My Life with the Rohrbaugh R9 Stealth

US Defense Watch ^ | March 24, 2016 | Sturm Guilford

[Don W]

I’m considering an Iver Johnson 1911 in 9mm. Any thoughts?

[Robert357]

generally, to be a pocket pistol the overall length and height need to be less than most of those in your list. Weight can also (but not always as it depends on the clothes you wear) be a significant factor.

While an older chart, you might want to look at the following that shows many pocket carry pistols. The number that are in the 9mm class are few and far between. I have tried a number of them.

https://s.yimg.com/fz/api/res/1.2/xtI436Szz.WxkehUBmjVRQ—/YXBwaWQ9c3JjaGRkO2g9NDMwO3E9OTU7dz0zMzM-/http://csgbenefits.org/mousegun_chart.jpg

[Robert357]

A hammer fired weapon is fairly simple. The main safety issue with it is if the firing pin is a floating firing pin or not. If it is, then in theory the weapon can discharge if dropped in exactly the right way, which is a low probability event. That if an issue can be solved by a grove in the firing pin or a ring on it that a safety claw prevents from moving past a certain point.

There are a number of stiker fired semi-automatic designs. Some have been around since the early 1900’s. There are two general kinds of striker fired weapons one where the firing pin has some to a lot of spring tension in it under most conditions and the other where it does not.

Those where it does not can sometimes require lots of trigger pull. What I don't like (and it is from a design preference) is that to actuate a striker requires a lot of tight tolerances in a firearm. The recoil of a slide moving back a hammer or a trigger lever actuating a hammer is usually over a broader area of contact than associated with a striker being fully cocked.

That means (to me) that more things can go wrong. Don't get me wrong there are thousands of people who swear by Glocks and Glock has done a wonderful job of improving the design of striker fired weapons. In my collection, though, I have seen a lot of striker fired semi-automatic pistols that I think are dangerous. Which is why as a general rule I favor a hammer fired pistol.

[Jack Black]

The Nano is pretty close to the Rohrbauch.
The Walther PPK/S is an all time classic pocket pistol:
6.1 X 5.3 — bigger than either.

[Jack Black]

6.1” X 4.3” I meant to type.

[Robert357]

Nano yes, a pocket carry (and if you like modern striker fired, one of those).

PPK sort of. My FEG PA-63 is a modified PPK but has many parts that are interchangeable with the PPK. FEG use to be a licensed mfg for Walther. The PA-63 is a little on the long side for pocket carry, but still as you say a pocket carry pistol in the right pants.

My KelTec PF-9 can be pocket carried in a holster that is large enough to not print, while the PA-63 in a pocket holster will have the butt visible in some pants pockets from the right angle (but not my standard jeans).

What I like about the PA-63 is that it is chambered for a slightly more powerful cartridge than the .380 Auto or 9mm Short. Buffalo Bore Ammo makes some hot 9mm Mak that seems to feed well in the PA-63.

[AppyPappy]

“Price: $1,350.00”

What??? I can buy 10 pistols from my cousin and they’ll already have the serial numbers filed off for me.

[Jack Black]

GUN	LENGTH	HEIGHT	WIDTH	WEIGHT	CAL
Vest Pocket	4.1"	xx"	xx"	13 oz	.25 ACP
PICO	5.1"	3.9"	.72"	11.5 oz	.380
Tomcat	4.9"	3.7"	1.1"	14.5 oz	.32 ACP
Rohrbauch	5.2"	3.7"	.83"	14.3 oz	9mm
Nano	5.6"	4.2"	.9"	18 oz	9mm
PPK/S	6.1"	4.3"	1.2"	22.2 oz	.380

The Rorhbaugh is still the smallest mini-9, I think but the Nano comes pretty close.

I built this chart to compare the Nano with the PPK/S, what many people consider the classic pocket pistol. Today's 9mm's are the size of the traditional .380s.

Today's .380's are the size of a traditional .32, which the Pico vs. Tomcat rows show.

Amazingly the Rorhbaugh is pretty much the size of the Tomcat - they have shrunk the 9mm all the way down to the size of a .32!

I'd love to see Beretta make a next-gen .32!

The master's smallest gun, the Colt Vestpocket. He also invented the cartridge for it, the .25 ACP, along with the .32 ACP, .380 and .45 ACP. Still a masterpiece of miniaturization.

[Jack Black]

I've always wanted a Mak. I agree it's a usefully bigger round than the .380, but the pistols are still pretty small.

I've got a PPK/S that a friend gave me. There is something just really perfect about the PPK/S, it's one of the most iconic guns out there, along with the Single Action Army, 1911 and S&W revolvers in several sizes.

[Jack Black]

Bulgarian Makarov.

[Jack Black]

Mak in comparison w/ a full size SIG, to give some size perspective.