RIA 9mm Revolver Import

Interesting. I wasn't even aware there was such a thing as a 9 mm revolver. I'm intrigued. And for anyone else wanting to know more, here's a link:

https://www.armscor.com/firearms/ria-imports/revolver-series/al9.0-revolver/

I was really gung-ho about this gun about a year ago, but the more I think about it, I'm not sure. 9mm in a 3" revolver is a stouter load than you might think, for a gun that is all about high-volume plinking.

Still have never seen one in the flesh.

I had a S&W 940 when they first came out in the 90's, two of them actually, one replaced the other. Neither lasted more than a couple of hundred rounds before something broke internally and they locked up and had to be disassembled to get the live ammo out to send them back.

They ended up giving me a 640 (I think) in 38 as a replacement when I told them I didnt want it back in 9mm. I dont think the 940's were around much longer than a couple of years before they were discontinued.

I liked the gun, but you knew you were shooting it when you did. It was more like a 357 than a 38, and recoil was pretty stout.

I always wanted a S&W 547, but of course, that came about after they discontinued them and they became salty price wise. No need for moon clips with them and they ejected as a standard revolver does. I never heard of them having troubles with the 9mm round either, but they were also 6 shot K frame guns.

I have experience with their 206 revolvers in .38 if its anything like that then run. Those things were made by the finest tools chimps could make.... for a more inexpensive 9mom revolver than say a Smith 929 maybe the Taurus 692 will be your huckleberry.

https://www.taurususa.com/firearms/revolvers/692/

I think Charter Arms makes a 9mm revolver.

AHA! That's where the Alfa revolvers went too! Sorry to see they don't have the .32's. Those are completely different from the 200 series revolvers. Made on the other side of the world in Czechoslovakia.

I recently acquired one. In the box were two moonclips, demooning tool, cable lock, manual, and a test fire target. I picked up a tool for loading (enmooning?) the clips from TK Custom and additional moonclips from Speed Beez.

The good:

• The fit/finish are good and the bluing is nice and even.
• Single action has a bit of take up before the break but isn't bad.
• The grip fits my hand well and does a decent job of absorbing/distributing the recoil.

The suboptimal:

• The cylinder chambers are under CIP minimum.
• The cylinder and barrel are visibly mis-aligned and it spits lead out of the left side.
• It leads (badly) just ahead of the forcing cone.

I was in the process of working up loads with 115 gr cast using 700-X and HP-38 but the leading got so bad, it wouldn't keep more than 5 out of 10 rounds on an 8.5"x11" piece of paper at 15 yards. When it started drawing blood, it was time to go back to the mother ship.

RIA sent me a shipping label and RMA form within a couple of days of my submitting the warranty request. Assuming they fix the first two items, my plan is to try a bit of fire lapping to see if I can address the third. If push comes to shove, I'll just have to "bite the bullet" and find a S&W 986.

RIA is really putting out the effort!

Is that a Czech "Alfa Project" revolver? They didn't seem to get much traction in the US, so are they going with Rock Island to sell their guns?

9mm revolvers became a thing in the 1980's (I think the Israelis tried out the idea in the early fifties, but never went into production), when the European cops began to realize that their 32 automatics weren't cutting it any more. US cops nearly all carried revolvers then, and their advice to the Europeans was to get revolvers in 38 or 357. The Europeans weren't keen on either round, so S&W and Ruger both rolled out 9mm revolvers to capitalize on the idea in a cartridge that was more familiar in Europe. The Europeans nearly all went with 9mm automatics - I think Spain was an exception, and Manhurin in France made super-expensive revolvers in 357. After that, the 9mm revolver idea faded, but somebody comes out with a new one now and then.

To me, the idea would make more sense if they made the cylinder the same length as a 9x19mm round, with a frame to match, but they never do. They always take a 38/357 and give it a 9mm cylinder. I don't see the point in that.

9mm is not much longer than 38 S&W. Heck, for all I know, it may be a bit shorter. Try to imagine this gun: https://www.gunbroker.com/item/887224993

beefed up to handle 9mm. (And minus the grip safety, plus a standard J-frame grip.) THAT makes sense to me, although it may be an idea whose time has already gone by, what with the low price of polymer pocket-sized 9mm automatics.

I await the response of those who will tell me it can't be done. Sure, we can make a J-frame 357 Magnum, but we can't do this. If you say so, fine.

I like my m206 for what it is: a cheap decent revolver.

But Im not really interested in any variation of a 9mm revolver

Barry the Bear said:

I have experience with their 206 revolvers in .38 if its anything like that then run. Those things were made by the finest tools chimps could make.... for a more inexpensive 9mom revolver than say a Smith 929 maybe the Taurus 692 will be your huckleberry.

https://www.taurususa.com/firearms/revolvers/692/

Click to expand...

They appear to be completely different designs. The 206 is a Colts D-frame knock off while the AL-9 has a S&W style latch and rotation. From the specs I’m guessing it is a J-frame knock off

I was looking at one of those, ended up buying a Taurus 692 .357/9mm convertible. Really enjoy that little gun, probably put 1000rnds of 9mm, and maybe 200 .357s thru it so far.

Don't forget the Taurus 692 that comes with two inter-changeable cylinders, one for .357/.38 special and one for 9x19 mm. Very easy to change.

Hmmmm ... after reading all the comments, I'm not too intrigued any more.

I have What Alfa Proj calls the "Revolver PARA 9231"

http://www.strelivo-zbrane.cz/zbran...a-para-9mm-luger/revolver-para-9231-s72596145

I purchased it from CzechPoint USA:

https://www.czechpoint-usa.com/czechpoint-9231-9mm-para/product

My review of the 9231:

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/review-of-the-alfa-proj-9231.818914/

Armscore / RIA is importing the "Revolver PARA 9231 Classic"

http://www.strelivo-zbrane.cz/zbran...mm-luger/revolver-para-9231-classic-s72664021

https://www.armscor.com/firearms/ria-imports/revolver-series/al9.0-revolver/

I don't know for sure if these revolvers are based on a 38 Special Frame or a 357 Magnum frame, but the main point is that the frame is designed to fit a 38spl/357 mag cylinder. The main 2 differences are that the Revolver PARA 9231 Classic has a longer 38spl/357 magnum length cylinder which fits the frame window, and the cylinder is fluted.

The Revolver PARA 9231 version has a shortened non-fluted cylinder which leaves a gap in the frame window with the barrel coming back into the cylinder window to meet the cylinder.

Here is the RIA AL9.0 Revolver:



Here is the Alfa Proj Revolver PARA 9231. You can see the shorter, smooth cylinder and the barrel extending back into the window to meet the cylinder::

At one time Taurus did make the 905 with a 9mm sized frame and a 9mm sized cylinder but they stopped.

Korth makes a 9mm revolver with a 9mm frame and cylinder, the Sky Hawk 9mm.

That Skyhawk has to be the ugliest revolver ever conceived. I like the fact that Korth made the frame and cylinder length to match the 9mm OAL but why did they style it so badly?

Also for me personally a 9mm revolver that can't accept moonclips like the Skyhawk makes no sense to me and my uses. The biggest advantage of a revolver chambered in a rimless cartridge are thick robust moonclips for fast reloads.

S&W current makes a 7-shot L-frame (968) and an 8-shot N-frame (929) 9mm revolver.

I think there were only 77 of these made - the Sky Marshall with the angular frame and no picatinny rail.

I'm sorry, but I think that Nighhawk belongs in the "ugliest gun" thread. It kind of reminds me of a "Smart car".

I think the Alf Proj Revolver PARA 9231, Revolver PARA 9231 Classic (AL9.0). and the Taurus 692 are the only 9mm revolver that have 3" barrels.

I can see the lure of the 9mm in a revolver.. especially a snubbie.. seems like their is a wide variety of great 9mm SD ammo that will function in a short barrel ... Due to bullets backing out I think a all steel gun is the way to go ...
I had a LCR9 for awhile, but going back to fourth from my LCR357 to the LCR9 .. the trigger on the 357 was ALOT better ...
so much I traded the LCR9 ...

I also owned one that I should have kept was a
Taurus 905C ... 5 shot snubbie .. the “C” stood for compact .. shorter cylinder and frame DAO .. crazy great trigger ... I just had a DUH moment and traded it

this is a pic of a 905C

The 905cIB is the smallest 905 model that Taurus ever made. I wish I had purchased one...

Use to have a big interest in 9mm revolvers, but that'd died down ever since I got into reloading. With the ammo shortage now it would be silly to buy a 9mm only revolver when Taurus and Ruger make revolvers with spare cylinders to shoot .357 and .38 Spl.