Thanks very much for the replies.
I called Maria and asked her if I ordered one from them how long it would take and what it would cost. She told me what suggested list is and that they are still quoting 5 months delivery. She said the new factory has doubled their production so it may be shorter, and will probably be shorter, but they are still quoting 5 months to be safe.
Apparently, if you are a police officer it makes a difference, since she asked me if I was. I used to be but no longer am.
Also, she told me that as of March 31, there will be a 13% dealer cost increase!
Given that I would like to have this pistol for summer carry (my normal mode of dress is gym shorts, tee shirt and boat shoes), and that prices are going up about $100 soon, I figured I would go ahead and order one from the place in AR. I called them up and Bennie told me they had “1 or 2” left. They are only accepting credit cards, as they don't want to hold one waiting for a check to arrive. With credit card fee and shipping, it was $947 (I think).
So I should have it soon, maybe in just a few days. I usually don’t like to spend this much money on a pistol without at least seeing one first, but I doubt there are any here in Rhode Island for me to look at. Also, I know nothing about the vendor. I am very picky about things like reliability, trigger pull and so on, and I like to have a good holster. I’ll investigate that next.
Here is why I bought it. I had planned to get a KelTec P3AT-A1 when those came out because it is small, light and more powerful than a .32, even though it is just a .380. Well, they came out and the reviews over on KTOG were less than stellar. I have a KelTec P32 that works fine, but it’s a .32. I then looked at the NAA Guardian in .380 and the Seecamp. The Guardian is very small, but also quite heavy and is a blow back design. The Seecamp looks promising, but they are pricey and hard to find. And, if I find one, it’s still just a .380. So really, since I wanted a very small pocket pistol with actual reliability without great weight in a real defensive caliber, I am left with the R9s. And let’s face it; the gee-whiz quotient is really high with a R9s!
Still, it’s quite expensive. But the place in AR has a 3 day return policy. If I hate it right out of the box I can return it. Also, if I hate it after putting a few rounds through it I can probably sell it or maybe even return it. So the risk was reduced.
I do have some concerns. I’m concerned the recoil will be too punishing to practice with regularly. I don’t like the idea of the heel mounted European style magazine release. I’m also wondering if I can get a Fist Inc kydex pocket holster for it (I have been very happy with the one I have for the P32). It’s a lot of money, so I really want it to work right out of the box with zero problems. Very few small guns do this, and very few cost as much.
There is a tinge of buyers remorse, if only because I was unable to shop around. There were several listings on Guns America and one on Gun Broker, all basically the same price. I don’t know what dealer cost is, so I have no idea how big a premium I am paying for having it now. My regular dealer charges me 8% above his cost, plus 7% sales tax out the door. That’s essentially a 15% markup.
So that's it. Any comments are welcome. I’ll let everyone know what I think. hopefully, in just a few days.
Thanks again!
Jim
PS - I realize I probably got very lucky with this and I am not trying to rub it in. Sorry if it came off that way
