rohrbaugh misses the mark, sadly

[judgnot]

There is a lot I like about this newly discovered gun.  However I find the lack of strap checkering completely baffling in a gun of this cost and utilitarian design.  There's really no excuse at all.  Skateboard tape on a gun like this is ridiculous.  

Almost all concealed carriers I know of are highly sensitive to size and almost completely insensitive of weight.  The aluminum frame is a complete turn off.  Maybe if it were made of steel it wouldn't have to carry the warning "to be shot very little" from Rohrbaugh's mouth himself.  I find it beyond asinine that practice with the most important gun you own is discouraged.  

I'm not trying to stir up a fuss with my first post.  I really would like to own this gun but those two shortcomings I mentioned are an absolute deal killer.  

Building this gun with real metal and checkering would make this so much of a better gun that it is boggling to me why the manufacturer has not come to this conclusion.  

I made this post in hopes that eventually it will come to be.

[coyote]

sorry to disagree.

i find weight more important than you. i have a self imposed limit max weight of around one pound loaded for CC. try doing that with any steel frame. yet i don't like plastic. my R9s is the only 9mm that has made this weight class (17 oz loaded) and is small enough for pocket/ankle carry.

re: checkering - while a nice concept, i haven't found the R9 to need it. i like the simple smooth radiused flowing feel of this firearm as it is.

even cooper said of the LW Commander: its to be carry lots and shot little. that's the whole point of lightweight alloy-framed firearms.

IMHO, the R9 wasn't invented as a high-volume firearm. it was designed as the lightest and smallest concealable 9mm possible, made to be carried when bigger/heavier ones aren't possible. that is why i purchased the rohrbaugh after 40 years of carrying hundreds of other fine firearms.

if one wishes to shoot lots and lots and lots, buy a bigger and heavier all-steel firearm, which not only last longer but are more pleasant to shoot.

but that's just me...

[ccoorreeyy]

Judgnot have you ever held a R9, or better yet shot one?   I can assure you that your post won't help anything "come to be".   I encourage you to actually hold and fire one to re-think you thoughts.  If after you do that and still think its asinine there might be room in the tiny 9mm market for you to create and manufacture what you feel would be a better gun.  Call it the Judgnot-shoot a lot-heavyweight-checkered great-pocket range 9.

[DDGator]

Judgnot,

Welcome to the forum.  I do find your first post to be a bit "judgmental" of a gun you don't have any real experience with -- which is ironic given your username.    

I don't agree with you on the weight -- especially for pocket carry.  Belt carry may be a different matter.  In the pocket, heavy guns just don't work well in lightweight or dressy pants.

I have actually held a prototype R-9 with a staineless steel frame.  The factory is well capable of producing such a gun, but they don't see the need when they can sell every alloy framed gun they make.  The gun was designed at every point to be a great carry gun, and that meant an alloy frame in Karl's opinion.  

Karl's statement you reference has been discussed at length here.  He was not discouraging practice with the R-9 -- but merely stating the reality.  I won't go into it again, but the gun does have a lifetime warranty and if you wear one out without abusing it, such as running it dry of lube or using +P ammo, the factory will take care of you.

I guess we are different.  I have always liked NAA semi-auto pistols, but won't buy one because they are too heavy.  I would have no interest in an R-9 with a stainelss steel frame.

Oh, and the R-9 is made from very high quality aluminum alloy.  I assure you it qualifies as "real metal."

Thanks for joining the forum.  Perhaps you will change your mind about the R-9, or maybe not.  It's all good either way.

[judgnot]

You guys have done a fine job of countering my arguments and in a friendly manner to boot which is rare on internet forums especially when some new guy is being critical.  Your points have been taken to heart.  I think I let my own personal desires trick me into believing them to be the truth.

Everyone has different requirements in a gun.  Carry guns in particular are very personal and as we see here my requirements are different from others.  

I'll still take the checkerig and steel frame or nothing, but understand other points of view.  I do believe the option of  a steel frame would sell more guns.  For the amount of pictures of these guns I see with skateboard tape on the straps I feel I'm not alone on that one but then again, if you guys aren't shooting them and especially not with sweaty hands, smooth srtaps may be fine.    Goes against the logic of most any other fighting gun I can think of but..  but then there I go again.

The judgnot is a a car thing.  I own a '69 GTO and you'll either understand that or not.  I must be a pretty judgmental guy though because this gets brought up against me quite often on the myriad of forums I belong to under that name.

[Recluse]

There is a 1969 GTO Judge in my little town that is seen ocassionally on nice days- Quite the sight to behold!  Great cars!

As a holster guy, I have access to a bunch of different pocket-sized firearms. After handling, carrying and shooting them, the one I carry myself is the R9.  It's my favorite by far.

[kjtrains]

judgnot.  Welcome.  All the above have said it well.  While we all can't think alike, it sounds like you could be won over to the R9 quite easily.  All you have to do, in your case, as Corey says, is to hold and maybe fire an R9.

I have seen others that have been very argumentative about the R9, having not seen one, or held one, then doing so, now know what they were missing; hopefully you'll be in this catagory.

I like that '69 GTO; impressive for sure; to me.  I go back a little further with a '57 Chevy 2 dr. hardtop, bel air, except no longer have it; that's a regret; have been looking for another, but can't justify the price tag; but like it has been said...........well, we won't go there.

Go see an R9, up close, then come back, and tell us what you think.  You will be impressed.  Again, welcome.  



 

[ccoorreeyy]

They can be checkered but it still will be aluminum.

[kjtrains]

Corey.  Don't you miss that one?    

[MRC]

I anxiously awaited the introduction of the Springfield EMP.  I just had to have one.  When they finally came out, the price was at least $200 higher than I anticipated so I decided to think it out for a change instead of just buying it.

At 26 oz empty, it just did not seem to have any advantages over my lightweight commander at a fairly high price.  I still have to pick one up everytime I see one, but I really can't figure out their place other than they are "neat".

[ccoorreeyy]

Corey.  Don't you miss that one?    

I've got plenty of pics of it.  

[kjtrains]

I've got plenty of pics of it.  

Well, OK; guess that helps.    

[Richard S]

You guys have done a fine job of countering my arguments and in a friendley manner to boot which is rare on internet forums especially when some new guy is being critical.  Your points have been taken to heart.  I think I let my own personal desires trick me into believing them to be the truth.

Everyone has different requirements in a gun.  Carry guns in particular are very personal and as we see here my requirements are different from others.  

I'll still take the checkerig and steel frame or nothing, but understand other points of view.  I do believe the option of  a steel frame would sell more guns.  For the amount of pictures of these guns I see with skateboard tape on the straps I feel I'm not alone on that one but then again, if you guys aren't shooting them and especially not with sweaty hands, smooth srtaps may be fine.    Goes against the logic of most any other fighting gun I can think of but..  but then there I go again.

The judgnot is a a car thing.  I own a '69 GTO and you'll either understand that or not.  I must be a pretty judgemental guy though because this gets brought up against me quite often on the myriad of forums I belong to under that name.

Judgnot:

First of all, welcome to the Forum, where we value the First Amendment as much as we do the Second. I might note, however, that some of the present and former military and LEO types who are regulars around here might find it a bit condescending to be instructed on the requirements for a true "fighting gun." Perhaps in that regard I should simply quote the late and legendary NYPD officer, Jim Cirillo, who before his tragic death in an automobile accident wrote this note to Karl and Eric Rohrbaugh:

"Your Rohrbaugh (R9) 9mm is the greatest backup gun in the world."

As for checkering, Bob Cogan at AP&W does a splended job of that for those who want it, e.g.:

http://www.rohrbaughforum.com/YaBB.cgi?board=R9S;action=display;num=1272332950;start=

But as for steel frames, this is the land of the 13-ounce 9mm Parabellum pocket pistol -- the finest one ever designed, IMNSHO.

Finally, for any of the "young bucks" out there who are too young to remember or are not familiar with the 1969 Pontiac GTO, there is some optional reading over on the edmunds.com web site:

http://www.edmunds.com/pontiac/gto/history.html

Again, welcome to the Forum. We encourage photographs around here, so if you want to post one or more of that classic "Muscle Car" of yours, they would be most welcome.

[DDGator]

Good point, Richard.  Jim Cirillo was not prone to overstatement - so that was a fine compliment indeed.  I don't think any civilian law enforcement officers survived more gun fights than Jim Cirillo and his partners on New York's infamous "stake out squad."

I was fortunate enough to have dinner with him once, and will always consider myself better for the experience.

[Blueeyedme]

Is this guy serious?  Has he ever touched one - or just oggled pictures?