So I have here with me a Boberg XR-9S that I am reviewing for a forthcoming article in Concealed Carry Magazine.
The other day I took a bunch of pictures and did all the stuff with scales and trigger weights and jotting numbers on a piece of paper, and then Gunsmith Bob, Jonathan, and I trooped out onto CCA's indoor range to run a few magazines through it.
We loaded up magazines from my 9mm ammo can, which contains a mix of Remington UMC, Winchester White Box, PMC, and Speer Lawman, and ran the target out to seven yards. The pistol was easy to shoot, and recoil was surprisingly pleasant, considering that the Boberg is only a hair larger than the Rohrbaugh, which is a flinch-inducing monster. (Shannon wandered out onto the range and produced his Rohrbaugh from his pocket, so I was able to compare the two side-by-side.) Subjectively, the Boberg felt no worse than, say, a G26.
Each of the three magazines experienced a malfunction that had me puzzled at first.
The back cover of the owner's manual cautions against using CCI Blazer, as the lack of crimp on the budget aluminum-cased ammo will combine with the abruptness with which the Boberg snatches rounds rearward from the magazine to turn the little pistol into a kinetic bullet puller, which was exactly what happened here, leaving a disassembled cartridge tying up the feedway. Needless to say, this is a tricky malfunction to clear quickly on a bitty little pistol lacking a conventional slide stop.
On gathering up the culprit brass and returning to the gunsmithing shack, it was found that all three rounds that disassembled were Speer Lawman. Note To Self: Speer Lawman has no discernible crimp. Do not use in Boberg. For that matter, consider not using it in S&W 547 as well.
More to come.
What magazine?
ReplyDeleteShootin' Buddy
The "and" is silent. :)
ReplyDeleteBut isn't any pistol designed to separate the bullet and case in a violent manner? This one's just doing it sooner!
ReplyDeleteOh, Conceal AND Carry magazine.
ReplyDeleteShootin' Buddy
The 547 is a great wheel gun. Too bad it didn't catch on.
ReplyDeleteGarret: Order is very important in shooting.
ReplyDeleteTry loading a tightly patched roundball before putting powder down the bore of a muzzleloader, and then get back to me.
Tam i have a question for you,what would happen if you applied a taper crimp to Speer Lawman Ammo or a Lee factory crimp to same ammo before using in said gun would it then work,
ReplyDeleteas we no longer have pistols in the UK i am intrested from the point of view that i reload many varied and different calibers.
The one issue of CCM I read was pretty lame. Has it gotten better?
ReplyDeleteAl T.
From the page:
ReplyDelete"These type of mechanisms had been successfully used in past weapons, but only in machine guns designed by Hiram Maxim, John M. Browning and others. The famous Browning 1919 machine gun is an example of a very reliable weapon of war using a pull-back feed mechanism. The first attempt at pull-back feeding in a pistol was done in the Mars pistol, just before the turn of the 20th century. "
A'yup. There is nothing new in cartridge firearms.
As you say Tam, this is a very mature technology.
Still it's fascinating to see which older designs this is cribbed from.
Dang, I've been daydreaming about using a Mars ramp for years, and somebody pulled their thumb out before I did. Good for them, I hope they make lots of money.
ReplyDeleteBTW, the original name of the publication was Concealed Carry Clip. There were complaints.
ReplyDeleteNever thought of that as a potential issue with it, but it makes perfect sense.
ReplyDeleteI'd still love to get my hands on one for T&E.
Interesting report, my ONE experience with a Rohrbaugh did NOT leave me wanting anything to do with it... Based on your review, I guess I need to take a look at the Boberg.
ReplyDelete@RobertaX- I am told that some do not like nomenclature used wrongly, LOL!
ReplyDelete@Tam- Can you please tell the folks at USCCA to tone down the really hyper marketing? I'm already a member but now I must say the: "OMG! Do this now or bad things will happen!" Is really getting long in the tooth. Hell, they are worse than the NRA!
I don't even know how to renew just so I can continue to get the magazine!
Tam,
ReplyDeleteI have encountered the same thing in my S&W 940 with Speer Lawman. No complete bullet pulls, but it will walk the bullet out a little in the 4th or 5th round sometimes.
Wait. There's ammo in that can after the niece got near it? I suppose you've had some time to restock since then.
ReplyDeleteWe owe you ammo. Just saying.
Anxious to hear the detailed review.
Al T.,
ReplyDelete"The one issue of CCM I read was pretty lame. Has it gotten better?"
Personally, I think it's light years ahead of anything you're likely to find on the newsstand. Then a gain, any magazine that discusses shooting and training and practical CCW issues more than it does the latest wonderblaster from Brazil is a breath of fresh air. I especially applaud the freedom allowed by going ad-free. Kathy Jackson's done an excellent fob at the helm.
Keads,
"Can you please tell the folks at USCCA to tone down the really hyper marketing?"
I'm not any kind of employee, I just mail columns to Kathy. From talking to her, the best I can tell is that the magazine is way out on a separate branch of the organizational tree from USCCA proper.
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteIt's a magic refilling ammo can; she's welcome to empty it any time. :)