Boberg XR9s

[dbrier]

It's finally here!!!!!
I go pick it up after work today. I was on the waiting list for 7 months.

Boberg Arms

Mine is the platinium version.

I have a thing for modern odd guns. The Chiappa Rhino is next on my list.

 

[KPierce]

Never heard of them before, but checked out the link. Looks like an interesting design. Will be curious to hear how it shoots.

I too like the odd gun. Some day I hope to get myself a Chiappa Rhino as well.

 

[melensdad]

Bob Owens at Shooting Times Illustrated, PJ Media and the Bob Owens Blog did a really nice review of this gun. He got the very first one to review.

 

[Mosinguy]

Did I read that right? $1,000?!

 

[jesse485]

Did I read that right? $1,000?!

It's an incredibly engineered, designed, and executed gun. Lots of hand finishing; it's actually inexpensive considering it's a semi-custom gun. Also, a very unconventional design, I wouldn't mind owning one, and I'm pretty damn cheap.

 

[Bronsonbull]

Very cool. Let us know how it shoots.

 

[tbhausen]

Congrats to the OP. Please do give us a range report.

I had my name on their list, but when it came up I passed. I think it's brilliantly designed and executed and I'll revisit Boberg after more info is known. For now, be cautious about bullets which come loose from the casings when stripped backwards off the magazine. There's plenty written about this and a few other issues in ther forum (I'll bet you know all this and more already ). Mr. Boberg is a stand-up guy who addresses issues head-on and in the public eye. I love innovative entrepreneurs and I'm pulling for this guy.

 

[dbrier]

I'll snap a few pictures soon. It may be a while before I can get to a range to shoot, but I really want to go.
It's amazing how much smaller the Boberg is compared to my PPS. Both have the same capacity and barrel length (XR9 is a bit longer actually).

 

[jesse485]

I'll snap a few pictures soon. It may be a while before I can get to a range to shoot, but I really want to go.
It's amazing how much smaller the Boberg is compared to my PPS. Both have the same capacity and barrel length (XR9 is a bit longer actually).

Please include the PPS in the pics. What's the weight difference between the two?

 

[Tombs]

I've been following these things for geesh... Just about since they first circulated some images online.

I have no interest in them at all until they go with a longer barrel. I want to see a 5" barrel in the form factor of a 4"(or less) gun. It's neat to see them finally getting something out there though.

 

[dbrier]

Please include the PPS in the pics. What's the weight difference between the two?

Can do. I can throw them on my kitchen scale to get you real world weights too. Acccording to the makers, the XR9-S is 17.5 oz empty and the PPS is 19.4 oz.
Here's the size comparison from Boberg. Pretty amazing that the Boberg has a longer barrel.
http://api.ning.com/files/mNlifRg1F...CkQQp6q9G3KxPD3GlfU2l4psptwxSGSl5ow9Pl0EowkFW

I've been following these things for geesh... Just about since they first circulated some images online.

I have no interest in them at all until they go with a longer barrel. I want to see a 5" barrel in the form factor of a 4"(or less) gun. It's neat to see them finally getting something out there though.

The next model, XR9-L is being worked on now. It will have a 4.2-4.4 inch barrel and 8+1 capacity. It would be about the size of my PPS. I don't think he has any intentions of going into the full size market.

 

[scottka]

Way cool... I had never heard of them, but the idea is really interesting. It seems like stripping the rounds backward would be difficult.

 

[95wrangler]

Wow if you limp wrist that thing, you'll have slide bite on your forearm!

 

[melensdad]

I'm really interested in your range report and then a follow up report at a later date. These little guns are pretty ingenious and its nice to see that there are people willing to innovate within the firearms industry. Lets face facts, most guns are really very similar to most other guns. This gun is very different and that alone is praise worthy as long as its reliable.

I'm also curious about the 'felt recoil' of the system versus other guns of similar weight and similar grip size.

 

[dbrier]

The recoil is supposed to be a bit lighter than other guns in its class. It may have something to do with the low bore axis too.

Picture time as requested.

Size comparison - Beretta 92FS, Sig 239, Walther PPS, Boberg XR9-S, Seecamp LWS 32. All are 9mm except the Seecamp.

A closer comparison of the Walther PPS and Boberg. Both are 7 shot 9mm with barrels at about 3.2" Walther has the 7 shot magazine installed. 6 and 8 shot mags are available.

Actual weights according to my kitchen scale.
Walther PPS is 21.5 oz. This is with the 7 round magazine.

Boberg XR9-S is 18.0 oz.

Just for fun, the Seecamp 32 weighed in at 11.1 oz. This is a true pocket gun.

 

[jmdavis984]

I imagine the muzzle flip is even more exaggerated with the reduction of leverage introduced by moving the grip forward. I'm very interested to hear your range report.

 

[dbrier]

Wouldn't it be the opposite? As I move the grip forward the end of the muzzle is now closer to my hand/wrist making a shorter leverage point. In theory, a gun with a muzzle directly over your hand wouldn't flip much at all.

I'll have to wait and see.

 

[melensdad]

I imagine the muzzle flip is even more exaggerated with the reduction of leverage introduced by moving the grip forward. I'm very interested to hear your range report

Wouldn't it be the opposite? As I move the grip forward the end of the muzzle is now closer to my hand/wrist making a shorter leverage point. In theory, a gun with a muzzle directly over your hand wouldn't flip much at all.

I'll have to wait and see.

There are multiple issues to consider.
An angled grip tends to direct recoil down the arm, while a more vertical grip tends to cause the wrists to rotate more under recoil. The recoil is the same, given the same bullets and the same mass of the firearm, but its directed differently and therefore felt differently. Recoil directed down the arm is perceived to be 'less' than when its rotated through the wrist. The grip design looks like it would be very effective at directing the recoil down the arm. As our arms are stronger than our wrists, its likely that muzzle flip would be minimized by the grip angle alone.

Further, the grip is moved forward toward the muzzle, that puts more mass moving BEHIND the grip. On a standard gun the rear of the slide never is as far back as it is on this gun. Honestly I think that could increase the felt recoil but I'd really have to see the dynamics of the whole thing to prove it. Even if it does increase felt recoil, the steeply angled grip, as noted above, would actually mitigate the felt recoil by directing much of it down the arm. Its also just as possible that this has virtually no real effect on the felt recoil.

Add to all the above the fact that this gun has a VERY LOW bore axis. Probably the lowest of any semi-auto 9mm gun ever developed and that will go a long way to reduce the felt recoil.

Its a really interesting design. Complicated but potentially groundbreaking. I'm really looking forward to a real review after shooting a couple hundred rounds.

 

[dbrier]

Finally got out to shoot the Boberg XR9-S over the weekend.

Overall, I like the gun a lot. It shoots really well for a 18oz gun. I shot about 150 rounds through it with no issues from ammo. I did have one screw that was not tightened all the way that caused the magazine to not stay in. A quick tighten with a 1.5 mm hex wrench and I was back in business.
The action is different, so it feels bit “off” when you shoot it. The trigger pull is long, but smooth. You have to make sure you let the trigger go all the way back before firing the next shot. Accuracy was everything I would need in a CC gun. I was shooting a little to the right, but figured out it was me, not the gun. After working on my technique, center mass hits were very easy at 7 yards, even shooting quickly. I let a couple of the range officers shoot it; they seem very intrigued by the little Boberg and were more accurate than me. One thought we were playing a joke on him when I handed him a magazine full of bullets loaded nose first.

For side-by-side testing, I also shot my Walther PPS at the same time. Because they have the same capacity and barrel length, it is a good comparison. It was easier to shoot the PPS and the recoil was less, but you would expect that from the larger, heavier gun with a bit more grip. The XR9-S shoots better than you would think based on weight and size.

The biggest question: is it worth it? I think so. The gun is very expensive, but well made and capable of firing +P 9mm ammo if needed. Many of the pocket 9s cannot do that. It will become my IWB CC gun.

 

[melensdad]

Thanks for the review. Its a nice first outing. What type of ammo did you use (premium self defense ammo?, basic factory round nose?, reloads? some combination of various ammo? What weight bullets?

Now how about a second outing with the gun and a follow up review. Sometime people don't notice things the first time shooting and pick up on them the second time they go out to the range.

Interesting observation about the need to fully let off the trigger to reset it between shots. Some guns have a very short reset, others a long reset. Sounds like this has a very long reset. Curious to see how that affects your ability to do "double taps" at the range the next time you take it out.