Rohm .38 revolvers?
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Hondo 60
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calling it a sns is insulting to sns
they the cheapest of the cheap
they the cheapest of the cheap
Monac
Member
Rohm is also known as RG (the G is for the German word for corporation). Apparently they started out making 22 blank-firing starters pistols. As I understand it, they slightly redesigned one of these to fire live 22 ammunition and sold that on the American market. It apparently sold pretty well because it was dirt cheap, but it was a bad quality gun, because a starters pistol can be a glorified cap-pistol. Rohm was never able to shake the poor reputation this line of 22 revolvers gave it, as Hondo 60's post demonstrates.
They seem to have begun making better guns when they began making them in centerfire calibers like 32 S&W Long and 38 Special, but at first they still seem to have been kind of shoddy. I have one of their very late 38 Specials, and it seems as good as the "Arminius" line of revolvers by another German maker, Hermann Weihrauch. But by that time these inexpensive German revolver were being driven off the market by their own rising prices (due to the rising value of the German mark) and by better-looking, cheap but all-steel revolvers from South America, like Rossi and Taurus.
BTW, I suppose you already know it, but the ruling material of these German revolvers was a zinc alloy that could be precision cast, with steel for the barrel, cylinder, and firing mechanism. Zinc alloy is decent stuff if the gun is designed properly, but it just isn't as strong per unit of volume as steel or high-grade aluminum alloy. (I am not an engineer, so I have probably expressed that badly.)
Given that these guns were made to be inexpensive instead of durable and are mostly over 30 years old I would say it would have to be in mint condition AND low-priced to be worth taking a chance on as a shooter. Even then, I would not get your hopes up. Decent but cheap was the target their makers were aiming, and if they missed, it was on the side of cheap. It would be more of a novelty and a learning experience than anything.
PS - I don't know about any steel-framed RGs, but I don't know everything. Weihrauch did sell steel-framed Single Action Army replicas under the Arminius name. They seem to have been fairly well regarded, but I was never sure if they made them themselves or bought them from someone else.
They seem to have begun making better guns when they began making them in centerfire calibers like 32 S&W Long and 38 Special, but at first they still seem to have been kind of shoddy. I have one of their very late 38 Specials, and it seems as good as the "Arminius" line of revolvers by another German maker, Hermann Weihrauch. But by that time these inexpensive German revolver were being driven off the market by their own rising prices (due to the rising value of the German mark) and by better-looking, cheap but all-steel revolvers from South America, like Rossi and Taurus.
BTW, I suppose you already know it, but the ruling material of these German revolvers was a zinc alloy that could be precision cast, with steel for the barrel, cylinder, and firing mechanism. Zinc alloy is decent stuff if the gun is designed properly, but it just isn't as strong per unit of volume as steel or high-grade aluminum alloy. (I am not an engineer, so I have probably expressed that badly.)
Given that these guns were made to be inexpensive instead of durable and are mostly over 30 years old I would say it would have to be in mint condition AND low-priced to be worth taking a chance on as a shooter. Even then, I would not get your hopes up. Decent but cheap was the target their makers were aiming, and if they missed, it was on the side of cheap. It would be more of a novelty and a learning experience than anything.
PS - I don't know about any steel-framed RGs, but I don't know everything. Weihrauch did sell steel-framed Single Action Army replicas under the Arminius name. They seem to have been fairly well regarded, but I was never sure if they made them themselves or bought them from someone else.
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AustinTX
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Interesting. I’ve never seen any difference of opinion on that point.
kBob
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I have experience with two of the zinc .38 Special Rohm revolvers.
The first was one was while working as a volunteer Range officer at a public range ( the city only allowed it to operate when my club supplied range officers and the nearest range other wise was fifty miles away ). We also taught NRA Home Fire Arms Safety through the local Community education system (and had to explain repeatedly that yes Florida law did allow firearms on school campuses for such a purpose) and the Basic Handgun Safety Course where we could get range time and a room. Anyhow a family showed up at the City range with an RG .38. At the sign in table they were accosted by a horde of folks with terrible opinions of their handgun choice. I personally was more concerned with thanking them for making a firearm in the house a family event with Dad, Mom, Son & Daughter all participating in learning its use. After the crowd got through everyone of them seemed shall we say put off with the RG 38. I went down range with "Dad" and showed him how to use it. Even fired a cylinder myself of the mild loaded 158 grain RNL he had. Trigger pull on DA and SA were awful and accuracy suffered but it worked and timing seemed good.
I encouraged them to take one of our at cost 12 hour Basic Firearms Safety Course Classes , a couple of weeks later and ten hours in class and two on the range and 60 rounds down range with borrowed S&W M15 and then a few rounds from a few other revolvers like a Charter Undercover and Taurus 85 and Dad has his training certificate. He went to his car, got the RG 38 and donated it to our club at that point. Mom and the kids next saw the gun at one of our Home Firearms Safety classes in our "not a good idea" box. I shot it a few more times with mild LSWC and WC ammo. It never blew up in my hand but never seemed to get any easier to shoot.
The second was the following Thanksgiving when I met my family at Granmaw's place halfway between where the family still lives and where I live and Dad handed me a zippered pistol rug he had literly found on the road. When he handed it to me I felt the familiar lumps through the case and announced what it was and Dad was thrilled that I could do that. We examined it and it was unloaded and no ammo was with it. I encouraged him to drop it at the Sheriffs office of the County he found it in but he kept it. Turns out it was among his stuff two decades later when he passed and sister and her husband now have it.
At the time all this was going on HiPoint was not yet in business but there was an outfit called Stallard that made a Blow back semi auto much like the Hipoint in construction and concept though it used P38 mags in the 9 and 1911 mags in the .45. These American made semis were put down by the same folks that bad mouthed the RG. I had shot those as well and at one point beat a put downer's time on our plate rack with a .45 Stallard verses his "race gun" 1911-ish.
I felt the RG 38 and those Stallards beat not having a gun when one was needed and for the person strapped for cash and not likely to shoot it more than a 24 rounds a year would likely serve for a night stand gun until something better could be bought. I felt the same way about the "Ring Of Fire" Davis family stuff and still do. Biggest problem I had with those was the folks that owned them were often not skilled in the least and came to the range before getting a class.
But back to the OP...
I would not buy one myself, but if some one gave me one I would check it out carefully, shoot only "target" loads of lead through it and not shoot it more than making sure it shoots and shoots close to where I want it to at defensive ranges and then put it away as a "better than nothing gun" OF course condition is everything on the used market and you may have one that has had a hard life or is already actually broken in some way and is in everyway the "handgrenade" folks warn you about, so is it worth it?.
I would pass on getting an RG 38 on purpose and wait for something more useable.
-kBob
The first was one was while working as a volunteer Range officer at a public range ( the city only allowed it to operate when my club supplied range officers and the nearest range other wise was fifty miles away ). We also taught NRA Home Fire Arms Safety through the local Community education system (and had to explain repeatedly that yes Florida law did allow firearms on school campuses for such a purpose) and the Basic Handgun Safety Course where we could get range time and a room. Anyhow a family showed up at the City range with an RG .38. At the sign in table they were accosted by a horde of folks with terrible opinions of their handgun choice. I personally was more concerned with thanking them for making a firearm in the house a family event with Dad, Mom, Son & Daughter all participating in learning its use. After the crowd got through everyone of them seemed shall we say put off with the RG 38. I went down range with "Dad" and showed him how to use it. Even fired a cylinder myself of the mild loaded 158 grain RNL he had. Trigger pull on DA and SA were awful and accuracy suffered but it worked and timing seemed good.
I encouraged them to take one of our at cost 12 hour Basic Firearms Safety Course Classes , a couple of weeks later and ten hours in class and two on the range and 60 rounds down range with borrowed S&W M15 and then a few rounds from a few other revolvers like a Charter Undercover and Taurus 85 and Dad has his training certificate. He went to his car, got the RG 38 and donated it to our club at that point. Mom and the kids next saw the gun at one of our Home Firearms Safety classes in our "not a good idea" box. I shot it a few more times with mild LSWC and WC ammo. It never blew up in my hand but never seemed to get any easier to shoot.
The second was the following Thanksgiving when I met my family at Granmaw's place halfway between where the family still lives and where I live and Dad handed me a zippered pistol rug he had literly found on the road. When he handed it to me I felt the familiar lumps through the case and announced what it was and Dad was thrilled that I could do that. We examined it and it was unloaded and no ammo was with it. I encouraged him to drop it at the Sheriffs office of the County he found it in but he kept it. Turns out it was among his stuff two decades later when he passed and sister and her husband now have it.
At the time all this was going on HiPoint was not yet in business but there was an outfit called Stallard that made a Blow back semi auto much like the Hipoint in construction and concept though it used P38 mags in the 9 and 1911 mags in the .45. These American made semis were put down by the same folks that bad mouthed the RG. I had shot those as well and at one point beat a put downer's time on our plate rack with a .45 Stallard verses his "race gun" 1911-ish.
I felt the RG 38 and those Stallards beat not having a gun when one was needed and for the person strapped for cash and not likely to shoot it more than a 24 rounds a year would likely serve for a night stand gun until something better could be bought. I felt the same way about the "Ring Of Fire" Davis family stuff and still do. Biggest problem I had with those was the folks that owned them were often not skilled in the least and came to the range before getting a class.
But back to the OP...
I would not buy one myself, but if some one gave me one I would check it out carefully, shoot only "target" loads of lead through it and not shoot it more than making sure it shoots and shoots close to where I want it to at defensive ranges and then put it away as a "better than nothing gun" OF course condition is everything on the used market and you may have one that has had a hard life or is already actually broken in some way and is in everyway the "handgrenade" folks warn you about, so is it worth it?.
I would pass on getting an RG 38 on purpose and wait for something more useable.
-kBob
ApacheCoTodd
member
Never seen a single one - of several that I have seen/owned - worth more than $100 and most, barely that.
Good examples may be out there but I've seen nothing but crap and approach each one with severely limited expectations.
Todd.
Good examples may be out there but I've seen nothing but crap and approach each one with severely limited expectations.
Todd.
Somewhere around here I have one of the old RG .22 RF that was my Mom's first gun. It's not exactly high quality but surprisingly it's almost in time and goes bang. It's not particularly accurate. She immediately abandoned it after firing a decent revolver so it's had very little use.
WestKentucky
Member
I have 1 rg, and my dad has 1 rg. I have had a couple others bought from the junk box at gun shows. The 38 that my dad has is a decent gun (at best) and it has served its role well as a nightstand gun for the better part of 50 years. My RG was my grandmothers, and again it’s a decent gun for what it is, and mine was carried around in a cigarette pouch for 4 or 5 decades following my grandfathers deployment to Korea when grandma started carrying it. They wear quickly when used and are in no way what I would call accurate shooting guns. They go bang when pointed at something and that’s about it. You might hit, you might not. Would I put $100 on one... maybe, but I already have the main one I would want and will inherit the other one I would want so there’s no real reason to, and in all honesty there are other guns of much higher quality for a slightly increased price tag. The triggers are not good, the accuracy is poor, and they aren’t durable. People complain about the H&R or NEF revolvers for the first two reasons, but they are at least durable and are in the same ballpark on price, usually a hair more expensive.
if it’s a 22 that says RG on it, run away.
if it’s a 22 that says RG on it, run away.
For ten years after retiring from LE I taught classes to certify folks for CC permits. Every Rohm/RG revolver that showed up in those classes either didn't function at all (two examples) or functioned so poorly the owner couldn't shoot it well enough to qualify (several examples). As mentioned above the trigger pulls were universally bad. In one example the center pin, which had to be removed to reload, walked out on its own and the cylinder fell out.
I wouldn't say you have to form a cross with your fingers and start praying around an Rohm/RG...but I wouldn't recommend against it either.
Dave
I wouldn't say you have to form a cross with your fingers and start praying around an Rohm/RG...but I wouldn't recommend against it either.
Dave
Pat Riot
Contributing Member
Personally, I would put my money to a better use on a better gun. I have encountered several Rohm revolvers, .22s and .38s, over the years and not one was worth a darn.
Buckeye63
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I had a RG 6 shot 38spl snubby.... I paid $100.00 NIB for it in the late 80's shot quite a bit of 158gr LRN out of it ... I had quite a stash .. Always worked .. Carried while doing yardwork ...
I traded it toward a rusty 94 Win in 32 Spl. bout 16-18yrs ago ....I don't know what I did with the Winchester???
You can put a little more money and get a Charter or a Taurus ... Both are much much better quality
I traded it toward a rusty 94 Win in 32 Spl. bout 16-18yrs ago ....I don't know what I did with the Winchester???
You can put a little more money and get a Charter or a Taurus ... Both are much much better quality
An RG worth $100 is worth - nothing in my opinion.
If a gun id sooo bad that it's only worth $100 it is useless.I wouldn't want to shoot it , wouldn't want to be seen with it. Don't want it cluttering up my safe.
A couple years back I was offered an RG 22 revolver by an elderly friend who was giving away several guns for which he had no use. Free. Free gun.
I said no thank you.
If a gun id sooo bad that it's only worth $100 it is useless.I wouldn't want to shoot it , wouldn't want to be seen with it. Don't want it cluttering up my safe.
A couple years back I was offered an RG 22 revolver by an elderly friend who was giving away several guns for which he had no use. Free. Free gun.
I said no thank you.
In an era when I've seen new Ruger LCP for under $150 and new S&W Shield M1.0 for under $200 I wouldn't toss around to many comments about how bad cheap guns are. Some are half way decent.
I do admit I hang on to the RG .22 simply because it was my mother's not any great love for it. She apparently feels the same as she gave it to me. She won't give me her early .38 Special Ruger SP101.
2 things ---
A $150 LCP or a $200 Shield would be a good value from a reputable company. A $100 Rohm constitutes money frittered away on a firearm of very low quality and integrity.
Apples to billiard balls.
An item handed down from a loved one has intrinsic value separate from and unrelated to the actual quality of that item.
Example : hanging on my wall , not far from where I now sit , is a "paint by number" painting of a deer in a forest. It was done by a family member 50+ years ago. Fine art? No ; it is junk as far as art goes. But , I display it anyway 'cause I like it. The "artist" didn't care for it just like your mother did not care for the Rohm.
A $150 LCP or a $200 Shield would be a good value from a reputable company. A $100 Rohm constitutes money frittered away on a firearm of very low quality and integrity.
Apples to billiard balls.
An item handed down from a loved one has intrinsic value separate from and unrelated to the actual quality of that item.
Example : hanging on my wall , not far from where I now sit , is a "paint by number" painting of a deer in a forest. It was done by a family member 50+ years ago. Fine art? No ; it is junk as far as art goes. But , I display it anyway 'cause I like it. The "artist" didn't care for it just like your mother did not care for the Rohm.
SlowFuse
Member
I inherited a RG-38. Not the snub version, has a 4 inch barrel. From what I understand the 38 models were built a little better than the rimfire variants. I took it out a few times after I received it to see what it was like. Shot high, but was fairly accurate besides that. If I didn't read all the terrible remarks over the years about these guns I probably would have never thought of them to be dangerous. Not the highest quality maybe. Funny thing is it came with two boxes of old Federal Hi-Shok 125 grain +P's. Curious how many of these were put through it...
Either way this thing doesn't get shot now, not for many years. I keep it because of who owned it, not because I particularly like it.
Either way this thing doesn't get shot now, not for many years. I keep it because of who owned it, not because I particularly like it.
Alte Schule
Member
They occasionally do work as intended.
Reagan assassination attempt
On March 30, 1981, at 2:27 p.m. EST, Hinckley shot a .22 caliber Röhm RG-14 revolver six times at Reagan as he left the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., after the president addressed an AFL–CIO conference.
Reagan assassination attempt
On March 30, 1981, at 2:27 p.m. EST, Hinckley shot a .22 caliber Röhm RG-14 revolver six times at Reagan as he left the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., after the president addressed an AFL–CIO conference.
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