Experiment with my Rohrbaugh R9s: Spring-gate 2008

[Playboypenguin]

I am going to be doing a little experiment with my Rohrbaugh R9s.

I have ended up with 650 rounds of 9mm ammo and the only 9mm gun I actually own and shoot is my Rohrbaugh so I am going to put all 650 rounds through it over the course of the next week. I only own one other 9mm (S&W m659) since selling my XD-9SC and I do not shoot it.

I managed to get 150 though it yesterday and that was on top of the 100 rounds (not included in the 650 round test) I put through it last weekend. By the end of the test I should have 750 rounds through it.

The goal of the test is going to be to test the recoil spring. I will not be changing the springs until the gun starts to fail.

I was told by Rohrbaugh that the spring should realistically last for over 500 rounds before even starting to show wear and that the 200-300 round spring change suggestion is just a worst case scenario thing. I guess I will see for myself.

Wish me luck.

[ElectricHellfire]

Good Luck!

[Playboypenguin]

That was weird.

A post got into the wrong thread.

[ElectricHellfire]

Either I missed something or Im having a stroke right now.

[Playboypenguin]

Put another 100 rounds through it today. That brings the total to 350 rounds on this new spring. I am checking the springs resistance during each cleaning and so far here is no change in the strength of the spring. It is not showing any wear yet.

I did break down and buy a gel-padded shooting glove. This gun is not bad to shoot but after a bout 50 rounds or more these micro guns start to wear on you.

[tplumeri]

anything more than 50 rounds with a micro is uncomfortable for me.
i'm sure the r9 is going to go >1000 rounds before failure. just a hunch.
tom

[Sevens]

But if the spring does begin to wear or fail, won't you just simply end up battering the pistol by continuing to shoot it with an under-sprung recoil spring?

Fine test, but given the price of the spring when compared to the price of the pistol... I don't see the logic.

[Playboypenguin]

But if the spring does begin to wear or fail, won't you just simply end up battering the pistol by continuing to shoot it with an under-sprung recoil spring?

Fine test, but given the price of the spring when compared to the price of the pistol... I don't see the logic.

Perhaps you missed the part where I said I was testing the compression strength of the spring after each usage to make sure it is not showing signs of fatigue.

[JustDreadful]

I only own one other 9mm (S&W m659) since selling my XD-9SC and I do not shoot it.

The poor neglected thing. Breaks my heart. Is it looking for a better home? Say in the desert Southwest?

[Sevens]

Perhaps you missed the part where I said I was testing the compression strength of the spring after each usage to make sure it is not showing signs of fatigue.

No, I got that part. I just see it like-- what, $10 recoil spring... on a maybe thousand dollar pistol?

Logically, it doesn't seem to add up. (IMO, anyway)

And what if your compression test shows "ok" before you start that session, and the second shot degrades the spring, and you put 98 more shots through it before your next compression test... Then you've done two shots of good firing, and 98 incidents of battering, all for the purpose of finding the life expectancy of a $10 spring?

Of course, there's no way to tell if each spring is going to fail at the same point, so you could repeat this test with ten different recoil spring and thousands of rounds. In the unlikley event you came to a viable scientific conclusion, all you have accomplished is to attach a round count to a $10 spring on a thousand dollar pistol. (which Rohrbaugh apparently has already done)

Now if the recoil spring cost a hundred a pop, I can see wanting to know the specific usable life of one.

But hey, your stuff, results will no doubt be interesting and I saw your recent thread where there's no upcoming purchases that are exciting you and the energy must go somewhere, so I wish you luck and I'll enjoy keeping tabs on the thread. Really, I mean that.

[DennisD]

delete

[Sturmgewehre]

Personally, I think this is a pointless test.

Let's do something fun and interesting.

Let's dunk the R9 in the mud, drive over it with a pick-up truck on asphalt, dry it with gun scrubber then see if it can fire 500 rounds bone dry and do a California style drop test.

Who here would like to see that test?

[AK103K]

Who here would like to see that test?

I would! And let my dogs have it for the first ten minutes of the test to see if it even gets to the next part. They need a new chewy.

[johnbt]

"I just see it like-- what, $10 recoil spring... on a maybe thousand dollar pistol?

Logically, it doesn't seem to add up."

$4.99, not $10. What's not logical about a precision pocket pistol in 9mm? I like mine. Sure, it's not a range gun, it's too light and too much of a handful for extended shooting. That level of recoil is also hard on the springs.

It's my idea of a perfect front pocket pistol for dress slacks.


"there's no way to tell if each spring is going to fail at the same point"

I don't believe the springs will fail - as in fail suddenly - just slowly fade, but they will still allow the gun to function. For a measly $4.99 I'll throw a new spring in once in a while.

John

[AK103K]

I don't believe the springs will fail - as in fail suddenly - just slowly fade, but they will still allow the gun to function.

I think your right here, but function will be affected as they go.

I had a Kimber Ultra Carry that readily showed that. As the springs weakened, so did reliability, and that was usually a lot sooner than the round count Kimber said they would.

[Shadi Khalil]

The test is relevent. Read any thread on R9's and you'll always here people gripe about the 200 round (manual) life of the recoil spring. Im interested in the outcome.

[Sevens]

$4.99, not $10. What's not logical about a precision pocket pistol in 9mm? I like mine. Sure, it's not a range gun, it's too light and too much of a handful for extended shooting. That level of recoil is also hard on the springs.

No, no, no, no no no no. I'm not saying the gun is not logical.

I'm saying I don't see the logic in worrying about how long you can make a five dollar spring last in a pistol that you drop a grand on.

Seems to me that if you can justify spending a cool thousand on a pistol... than it makes more sense to spend fifty bucks on ten replacement recoil springs and simply do as the manufacturer suggests and change them at the specified interval.

How did Rohrbaugh come up with the change interval? Didn't they test them? Wasn't 200 rounds their conclusion?

Why test that? Why push that? Why possibly batter a thousand dollar pistol when they have already come to the conclusion that 200 rounds is a good time to replace the spring?

[Billy Sparks]

I think part of the angst about the spring in R9's is the different round counts that you see in print. Example in Rohrbaugh's manual they state 200 rounds, if you ask Rohrbaugh directly they feel that you can get 500ish rounds out of the spring before it starts failing. Everytime the topic of the R9's comes up someone quips the "But the springs don't last long enough". I owned a R9 but traded it due to the weight. With that said in my opinion $4.99 is a small price to pay for that small a reliable 9mm. Also the concept of firing 650 rounds out of one makes my hand hurt.

[johnbt]

"I'm saying I don't see the logic in worrying about how long you can make a five dollar spring last in a pistol that you drop a grand on."



oops

I bought mine used, but like new, for less than $900 and as it turned out it was a relatively early model with the black carbon fiber grips on it. I should have sold the grips when they were bringing $200. Oh well.

[Playboypenguin]

The test is relevent. Read any thread on R9's and you'll always here people gripe about the 200 round (manual) life of the recoil spring.

Everytime the topic of the R9's comes up someone quips the "But the springs don't last long enough".

Exactly...everytime someone points out that the Rohrbaugh is the epitome of micro 9mm pistols someone tries to undermine the gun by implying that a spring that wears out so quickly is a defect. The reality of the situation is that Rohrbaugh themselves says the spring is good for at least 500 rounds...which is the exact same round count that Kahr suggested I should change the spring in my MK40 when I spoke to them.

The round count on this spring is now at exactly 500 rounds and the spring is testing at practically the same compression strength it did new and nearly the same as the unused spring I still have. The difference is less than 2-3%.

I have had only two failures so far. Rounds 443 and 456 failed to fire. I tried multiple times with both rounds. They turned out to be dud rounds and not the fault of the gun. They would also not fire in my friends Beretta.

[IMTHDUKE]

Already done that....I fired over 500 rounds without reading the part where you are supposed to change it every 200. I had no problems, but changed it out.

[Playboypenguin]

Round count is at 600 now and the spring is still showing no significant wear. It has not lost any length and the compression strength has only changed 2-3% overall.

I should get to put the entire 150 remaining rounds through it this afternoon.

[IMTHDUKE]

I don't think that you will be able to get the other rounds through it with those little girly mon hands you have because that thing will jump right out of em

[Dave85]

BTW, what ammo are you using?

[Playboypenguin]

BTW, what ammo are you using?

I am using Winchester 115gr FMJ white box with about 40 rounds of off brands mixed in of which I do not remember the name.