scary gun

[john455]

I saw a very scary gun today, an old Rohm 8 shot .22 revolve for sale at a pawn shop for $125!!! GEEZ I thought everyone had trashed those POS Germany made accidents waiting to happen.

[Steelharp]

There was a guy on Facebook had one for sale a while back for $200!!! I politely told him he had a $30 gun, and he got really pissed. Used some rather colorful language, lol.

[john455]

$30 was generous those things are a menace, you couldn't pay me to shoot one.

[JAB]

My mom has an old 6 shot revolver chambered in .22 short that looks almost exactly like the RG in this post:

 

http://www.gunauction.com/buy/8987760

 

Hers is of even more questionable origins, though, as the only information regarding those origins stamped on it is "New York".  That's it.  It is definitely made of 'pot metal'.  It loads through a loading gate and has a 'ramrod' for punching out the empties that screws in under the barrel.  My mom didn't even know that little ramrod would screw out and it took me a liberal application of WD40 and a pair of pliers to get it out the first time but now it screws out and in easily with just finger pressure.  It was the first handgun I ever shot and my parents actually thought it was a single action - partly because of the loading gate and partly because the double action trigger pull is comparable to trying to drag a brick through quicksand with just one finger.  All that said, I still actually find it to be fun to shoot, sometimes, and can usually even hit what I am aiming at as long as said target isn't more than four or five yards away.

 

I would, therefore, have no problems shooting that Rohm as long as it looked like it was in good, working order.  My problem is that they would have to knock about $100 off of the price before I would consider buying it.  Yep, I'm saying that I might be willing to go $25 for the thing.  That is why I don't even bother going to pawnshops to look at guns, anymore - because all of them in this area seem to think that every barrel of every gun they have in their case is lined in gold and their 'asking prices' are so high that - even if they were willing to bargain - they would have to knock 50% to 75% off the top before it would even be a reasonable starting point for haggling.

Edited January 27, 2015 by JAB

[monkeylizard]

My dad has one. We'll never sell it because it's so bad it's great.

[dats82]

The last estate sale I went to had one sell for $125.  People go crazy at auctions.

[VERO1]

It's nice to have a few laying around to take to gun buybacks.

[john455]

I was just wondering what liability if any would fall on the Pawnshop if they sold this gun to someone and it failed on the new owner first shot and caused injury? I mean do they have an obligation to make sure there used guns are safe to fire before they sell them?

[Murgatroy]

I have one in the bottom of my safe. Traded a pocket knife for it.

 

I think you are going a little overboard thinking that it will explode on the first shot. Shave lead, sure, but explode, no. Do you have any real world experience with these?

[john455]

I didn't say blow up I said fail, shaved lead could cause injury and I have seen one at the range blow lead out the side out of the cylinder because it didn't line up right with the barrel, and I have read a ton of bad reviews on them. The one at the pawnshop I was talking about is VERY used, the front site is loose, you can turn it all the way around the barrel with your fingers, and the cylinder has a good 1/8 of a hole play in it in lockdown (trigger pulled but not released) This gun is a definite accident waiting to happen.

Edited January 27, 2015 by john455

[john455]

After I reread my post I can see why you thought I meant blow up by saying fail, what I meant is fail to fire correctly causing injury to the one firing it. I guess being a revolver loving man I take to much offence to cheaply made revolvers. Sorry if I seemed a little pissy in my previous posts it's a subject I feel strongly about.

[1madss]

My real world experience says they are a POS.

 

I've had a RG38 for ~30 years. Only fired it once. I made it through a cylinder SA and on the third round DA the timing was so bad that it ripped the copper jacket off of the bullet and jammed the cylinder. I had to pry it open to get the last three live rounds out of it. It did not explode but it still counts as a major fail to me.

[monkeylizard]

It's nice to have a few laying around to take to gun buybacks.

 

This! If I ever see any for about $20 bucks or so, I'll buy as many as I can get and put them away for some $100 gift cards.

[KahrMan]

I used to have a Rohm .38.  Sold it about 30 years ago.  Knowing now what I didn't know then i kinda feel guilty selling it to someone.  

[Grayfox54]

I've had two experiences with Rohm products.

First one was maybe 15 years ago? I bought a RG-22 from a co-worker for $10.  I actually took it to the range and shot it. I knew what it was and frankly was a bit nervous about shooting it. To my surprise, four of the six rounds actually fired. And at seven yards it shot more of a pattern than a group.  :ugh:

However, I had bought the gun for a specific purpose. The following weekend there was a "buy-back" in memphis and I traded that $10 POS for $75 worth of gas and grocery gift certificates.  :up:

 

The second time was about two years ago. A lady friend of mine mentioned that she had a .38, but had never fired it. She asked if I would take her to the range and give her a few lessons. Naturally, I said I'd be happy to. But come the appointed day, she showed up with this.

 

 

A brand new, never fired RG-38.  :eek:  Yeah, I actually took a picture of it for posterity because I knew this thing wouldn't be around for long.  :shake:

Upon examination I quickly found that the cylinder wouldn't rotate unless you held the gun canted at about 45 degrees to the right and the chambers didn't line up with the barrel properly.   :squint:

Trying to be as polite as possible, I told her what she had.  :poop:  After which I went to my safe and traded her a well used, but still very servicable S&W Model 10 for it.  :pleased:

BTW: we went to the range where she learned to use the S&W very quickly and generally had a wonderful afternoon.  :D

 

 

 

[bersaguy]

Saturday Night Specials for sure. I would not want to fire one with today's much hotter 22 ammo but back in their hay days the MOB used them for hits. One shot to the back of the head at close range and then toss it. I did grow up in Chicago is how I know these things................. :rofl: :rock: :rofl:

[NoBanStan]

A long time ago a buddy of mine asked me to identify a gun he said his grandfather brought home from WWII. The first thing I noticed was the broken plastic grip... he either made up the story or was told a lie. It's one of those Rohm .22lr revolvers. Worth a whopping $75 if you could find someone to pay full price for it.

 

Years later, I call him every now and then to ask when he's going to get the thing.. he still hasn't done so. If I ever see a gun buyback, i'm going to trade it in. $25 at Kroger would be waaaay more useful.