Saturday Night Specials

Bob

I have an old RG14 (Rhom) that my Dad "left" me (along with a few others) and it is always in the floor board of my field truck, in a nylon holster, loaded with snake shot. In the fall it is a constant companion in the zip pocket on my carhart "body armor" (carhart bib overalls are the best thing ever for surveyors in the briars). I actually take it out at the range ever couple of months or so and fire a dozen or so rounds through it to remind me to check the barrel for spider webs and give it a dose of oil. For a gun that originally retailed for $14-20, and cost Rhom about $4 per copy to assemble in Miami (after the SNS legislation I believe they could not be imported but could be assembled here for a short time before the laws changed requiring that a certain percentage of parts must be manufactured in the U.S.)

Here's a deal.... I'll give you $25 for one of them and "take it off your hands", then you'll only have to worry about what to do with one of them:biggrin2:

I was at my mother-in-law's house tonight putting up a new screen door for her and showed her one of the guns. She handled it, dry fired it and after having me explain how it works ~ I said, "You point and pull the trigger" :tired: ~ she really seemed to like it. I told her I'd load it up and let her try it out in a day or two and if she still liked it, she could have it.

I think I'll keep the other gun for now as a plinker or safe queen and since I'll be getting the other one back sooner or later (:9: :hand36:), I really consider it more of a loan than a gift.

BTW, after firing about 30 rounds through each gun, the triggers have gotten better. The DA pull is still heavy, but in SA is probably more in the 5 or 6 pound pull range and both aren't as "gritty" feeling as they first were. Hopefully, they will get even better with more use.

We were young and both very junior in the service. We moved to an area between our two bases and the police response time there, northern Florida between Gulf Breeze and Ft Walton Beach, could be long if the police were on the mainland instead of Highway 90. I wanted better and the guy tried to sell me something he said was french and "all the Navy pilots took them to Viet Nam." Just couldn't afford better at the time.

When I got orders to overseas in '78 I sold it to a co-worker who was close to retirement and intended to keep it on his boat. He went fishing out in the gulf and sometimes hooked into a shark that he didn't want to bring on board still alive! Then just after we got back to the states President Reagan and the others were shot using the same model...

Back then Tandy had a holster kit that fit the gun. I made one and it turned out really well, but definately NOT for concealment. It wasn't held tight to the body and had a huge retaining strap for such a small gun. I bought a Tandy leather craft kit and made something for my wife. When her supervisor saw it and learned that I'd made it he asked, "When was he in prison?" (I wasn't, but did take just about every shop class in jr high and high school.)

If you've never seen one personally, I'm posting a few photo's of one of my RG14's next to my wife's S&W .38 snubby and my P-3AT so you can get an idea of the RG14's size. You can see the RG is almost the exact same size as a P-3AT (just a bit thicker around the cylinder) and cost $25 or less NIB back in the 60's & 70's. I paid $25 for a spare magazine for my Browning Buckmark .22 a few weeks ago!

You can see why they were very popular as pocket pistols and "throw away" guns. :hand5:

I Have a RG14 6 shot Revolver and many of you may like to bash the gun but Ive fired mine thousands of times and have maybe 3 or 4 light primer hits, no misfires, and fairly accurate within 30-40 yards or less. Downfall very strong trigger and hammer pull, looks, weight, and the pain of having to unscrew the cylinder to reload it.

I have a RG 66 with both the long rifle and mag cylinders. It was my dad's until his passing in 2011. He bought it from one of our elderly cousins about 20 years ago. While it may not shoot bullseyes at 100 yards, it's fine for plinking and no misfires. I will say that it is very loud for a .22. Compared to my high standard double nine, it's extremely loud. I know most post about the RG's are not very nice, but I've had no problems out of mine. Just my $.02.