{"id":125414,"date":"2020-06-28T12:32:55","date_gmt":"2020-06-28T16:32:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=125414"},"modified":"2020-06-28T12:32:55","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T15:01:39","slug":"rock-island-armorys-al9-0-9mm-revolver-an-elegant-weapon-from-a-more-civilized-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/rock-island-armorys-al9-0-9mm-revolver-an-elegant-weapon-from-a-more-civilized-age\/","title":{"rendered":"Rock Island Armory’s AL9.0 9mm Revolver: An Elegant Weapon From a More Civilized Age"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Rock Island Armory’s AL9.0 is a six-shot 9mm revolver. The combination of the most popular cartridge in the world with the revolver is an unexpected pleasure. The steel frame gives weight to the gun and the low recoil makes it very smooth shooting. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster, the AL9.0 will shoot six rounds of 9mm as fast as you can run the trigger. Need more? The AL9.0 reloads quickly with full moon clips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A couple of features jump out immediately. The textured rubber grips are comfortable and provide good control for positive recoil management. The high-visibility orange front sight and windage adjustable rear sights are a perfect combination. The AL9.0 comes in a three-inch barrel bridging the gap between the snub nose and four-inch models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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9mm Ammunition and Full Moon Clips<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The 9mm Luger cartridge is shorter than a traditional revolver round. This gives you more effective barrel length in the same size gun. Full moon clips loaded with 9mm cartridges are short and easy to carry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9mm has a higher muzzle velocity, higher energy than .38 Special when shot out of a small revolver. 9mm ammunition is cheaper and easier to find than .38 Special or .357 rounds. I like the fact that I don’t have to store another caliber to shoot a revolver in class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most revolvers use a rimmed cartridge. This means that there is a flange at the base of the cartridge with a radius that is greater than the case wall. This suspends the cartridge from the breech face and provides a surface for the firearm\u2019s extractor to pull a fired cartridge case out of the chamber. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 9mm has a rim for extraction, but its radius doesn\u2019t extend beyond the case wall, which is why moon clips are used by the AL9.0. Full moon clips serve as speed loaders allowing quick insertion of an entire cylinder full of ammo at once. They also help extract all the rounds at the same time with a simple push of the ejector rod. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Moon clips are flat metal stampings usually made to hold rounds without a rim. They were invented to hold .45 ACP rounds in the Colt and S&W 1917 revolvers made for military use. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Full moon clips are inexpensive and you can buy a bunch of them. This is great because they can be damaged when inserting cartridges into them or removing empty cases. The AL9.0 comes standard with two moon clips and a moon clip stripper tool that makes removing cases simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Revolvers: Pro and Con<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Some people see revolvers as obsolete. I find them relevant and interesting. I first encountered revolvers in law enforcement as simple concealable backup guns for undercover agents. I learned about revolvers from the senior guys who grew up with them. The advantages they had then are still advantages now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Revolvers are more mechanically complex than semi-auto pistols. While semi-autos are dependent on a careful balance of springs, recoil force and shooter; the moving parts of the revolver are mostly internal and unaffected by the environment or the operator. You can shoot them inside a pocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Twelve rounds fast at 7 yards.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Loading and unloading a revolver is pretty straight forward and does not require a separate operation to chamber a round. Revolvers tend to be far more reliable than semi-autos. There’s no safety lever no de-cocker, no slide or magazine release. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many semi-auto pistols are single action. This means that they require a separate activity to cock the hammer by pulling the pistol slide or firing. If you pull the trigger on a loaded revolver, it cocks and fires. This is called double action. Immediate action? Keep pulling that trigger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many shooters feel that a double-action trigger provides more control and the longer pull makes unintended discharges less likely. Trainers like Ernest Langdon recommend double action for self-defense and law enforcement applications. The video below shows semi-automatic pistols, but the same principles apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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