problem.  My question is:  everyone talks about the best carry ammo for this gun but no one talks about what is the best ammo for target practice???  i am using gold dot 124 for carry.  So, far i am shooting winchester white box for practice.  Any advice??  thanks, Ron C
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: Michigunner on October 08, 2006, 09:49:40 AM
Ron,

Welcome to the forum.  Please come back often.  

I was also successful using Winchester USA ammo, the so-called Winchester White Box, which is commonly  found at Walmart.

My policy was that the pistol must always, without any  exception,  fire the contents of two magazines without errors.  That achievement should more than satisfy its use as an emergency pistol for up-close defensive use.

Kahr and Kimber pistols need a break-in period.  However, the R9 should be ready to go out of the box.

I think that frequent cleaning will be necessary to ensure error-free operation.  

The R9 is not a range gun, of course.  The pain would be too great anyway.

I hope you enjoy your pistol, and the many fine people here on the board.

Bill
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: Richard S on October 08, 2006, 09:55:04 AM
ronc:

Welcome to the Forum.  

I've used Winchester "WB" for range sessions in my R9 with no problems.  I carry it loaded with the Gold Dots recommended on Chris's FAQ sheet.  

http://www.acbsystems.com/boards/rohrbaugh/

Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: riffraff on October 08, 2006, 11:56:50 AM
ronc,

Well, I learned something from your post.  I thought I had the most problematic R9's on the planet but one problem I have never had was a failure to eject.

About your practice ammo question.  This gun was not made(in my opinion) to be shot that much.  You should practice with the same ammo that you are going to keep in it for carry duty.  The R9 fits the hand so well and has a very natural pointing quality that I feel that a lot of practice with the R9 is kind of pointless.   The R9 is a lot of fun to shoot but is not built to be a plinker or range gun as has already been stated in a previous post.  You should run 2 mags thru it every couple of months and then thouroughly clean and relube.

I think the R9 does require a short break in.  After my #1 was shot a bit the failure to fire's ceased.

Mike
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: ronc on October 08, 2006, 12:42:12 PM
Well i certainly agree that this is not a gun to take the range and do target practice.  It is just too painful.  30 rounds and i am really ready to quit.  However,  i felt the gun did need some breakin expecially after my first experience.  So what i am trying to do is get about 200 rounds through it and then i will go with the flow of "carry much, shoot rarely."  In any case,  i didn't want to put 200 rounds of gold dot through it for cost purposes.  I am encouraged with the improvement afer only one additional session.  I will do this again several times and hopefully it will reach the 2 mags with no problems.  I agree that this is sufficent.  Ron C
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: riffraff on October 08, 2006, 02:58:06 PM
ronc,

I believe that 100rds is plenty to break in an R9.  If the bugs have not gone away after that then you will either have to find a load that it likes or send it back to the factory for some tweaking.  I also recomend replacing the recoil spring after 100rds.

Mike
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: ronc on October 08, 2006, 05:52:10 PM
Thanks for the infor.  I have noticed several of you mentioning buying ammo by the 1000.  Where do you buy cases like this???  is this an internet sale or what?  Thanks, Ron C
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: tracker on October 08, 2006, 07:44:34 PM
"Ammoman" sells it by the 1000 lots but he doesn't always
carry a lot of the ammo frequently mentioned here.
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: ronc on October 09, 2006, 04:05:44 PM
one last question on ammo.  I confused my dealer because i bought a new clip for my 9mm Beretta.  I have have had this gun for 20+ years and the original clip has been compressed for most of this time.  I decided it was time to buy another one.  Then i asked for ammo for my R9 and he handed me a box of Spear Gold Dot and i immediately saw it to be a longer shell.  I asked him if this was +p ammo and he said "yes, that is what i would shoot in it."  I explained that i was not buying the ammo for the Beretta and he took the box back and handed me a smaller  box.  However, after getting home and loading my gun, i noticed that it was 124 grain.  Someone on this forum mentioned that 124 grain was +P and we should not be using it in a R9.  It doesn't say anything about being +P and it is definitely a smaller box than the +P box i had earlier.  do i still have the wrong ammo???  Ron C
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: tracker on October 09, 2006, 05:15:59 PM
All 124 gr. is not +P; a lot of people, including me, have been
using the 124 gr. GDHP and like it; stay with it if it works
for you.  
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: MountainMan on October 09, 2006, 10:31:57 PM
If it is +P for Golddots it will say so on the shell case.
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: coyote on April 18, 2011, 06:55:11 PM
has anyone been reliably using the blazer aluminum-cased 124 gold-dot in their R9?

i have a few boxes laying around and like the idea of using ultra-light-weight-cased ammo in the world's lightest auto. the lighter the better!



[woops! looks like i brought life back to a long buried thread. sorry, didn't mean to wake the dead, thus making this a zombie thread, i guess...]


.
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: Reinz on April 18, 2011, 07:55:37 PM
Good coinage -- Zombie Thread  ;D
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: Reinz on April 18, 2011, 07:57:16 PM
BTW - never tried the stuff, even though my first R9 eats whatever you shove down it's throat.
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: yankee2500 on April 18, 2011, 11:09:14 PM
I have not fired the Aluminum or Steel cased ammo in my pup, but have used both in my G-19. I wouldn't use Aluminum cased ammo for carry it galls to easy and could cause a jam.
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: kjtrains on April 18, 2011, 11:12:41 PM
Never have liked Aluminum cased ammo and wouldn't use it in the R9 not even to try it.
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: flintsghost on April 19, 2011, 01:25:30 AM
Quote
Never have liked Aluminum cased ammo and wouldn't use it in the R9 not even to try it.

Very good decision KJT, as all aluminum cased Speer is loaded with lead free primers.   Speers lead free primers run about 5% FTF out of a case of 1000.   Speer always considered that reasonable when my agency contacted them about the training ammo we were using.   Strictly speaking a second primer hit will not usually fire the round either.   They make good practice ammo, especially if you want to practice immediate action drills.   Also Blazer with lead free primers does not make good storage ammo for a rainy day as those same lead free primers have a limited shelf life as opposed to lead styphinate primers which have an unlimited shelf life.   But I wouldn't bet MY life on that ammo.  Someone else can with my blessing, but not me.  
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: Reinz on April 19, 2011, 05:29:27 PM
That's great info Flintsghost, I know that I have bought some Blazer in the past when it was on sale.  
Knowing what you have said now, I will use that stuff up next range session with the wonder nines.

Thanks

Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: coyote on April 19, 2011, 06:33:50 PM
Quote

Very good decision KJT, as all aluminum cased Speer is loaded with lead free primers.   Speers lead free primers run about 5% FTF out of a case of 1000.   Speer always considered that reasonable when my agency contacted them about the training ammo we were using.   Strictly speaking a second primer hit will not usually fire the round either.   They make good practice ammo, especially if you want to practice immediate action drills.   Also Blazer with lead free primers does not make good storage ammo for a rainy day as those same lead free primers have a limited shelf life as opposed to lead styphinate primers which have an unlimited shelf life.   But I wouldn't bet MY life on that ammo.  Someone else can with my blessing, but not me.  

just called CCI and they do agree with you. they say every blazer they make is for "practice only" and should never be used for defensive purposes.

thanks for all the input guys!
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: Reinz on April 19, 2011, 07:38:10 PM
Now that's something worth learning!


Better than learning the hard way, which is usually the path I seem to choose.
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: tracker on April 19, 2011, 08:11:40 PM

The following is printed on the back of a Blazer box which supports everything stated here: "Blazer ammunition designated as Clean-Fire is manufactured with primers using new technology which eliminates lead, barium, and antimony compounds from the priming chemistry. Clean-Fire also exclusively utilizes the Speer Totally Metal Jacket [TMJ] bullet. The lead bullet core is totally encased in a copper jacket-no lead is exposed at the base where hot gases can vaporize lead in conventional full-jacketed bullets. Recommended for indoor shooting ranges. Clean-Fire ammunition is designed for use in firearms having original factory hammer/firing springs. Misfires may occur if modified or non-standard springs have been installed. When storing this ammunition, avoid extreme temperatures and/or high humidity."

So much for hot lead.
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: elde on April 19, 2011, 08:22:52 PM
Ok, this is really good stuff to know. I've been using Blazer Aluminum for practice in 9mm and .45 for 10 years or so. Never had a failure but never used it in my R9....strictly for full sized pistols. But, I do have quantities of the stuff on hand. I'd better get busy shooting because some of it has been around for a while - several years (although in a climate controlled area). Thanks for the posts gentlemen.  
Title: Re: 9mm for short barreled guns
Post by: Relic on June 13, 2011, 05:00:04 PM
 I may just be lucky, but I had a mixed box of 115gr WWB, American Eagle, old Lawman FMJ and some old 147 and 124gr ball ammo that I decided to put through the pup on my second range day with the R9.  I just mixed them up in the magazines rather than separating them by type just to aid in my own training.

  I've also fired about 100 Gold Dot 124gr and a couple of mags full of Hydrashoks through it.  All, including the mixed box, without any failures.  They were all standard pressure loads of course.

It seems that at least this particular R9 is quite indifferent about what ammunition I use.

To answer the original question, I thought I had seen standard pressure, short barrel Gold Dots, but I can't say what caliber they were.  The +P are obviously not to be used in the R9, as per Rohrburgh's specs.

Edit:

http://www.speer-ammo.com/ballistics/ammo.aspx

The only GD SB available in 9mm is 124gr +P.  It must have been the .45 ACP I shot as standard pressure in my PM45.