Junk Rohm RG-10S 22LR?

[Isaac-1]

Ok, I know the thing is junk, but here is the question, my mother in law and sister in law just finished taking a CCW class. They have some reasonable handguns already (.40 S&W, .45ACP, etc.), but nothing cheap to shoot, no even a 9mm or .38 SPL. Their firearms instructor suggested they get a .22 handgun to practice with, and get the feel for shooting since .22 ammo is cheap. Anyway I have a .22 LR RG-10S made in Germany that I inherited many years ago, I have never fired the gun, in fact I doubt it has been fired more than a handful of times in its life. I have been thinking about loaning it to the to take to the range and practice with, however after reading about the horror stories online about these guns I am not sure if that is a good idea. Are these things safe? What do you think are they even worth using for beginner level target practice? Should I loan them a 9mm or 38SPL instead, which at least it would be cheaper than .40S&W?

thanks

 

[jimmyraythomason]

after reading about the horror stories online about these guns

These stories have nothing to do with your gun. You have to inspect and test your particular gun to know if it is safe. Use the same criteria for an RG as you would with ANY brand of handgun. Is it tight,does it lock up solidly? Does the cylinder align with the bore?

Are these things safe?

Have you shot it? Does it "spit" lead fragments? I have an RG .22 caliber snubbie that has been in the family for more than 40 years that has been a great shooter. I carried it as a trapline gun for many of those years.

 

[Ron James]

I don't believe it will blow up, however with intensive firing it will quickly get out of time and start shaving lead and a little powder blow back.I think a couple of hundred rounds should be OK. JMO. I've heard of sights , cylinders falling off, getting out of time but I've never heard of one blowing up. Perhaps they break down before the get really dangerous.

 

[Isaac-1]

Thanks for the replies, I did pull it out and play with it inside for a bit, it seems like it lock up of at full trigger pull, which comes a little after the hammer release. Hopefully follow through after the hammer starts dropping would lock it up solidly in real use. I guess I will just have to put a few rounds through it and see if it blows up in my hand. I am just a bit overly paranoid about .22's as my grand father was killed by one while squirrel hunting, a pump action Winchester model 1890 22 LR had a hang fire, it blew up in his face, he died from the infection 3 days later.

 

[royal barnes]

I have never heard of one blowing up but if I was that concerned I would not fire it myself or allow anyone else to. I do know, from experience, that they break easily. We used to find them regularly on the floor during drug raids. Of course they didn't belong to anyone there. After running for stolen we would remove the cylinder, prop the gun up against the curb and stomp on it breaking the frame in half. Do a found property report and turn it in. Sometime later they would be destroyed. I do remember riding up on a shooting in progress where the perp was trying to punch holes in a neighbor. He had an RG loaded with .22 shorts. Before I could exit the car and get the drop on the suspect I heard 8 clicks with two rounds actually going off. The victim was hit twice with neither bullet penetrating more than 1/2 inch. The ones we kept for showing to recruits were so inaccurate I could not keep an entire cylinder full on a B27 silhouette at 7 yards.

 

[foghornl]

Shoot some simple plain lead bullets from it to check for 'lead spitting'. One way I have heard of is to shoot it inside a cardboard box, muzzle about 4"-5" away from the side. Should reveal any tendency to splatter lead around.

I had an RG .22LR double-action snubby once many years back. It would send ALMOST as much lead downrange as it sent sideways and back toward the shooter....

 

[woad_yurt]

You said .22LR but I thought that the RG-10 was for shorts only. Does it say "LR" anywhere?

 

[InkEd]

Have them spend about $275 on a nice Ruger 22/45 that will last them
forever. The Rohm is a junk gun bit since you already own it, let them use it. If it breaks or anything, it's no big deal.

 

[Mac2]

I have one. Got it when my Dad passed. Why he kept it all those years I have no idea. But it is the first gun I ever fired. I was about 5 or 6 and remember it clearly (I'm 47 now). I don't reccon I will ever shoot it again, but I won't get rid of it either.

 

[Isaac-1]

This one is is marked .22LR, I assume it was made in Germany, I did not look that closely, but it is marked Rohm GmbH.

Ike

p.s. I found a Ruger Camp Mk 1 in a local shop for $199 today, I think I am gong to suggest they get it or a similar one