I also want a good Plinker 9mm Revolver

[Tilos]

@Tilos

I hope I'm correctly assuming that the RIA 38 special revolvers are made in the Philippines by RIA. I've seen and handled them. They're like the old Colts, but more crudely made, IIRC.

The AL9.0 is made in the Czech by "Alfaproj". I have one. It's not like the RIA ones at all. Totally different revolver.

Hence the price difference. They're different designs produced by different companies in different countries.

Apparently RIA is the US distributor for Alfaproj, or something like that.

Just seeing the pics, the AL9.0 appears to have a better fit and finish and that is worth a price premium.
Being made in a different country and having a better finish does not justify the over 3x MSRP and they seem to be unobtanium right now anyway.
JMT.
If that Talo Ruger LCRX-9 was SS instead of aluminum, I'd be all over it.
jmo,
.

 

[Tilos]

I was introduced to reloading because I had to feed a 642. Even on a single stage press, reloading .38s is well worth the time and effort to produce affordable ammo but more importantly, much more accurate ammo than the junk that passes for factory ammunition. It is so nice to be able to tailor my rounds from extremely low recoil to hot.

I understand why people want a revolver that takes more afforadable ammo. But for the price of a 9mm revolver, you can get a basic reloading setup and load 500 rounds which will far outperform 9mm fmj.

I think 9mm revolvers are akin to wanting a double action .22lr with a light trigger… it just isn’t going to happen. Kind of like a lever action 30-06. To get that performance, you have to make compromises.

I believe many of the new shooters are shooters because of the wonder-9 craze and are becoming bored with it all now.
When they begin to look at revolvers or even other caliber brass chuckers, they are turned off by the ammo cost$.
A 9mm revolver, if available, is the answer to this.

Reloading .38s instead of buying 9mm would not be cost effective, as you can buy 50 rounds of 9mm for the cost of 100 SPP alone.
As far as, "" I think 9mm revolvers are akin to wanting a double action .22lr with a light trigger… it just isn’t going to happen.""
you're kidding right?
jmo,
.

 

[HB]

I believe many of the new shooters are shooters because of the wonder-9 craze and are becoming bored with it all now.
When they begin to look at revolvers or even other caliber brass chuckers, they are turned off by the ammo cost$.
A 9mm revolver, if available, is the answer to this.

Reloading .38s instead of buying 9mm would not be cost effective, as you can buy 50 rounds of 9mm for the cost of 100 SPP alone.
As far as, "" I think 9mm revolvers are akin to wanting a double action .22lr with a light trigger… it just isn’t going to happen.""
you're kidding right?
jmo,
.

Ive yet to see a double action .22 lr come close to a centerfire trigger from the factory or otherwise.

You may be correct that 9mm revolvers would capture the 9mm plinking crowd but it seems all the 9mm revolvers flop because they require moon clips or in Charter’s case, a weird spring actuated ejector to grab the rims.

A 9mm rimmed round would defeat the purpose of a 9mm revolver.

I have owned a 9mm Blackhawk before and it was nice because I did not reload at the time. However, I am guessing you are looking for a double action.

 

[Tilos]

Ive yet to see a double action .22 lr come close to a centerfire trigger from the factory or otherwise.

You may be correct that 9mm revolvers would capture the 9mm plinking crowd, but it seems all the 9mm revolvers flop because they require moon clips or in Charter’s case, a weird spring actuated ejector to grab the rims.

A 9mm rimmed round would defeat the purpose of a 9mm revolver.

I have owned a 9mm Blackhawk before and it was nice because I did not reload at the time. However, I am guessing you are looking for a double action.

Whoever leaves a trigger "factory"??

Well, this thread is about plinkers/plinking, so there's that.
I don't see moon clips as a flop/detriment, as autos have magazines....

I actually enjoy moon clips as I can load/unload them at home, and at about $2.50 each I can buy a lot of them for the cost of ONE magazine for an auto.
I guess we need to agree to dis-agree here, and I don't want to carry on anymore with this.
You can respond but know that I won't be.
jmo,
.

 

[HB]

Whoever leaves a trigger "factory"??

Well, this thread is about plinkers/plinking, so there's that.
I don't see moon clips as a flop/detriment, as autos have magazines....

I actually enjoy moon clips as I can load/unload them at home, and at about $2.50 each I can buy a lot of them for the cost of ONE magazine for an auto.
I guess we need to agree to dis-agree here, and I don't want to carry on anymore with this.
You can respond but know that I won't be.
jmo,
.

I don’t even see reloading as a deterrent, I can’t imagine moon clips are a big deal and would prefer them if I still shot USPSA

I guess my point is us as enthusiasts don’t have the same interests as the general public. Revolvers are already a niche market. Of that niche, snubs and hunting/woods revolvers are the biggest sellers. The remaining niche is a pretty small target market for a company like Ruger or Smith and Wesson to pursue.

 

[Tallball]

My K22 has a better trigger than most centerfire revolvers.

 

[P89DCSS]

I'm holding out for a 3" SP101 in 9mm but Charter Arms makes a 5 shot 9mm with 4.2" barrel (#79942).

 

[KnightHawk]

I like Charter Arms. Having said that from what I understand the ejection mechanism is a spring loaded affair which just sounds like a point of failure. I will wait to see if I’m wrong. Only time will tell.

 

[Tilos]

View attachment 1191711

Yeh, nice, but unobtanium.
If you find some post a link for us...
.

 

[Tilos]

I like Charter Arms. Having said that from what I understand the ejection mechanism is a spring loaded affair which just sounds like a point of failure. I will wait to see if I’m wrong. Only time will tell.

That ejection mechanism is patented and others pay Charter Arms to use it.

""I will wait to see if I’m wrong. Only time will tell.""
Have you found one and are waiting on delivery??
Please post a link!!
.

 

[KnightHawk]

Haven’t looked. I would be interested in the 45ACP. Never thought about the 9mm

 

[sparkyv]

Yup, please do link if found in stock.

View attachment 1191711

Yeh, nice, but unobtanium.
If you find some post a link for us...
.

 

[P89DCSS]

Yeh, nice, but unobtanium.
If you find some post a link for us...
.

Sorry, there were a bunch on GunBroker last fall and an LGS had one in stock. I almost bought it. There are lots of 9mm/2" on gunbroker now. Hopefully they'll release more 4" soon.

 

[Rock185]

I like the 9mm revolvers, but realize most shooters don't. I've had a convertible Blackhawk or two, a 3" S&W 547, two actually, and some others. Wish there were more 3" or 4" 9mm revolvers with adjustable sights though. The out of production S&W 547s are nice revolvers, and the expensive/no moon clip extractor worked perfectly, even extracting +P and +P+ ammo without issue. But those have become $$$$ collectibles. The 3" TALO Ruger LCRx with adjustable sights has been working well for me. It has handled any and all of the factory 9mm I've used flawlessly. The LCRx, and an SP101, headspace perfectly without the moon clips, do not misfire without them, etc. So if a person just wants to remove empties with a dowel or something at the range, it is easily done. With my little S&W 940 revolver though, headspace without the clips is grossly excessive, and moon clips are required to ensure reliable ignition. My particular 940 also exhibits very sticky extraction with anything but standard pressure ammo.

For a small general use 9mm evolver though, perhaps a 3" LCRx or 3" SP101 might be worthy of consideration. Both trouble free. I have a 686 converted to 9mm, but can't claim that conversion is really cost effective..

 

[jstert]

here is another vote for a ruger blackhawk 357/38/9mm convertible revolver. pair it with a bond arms 9mm derringer as a backup.

 

[cnj]

Well, there is these:

Buy Charter Arms Pitbull 6 9mm Revolver Online

Technical Specifications Caliber 9MM Barrel Length 6.000"

www.budsgunshop.com

or this:

Buy Charter Arms Pitbull 42 9mm Revolver Online

CHARTER PITBULL 9MM SS 4.2" AS9mm

www.budsgunshop.com

I have had that 4.2" bulldog on order for a year and have searched the web for one during that year.
Should just email Charter and ask...
Then there is the RIA:

AL9.0 Standard 9mm 6rd

The AL9.0 Standard 9MM offers the finest in precision with low recoil. Only the best from Rock Island Armory and Armscor.

www.armscor.com

.

I have the AL9.0. I don't have a ton of rounds through it, but it is a pretty nice revolver. I purchased additional moon clips from SpeedBeez.

 

[Miami_JBT]

Just never has been a want shared by many, though solutions to problems noone has had have been made in the past.,,

An Official Journal Of The NRA | 9 mm Federal: The Nine Millimeter Round Known to None

Going on 40 years ago, I blundered my way into my first job in the gunwriting business. It was a function of pure, dumb luck on my part and for that, I am eternally thankful. Among the many blessings of this luck were the great people I met and the range of new experiences. Such new people...

www.shootingillustrated.com

Nothing says screw up like having a cartridge that is twice as powerful, but the same exact size as .38 S&W and chambers in all the .38 S&Ws out there. That's why Federal pulled it off the market. Yet somehow, during development, at no point did they think "hey, this thing is the same exact size as .38 S&W. Maybe we should tweak it just a bit so it can't be chambered and fired form .38 S&W guns."

 

[jmorris]

Nothing says screw up like having a cartridge that is twice as powerful, but the same exact size as .38 S&W and chambers in all the .38 S&Ws out there. That's why Federal pulled it off the market. Yet somehow, during development, at no point did they think "hey, this thing is the same exact size as .38 S&W. Maybe we should tweak it just a bit so it can't be chambered and fired form .38 S&W guns."

Always was in the back of my head with AAC pushing their version of the .30 cal round that will fit in a 5.56 chamber.

 

[Oninotaki]

I have both a Charter Arms Pitbull in .380 with their spring retention system and a Taurus Arms 3" 905 that uses their star clip (slightly different moon clip) system, and I gotta say they are proving to be great fun for plinking. Both are comfortable shooters that hit point of aim at 7-10 yards easy with minimal recoil and cheap easy to find ammo. I would highly recommend both as fun range toys.

Each system does have their downsides own however.

The Taurus 905 star clips are really fragile and I would not feel comfortable tossing them in a pocket like I do for other more robust moon clips. In addition because of their fragility I needed to get a TK custom unloader to be able to remove spent casings without bending the clips. On the plus side they are super easy to unload with the unloader.

Charter Arms spring retention system is easy to overshoot when loading the cylinder so you have to take your time loading. There is a very satisfying click when you do get the cartridge loaded properly though and so that kinda makes loading the cylinder a fun little game. Perfectly fine for the range, but not the best for a tense situation.

 

[TTv2]

I like the 9mm revolvers, but realize most shooters don't. I've had a convertible Blackhawk or two, a 3" S&W 547, two actually, and some others. Wish there were more 3" or 4" 9mm revolvers with adjustable sights though. The out of production S&W 547s are nice revolvers, and the expensive/no moon clip extractor worked perfectly, even extracting +P and +P+ ammo without issue. But those have become $$$$ collectibles. The 3" TALO Ruger LCRx with adjustable sights has been working well for me. It has handled any and all of the factory 9mm I've used flawlessly. The LCRx, and an SP101, headspace perfectly without the moon clips, do not misfire without them, etc. So if a person just wants to remove empties with a dowel or something at the range, it is easily done. With my little S&W 940 revolver though, headspace without the clips is grossly excessive, and moon clips are required to ensure reliable ignition. My particular 940 also exhibits very sticky extraction with anything but standard pressure ammo.

For a small general use 9mm evolver though, perhaps a 3" LCRx or 3" SP101 might be worthy of consideration. Both trouble free. I have a 686 converted to 9mm, but can't claim that conversion is really cost effective..
View attachment 1194720

Thinking things over and my intent is on getting the Taurus 692 as I want a 7 shot .357, but also a 9mm revolver, so that package saves me a bit of money. However, if I was looking at just a 9mm revolver... it's not quite that simple because there's always a series of cons associated with the option.

I said before 9mm in a light weight revolver can have crimp jump with some ammo and while that might not cause a bullet to pull out and powder to spill everywhere, but it could lead to the last shot being inaccurate and underpowered due to the seating depth being altered. I'd still prefer it to a .357 in the same light revolver.

Go up to a larger frame and greater weight and longer barrel and .357 becomes the superior option in terms of power. Worth the ammo costing twice as much? You be the judge. I said I'd rather have the Rhino in a .357, even tho the Rhino in 9mm is probably the best 9mm revolver under a grand.

There is a definite sweet spot for 9mm in a revolver and the one factor that is consistent is short barrel because the .357 loses enough velocity and has more recoil to not make it worth it. That 3 inch LCR tho is about as close to the sweet spot as 9mm is going to get in a revolver. The other is the non ported Taurus 692.

 

[drobs]

TK Custom will turn a S&W 357 into a 9mm for you, if you want. I think they charge $250 or something.

The Taurus 692 seems to be the other answer, if you happen to run across one.

The complaints about ported barrels seem exaggerated to me. I have a couple of revolvers with ports and barely notice the difference. YMMV.

+1 to getting a 357 mag revolver cut for 9mm / Moonclips.

I've been tempted to send them one of my Rugers to have that done.

 

[halfmoonclip]

The Revolver Guy did a good review of these, but...the price is right there with Smith & Wesson, or Ruger, with .38 Spl./357 Magnum, either of which can be loaded to whatever level desired, and can use heavier bullets if needed. Of course, I am a .38/357 fan. ymmv!

The Armscor writeup sounded like it was done by Kamala's speechwriter, and, again, don't really look for reduced recoil in 9mm revolvers.
I'm buying my 9mms (it is simply cheaper at the moment),and save my pricey primers for .38s, .380s, and .32s.
Pistol caliber revolvers are just a personal jones; always enjoyed the .45 ACP guns, and venturing into 9s was a logical progression.
It doesn't mean 9mm revos are a be all/do all for everyone, but the increasing ascendance of the 9mm does have it make more sense.
Moon

 

[TTv2]

If 115gr is used the recoil is going to be less than .357 125gr, but I don't go into a 9mm revolver expecting it to be as comfortable as a .38 in a snub, I go into it expecting it not to be the punisher that .357 is and from many others that is generally their opinion of 9 vs .357 in a revolver: the recoil is there, but it's not .357 levels.

 

[lee n. field]

That ejection mechanism is patented and others pay Charter Arms to use it.

.

Who?

 

[Rock185]

FWIW, I've done a little informal testing of bullet pull in a revolver, so I know there can be some. That being said, I've shot different kinds of factory ammo in my two lightest 9mm revolvers, the S&W 940 ~23oz. and Ruger LCRx ~21.5oz. Any bullet pull that might have occurred never interfered with normal operation of these revolvers, or the heavier SP101 and 686.

What TTv2 said about the 9mm recoil in a snub is correct. It is noticeably greater than with most .38+P. I said greater than "most" .38+P, because I recently chronographed some Underwood .38+P that is right up there power and recoil wise with 9mm.