Why such limitations on rounds fired

[jeeptree2112]

Here lies one of my biggest questions, why can't I be able to shoot my carry gun as much and whenever I want to?  DAO triggers are certainly not my first choice in triggers for accuracy so because there is no better carry gun in a 9mm, I have been shooting my R9 freely to acclimate myself to such a long trigger.  When I speak of accuracy I mean 30 feet and closer.  I can group all my guns, as well as a KAHR PM9 so much better than the R9, but I am bound and determined to do the same with the R9 to to it's superiority of being my primary weapon.  And quite simply, I LOVE SHOOTING MY R9.  I DON'T WANT TO BE LIMITED.  I have fired well over 600-700 rounds through it with very inconsistent results.  THE GUN IS CLEANED THOROUGHLY AFTER EVERY USE, GREASED AND OILED WITH MOBILE 1, AND SPRING HAS BEEN CHANGED AFTER EVERY 200TH SHOT FIRED.  A quote I found on line from a SHOT show states "All guns come with a lifetime warranty for the original owner. Rohrbaugh told me he has several customers who tell him they have 5000+ rounds through the gun. (In fact they’ve tested guns with 5000 rounds through them and found no noticeable wear.) They do tell owners to change out the recoil spring every 250 rounds, but a spare spring comes with every gun when new."  I DON'T BELIEVE I'LL EVER GET TO THAT POINT BUT IT IS REFRESHING TO SEE.     THOUGHTS?

[Richard S]

JT:

As long as you continue to keep your R9 clean and well lubricated, and change out its primary recoil spring every 200-300 rounds or so, there is no limitation on the number of rounds you can fire through it. The key is the recoil spring, which has one Hell of a lot of work to do in a 13-ounce pistol chambered for the 9mm Parabellum cartridge. However, at $4.99 a piece, those springs are a real bargain.

I think the entire "round-limitation" myth stems from a casual remark once made by Karl Rohrbaugh to the effect that the R9 was intended to be "carried a lot and shot a little." All he meant was that he had designed the R9 to be a self-defense weapon rather than a recreational range gun.

You mention that you are still having some difficulty achieving consistent range results with the R9 after having run 600-700 rounds through it. Perhaps you might consider trying one of the magazine extensions offered by "Yankee" in the Classified section of the Forum. Some  members have reported that the extensions help them achieve better control of the little "pocket rocket."

Good luck, and please keep us informed.

Fire away and enjoy your masterpiece.

[C0untZer0]

I think sometimes misinformation just spontaneously happens.  A casual remark from Carl Rorhbaugh can be misinterpreted and put out on a forum where it gets re-translated and misinterpreted again.

There is a thread about the Kimber Solo or (alternative pistols) at The High Road going on right now where someone put out

The Solo is a nice looking gun. It seems that it wasn't meant to be shot allot, and tears itself apart. Much like the Rorbaugh and Diamondback. I have no use for a gun like that.

Maybe its just something he heard and now he repeats it.


But I've also run into people who seem genuinely pissed off at the price of the gun.  It's like they want one, but because it isn't priced like a Hi-Point, they're pissed at Carl.    


It's like sour grapes or something, and then they bad moth the pistol on the forums.

[Richard S]

Count:

People such as those you describe bring to mind the quotation from Aristophanes:

“Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but stupid lasts forever.”

[jeeptree2112]

I have a mag extension, just recently acquired as well as VZ grips.  These two items has improved my shooting comfort incredibly and accuracy has improved.  I just wanted piece of mind shooting it as I please but maintaining it as recommended.  There is no better CCW on the market.  The quality is second to none.  Just didn't want to over extend it's life.  Thanks

[Ghost Chili]

I shoot my R9 every time I go to the range and that averages about 2-3 times a month.  I figure the recoil and DAO trigger doesn't help rapid fire accuracy so I need all the practice I can get.  No point in buying a nice carry pistol if you can't shoot worth a darn with it.  I notice a bit of wear on the aluminum frame where the barrel contacts it when it cams down, but it isn't too bad.  I doubt I will "destroy" the pistol due to range practice since I only shoot about 50 or so rounds at each session. 

My R9 has shot through just over 700 rounds of a 1000 round case of the Russian Silver Bear ammo and has not had a single malfunction yet.  I bought the gun used and in addition to the JHP carry ammo I have run through the pistol for function testing, it probably has over 1000 rounds fired through it total.  Just need to clean and lube it thoroughly after every range session and keep up on the spring changes. 

[jeeptree2112]

Ghost chili....that is exactly how much and how often I shoot the R9     Great to hear someone else shoots it as much as me

[Clean1]

I shoot my R9 once in a while to stay fresh. It's my favorite carry gun, but my favorite guns for the range are much bigger. 1911s and my big wheel guns. I think my carry gun is for just that. To carry. I shoot silvertips flawlessly, but they're like a buck apiece.

[backupr9]

Every time I go to the range, I shoot the R9 and one of my other three carry pieces (Seecamp .32, Boberg, Kimber CDPII), even if I'm going to the range to sight in a rifle or to punch paper with bigger pistols.  All are kept clean and lubricated (Eezox works best for my small pistols) and all work flawlessly if I do my job.  I rarely put more than 50 rounds through the R9, and often only 20 to 30, just to keep "point and shoot" proficiency, not to demo how accurate I can be with aimed slow fire, which I also practice...in that sense the R9 is not a "range gun" but that does not limit my use of it.  The Kimber is a tweener, since it is accurate at considerably longer distances than the R9 and the LWS, and with it I practice both point and shoot and slower aimed fire for accuracy.  I'm still working on the Boberg and don't carry it yet, but may end up doing so in the future. 

Moral:  shoot the R9 all you want...mine works well with most ammo, but I stick to Lawman for general practice and Gold Dots for practice and carry and I change springs every 150 rounds. As with any closely toleranced machine, prolonged and extended use will eventually cause wear, so if one just wants to throw a lot of lead downrange I'd recommend getting a Glock.

Advice: 
1.  Treat it right (good ammo, fresh springs, clean and lube, don't overheat it when shooting)
2.  Hold it tight
3.  Ignore the bite (or wear a thin leather glove for extended practice)
4.  Forget the sight  (point and shoot in CQB)
5.  Carry light (smallest and lightest high quality 9mm, absolutely dependable once you break it in and
     learn its ways).
Corollary:  Sometimes fresh from the box and even after recommended take down/clean and lube before shooting there will be malfunctions due the to close tolerances.  Put 200 rounds through it (not all at once...let it cool for best function) and if problems still occur with good ammo and fresh springs, Karl will fix it.
Just sayin'
John         
 

[DDGator]

Richard S is entirely correct.