The Rohrbaugh Forum
Miscellaneous => The Water Cooler -- General Discussions => Topic started by: DDGator on January 17, 2012, 12:45:25 PM
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Here we go...Lots to see this year! Sorry some of the image quality is not great, but you gotta work with the conditions.
Rohrbaugh R45 Prototype
I saw this last year, but this year it is official! This is a prototype - the top end is not quite what they want (with the Rohrbaugh signature profile), but it is close.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/DDGator/55a1fcce.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/DDGator/97c487c5.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/DDGator/1d94317f.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/DDGator/b6b16952.jpg)
This is an aluminum frame pistol that takes standard 1911Officers magazines--so 7 shot capacity. DAO. With a standard slide stop and standard mag release! Availability date is not set, but expect it still to be a while.
Rohrbaugh R-9 "Coyote" - not the final name
This is an R-9 with brown Cerakote finish on the slide and frame. Everything else is black. Special VZ G-10 grips. The gun will retail for $1,795. There will be an option for "The eights" sights which will have a small white dot at the bottom of the rear sight that lines up vertically with a dot on the front sight blade. Color is very nice in person. The VZ grips can be had checkered or smooth. Base gun is $1,795 retail.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/DDGator/05dc0e03.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/DDGator/cda4d174.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/DDGator/f8b71876.jpg)
There is a prototype of a new slide with dovetailed Novak sights. This involves a new slide design with more material at the top for dovetailing. No projected availability yet. There will be options like the gold bead front sight shown, and night sights. There is no easy way to retrofit this entirely new slide to an existing gun.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/DDGator/b7bbbd3f.jpg)
2005 Handgun of the Year Tribute Edition
Silver R-9 with bead blasted finish. New "blue carbon fiber" grips from VZ grips. Very nice grips. Nicer, frankly, than the originals. $1,395. Grips will be available separately for purchase. Price TBA soon.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/DDGator/1030694a.jpg)
Rohrbaugh Custom Shop
Maybe the best news for some of you. Rohrbaugh is going to start offering custom "one off" R-9s to your specs. A couple examples are shown below. More details on these two later--both are for sale.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/DDGator/bc36f86e.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/DDGator/945e811e.jpg)
Gotta get back to the show. Feel free to discuss amongst yourselves! More info and such later.
Duane
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i like the dovetail rear sight and a front with tritium. that's been the only thing i've really wished they offered.
a black Cerakote finish on everything would also be welcome.
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I really like the custom shop announcement. I'd like to see if they offer anything other than just different grips and colors. Hopefully they'll offer in-house front and back strap checkering.
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Corey, thanks for reminding me. I was sitting here trying to think of what the R45 teaser looked like, and of course it was the Colt 2000. That weird handle shape should have alerted me. I think the 2000 has the dubious distinction of being the only truly ugly gun Colt ever produced. Well, we can only hope that it was a VERY early prototype. Gene
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Corey, thanks for reminding me. I was sitting here trying to think of what the R45 teaser looked like, and of course it was the Colt 2000. That weird handle shape should have alerted me. I think the 2000 has the dubious distinction of being the only truly ugly gun Colt ever produced. Well, we can only hope that it was a VERY early prototype. Gene
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb327/Jack_F2/Guns%20Jan%202012/colt20002.png) (http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb327/Jack_F2/Guns%20Jan%202012/R45.jpg)
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I like the R45; don't like the Colt 2000. :)
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I think they will make it as small as spring technology allows.
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If it was in a 40 cal. it could have a smaller profile.
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Corey I'm with you, a shorter grip looks better and the grip is the hardest thing to conceal.
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I'm still liking the longer grip; I'll wear the R45 in a Del Fatti holster on a belt; good to have likes and dislikes, though. :) And maybe Rohrbaugh could make both. :)
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Will this be better than a Kahr?
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Count me in as one of the "10." (However, IMNSHO, I predict that there will be thousands.)
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Ken it may be a good thing you like it. If they make it like it is and you buy one you will likely have a very collectible gun down the road because I bet there won't be 10 people that would buy one. At the price point that i'm guessing the R45 will be at (prob. $2000) I don't foresee people buying it just because it's got the Rohrbaugh name on it.
OK, Corey. I'll get the shorter grip! :) Nooooo, I keep looking at the two pictures..........I'll stick with the longer grip, however, whichever one they make, will be the one riding in the Meco or Del Fatti holster.
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Interesting... While it may look like that Colt, it also looks a lot like another gun we all know and love. When the slide is done, the resemblance will be even more noticeable.
When you hold it in your hand, it is very nice. I think it will sell well. It's not designed to be the same gun the R-9 is...the intent is a little different.
All in all, I think this was a very nice showing this year that really gives some idea where the company is headed.
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Duane, any idea on when they will announce the availability of the Tribute model or when they will start taking orders for their custom shop?
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Corey I'm with you, a shorter grip looks better and the grip is the hardest thing to conceal.
A lot of people have added mag extensions to their short gripped R9"s. No matter what it is someone will want it the opposite :)
I would like it as small as possible. I think the 40cal. would be the best of all worlds.
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I will inquire on some of these things today.
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The Tribute model is not "in stock" but they will take orders next week, and fill them within a couple months.
If you want a custom shop order, I would just call the factory next week as well.
My time at the show is nearly over. I have a USCCA dinner tonight, then I fly out tomorrow. I will try to post more pics later of the Rohrbaugh booth, etc.
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Thanks for keeping us posted, Duane.
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Great to have someone on the inside. ;D
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Great work, for sure, DDG. Thanks!
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I have to agree, it's not a very attractive gun. Although it may be a great tool to save your life, we all have a tendency to purchase on appearance as well. Perphaps if they went with the .45GAP, they might be able to get the grip smaller. We went with that caliber in the New York State Police, and the guys seem pretty happy with the power and the brass are happy because the "smaller" Troopers can get their hands around it.
Mark
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The 45GAP is not a very popular caliber and ammo is not overly abundant, at least around the areas of NC I'm in. I get brass from a local pistol range (400 pounds at a time) and sort it by caliber and sell it to reloaders and it is a rare occasion I see any GAP brass, as a matter of fact in 4 years and at least 6000 pounds of range brass I haven't seen 2000 pieces of GAP brass.
The State Patrol here in NC carries the 357 SIG a little more popular than the GAP but not much.
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Yankee....or any forum member...........why do you think they are against the 40cal? Ohio Sate Patrol uses the 40 as do other law enforcement divisions in our state.
The gun could have a much smaller profile.
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Jack I like the 40cal and think it would be great in a Rohrbaugh, I have been caring my Kahr PM40 a lot now that the weather is cooler.
Corey that may be the plan because they probably have a large supply on hand. :(
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My experience has been that there are after-market grip screws for nearly every pistol to fit nearly every taste. I've changed out the factory grip screws for those of my preference on just about every handgun I own -- except for the few "Crufflers" in my safe.
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It looks like flat and slick grips held on with tiny screws to me. You would think they would learn.
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Prototype.
The prototype R9 had a slide stop that proved to be not only cumbersome but also unnecessary.
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I think they will make it as small as spring technology allows.
Actually, spring technology is not the limiting factor - it is the imagination of the designer. Many things can be done to fit a long-life spring inside the proposed 5+1 R45. One example would be a design used by George Kellgren, and that is the nested, counter-wound spring configuration used in his Kel-Tec PF9 pistol (and possibly the P11, but I haven't checked). This design could have been used in the R9/R9S pistols, but instead the Seecamp-style recoil spring assembly was employed, with the outer spring being short about 4-5 coils (hence the short life). Another example is the Beretta Tomcat, which uses vertical compression springs in the grip operating through levers that deliver the very high recoil spring force required by this little blow-back pistol. I think it is great that Rohrbaugh is putting a .45 on the market - the R45 looks very smooth, snag-free, comfortable to hold and I'm sure will be as well-made as the R9 series. However it will be competing with a huge variety of .45s in that size and price class. I'm sure many were expecting an R9 size, but maybe a little bit larger and a few ounces heavier. With this thing being two years out, it may not be too late to make it smaller...
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I was expecting the R45 to be smaller.........it will be hard to make a 45 in a true pocket pistol size.....I'll probably stay with my Glock 36 and Wilson Compact CQB for 45's.......staying with the R9 and Seecamp for pocket carry....throwing in an occasional J Frame....Full size Wilson CQB for serious carry ;)
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Size Guess
(http://api.ning.com/files/W7FI4XetEHqA*arGNuAEQDAd1uOj9uZflc1vDnZzWVsPXNJf4uhVfiN0ehpqPCQJY1eJLcsbM-szphjC1ta9MFl10knlzI1l/RohrbaughR45R9Soverlay.jpg?width=721)
http://www.bobergarms.com/forum/topics/rohrbaugh-45-in-the-works
What is going on here? Given the credit line for the above, is the Rohrbaugh Forum now being used as an adjunct of the Boberg Forum?
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I'm waiting to hear from one of the Rohrbaughs if the overlay is reasonably accurate.
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Simply another forum looking at the Rohrbaugh products with interest as we do here discussing other manufacturers products.
If you say so.
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To me it "the prototype" looks a little like the solo. I hope we remember this is a prototype and is 45 caliber. Very difficult to design a weapon suitable for true pocket carry with the capacity we would all like. Give the Brothers some space I am sure they will come up with another self protection tool that will be a piece of engineering art. I carry my R9 in my left front, sometimes with the grip extension and sometimes without depending on the pocket. Sometimes I carry IWB tuckable. Sometimes its a Seecamp. Other times it is something more substantial, certainly not in my pocket as I believe in "concealed carry". The R45 may turnout to be more suitable for IWB or OWB carry or possibly some pockets. This is a 45, how small and light can it be from a practical standpoint? Whatever, I cannot wait to see the finished product, unfortuanately I may not be able to afford one when it comes out. Anyway, trust the genius that is the Rohrbaugh Brothers.
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Not to speak for Karl, because he and I did not discuss this specifically -- but... I think he would say he has already designed what he believes to be the best pocket pistol, in the best caliber for such a pistol, with the R9. I do not believe the R45 is intended to be a "better" R9, but a different gun altogether. I am sure Karl would expect you to carry the R9 in your pocket and/or the R45 on your belt. A larger gun in a larger caliber has plenty of self-defense applicability, don't you think?
However it turns out, it will almost certainly: 1) Be a well thought out design for its intended purpose; 2) Be well manufacturered to exacting tolerances; and 3) Be backed by excellent customer service.
Karl has always had an affinity for 1911 pistols, so it's really no surprise that the R45 design has its roots in a 1911 pattern pistol.
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Duane, I could not have said it better