September 12, 2016

This is a brief analysis of is a Rhm Model RG24, a 6-shot .22LR caliber

revolver. It was made in Germany, most likely in 1964 and exported to the
USA. Based on the following research it probably cost about $25 new and is
worth about $50-$60 today.
Rhm Gesellschaft, often referred as simply RG, is a German brand of
firearms, starter pistols, flare guns, and related shooting equipment. RG
developed as a diversification of Rhm GmbH in the 1950s. The parent
company, Rhm GmbH, specialized in the manufacture of drill chucks and
related tooling. They are still in business today.
Prior to the Gun Control Act of 1968, the US was flooded with inexpensive
handguns, many of which were used for criminal intent, thus contributing to
the pop culture designation as Saturday Night Specials. Rhm was no
exception and they had a reputation of being pawn shop guns that were
easily obtainable, inexpensive, and poor quality.
Following 1968, these types of firearms were banned from import.
Consequently, many of these gun manufactures circumvented the ban by
setting up a US operation for final assembly and shipped their own
manufactured parts to the US, which were then assembled with some US
made parts. Such was the case with Rhm Gesellschaft who established a
US division called RG Industries in Miami in 1970 that lasted until 1986.
Nevertheless, multiple sources still list the RG handguns as being illegal for
licensed firearm dealers in South Carolina (and possibly other states) to
either sell or repair them.
One other notable feature of historical importance about RG handguns is that
a version of the RG24 with a shorter barrel, the RG14, was used by John
Hinckley in his assassination attempt on President Regan. As a consequence
of that event as well as other media-hyped shootings involving RG handguns,
the company found themselves being sued for liability, thus launching some
of the first gun manufacturer liability lawsuits. RG stopped making firearms
in 1986 and in 2010, the RG brand was acquired by UMAREX GmbH & Co.
KG. Today, UMAREX makes air-soft and paint-ball guns and other sporting
equipment.
From what I can determine, all of the post 1968 Rhm guns were marked RG
INDUSTRIES. This one is marked ROHM G.M.B.H. SONTHEIM/BR which
indicates that it was a pre-1968 import.
SONTHEIM/BR indicates the city of Sontheim and suburb of Brenz where the
Rhm factory was located, which is northeast of the city of Ulm, which is
located on the River Danube in southern Germany. I mention this for two
reasons. First, Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, and second because this is
the city where Beschussamt Ulm is located. Beschussamt Ulm is a testing
and certification facility for firearms, munitions, and security technology that
is still in business today. Firearms that pass certification testing are stamped

with both a test firing proof mark (an eagle with the letter N underneath)
and the year date next the companys stags antler logo. This revolver has
64
stamped on the left side of the frame just behind the barrel.
Although not an exact date of manufacture, it seems reasonably certain that
this revolver was made in 1964.
This particular handgun looks to be in good condition and does not appear to
have been fired very often. The bore and rifling looks good, the action is not
loose and the gun shows only minor wear. The wear marks and rust spots
are mostly on one side, indicating that the gun was stored in this position.
The Rhm handguns are not noted for their quality or reliability. This one is
no exception. After a thorough cleaning and oiling, about 50 rounds were
fired using four different brands of .22LR ammunition. The gun would misfire
on one to three round for every six fired. Because of the poor fitting of the
cartridges in the cylinder, the spent shells would stick in the cylinder and
were difficult to eject. Accuracy was not too bad, but it seemed to shoot a
little high. Nevertheless, one should never depend on this handgun for
protection, it is too unreliable.
One other feature I noted has to do with safety. With some of the earlier
models such as this one, the hammer actually strikes the cartridge to fire.
Thus it might be possible for the gun to fire if it was dropped hard on the
hammer and there was a live round in the cylinder. Later versions employed
a separate firing pin mechanism that was struck by the hammer. This design
helped prevent such accidental firing although it is still possible with such a
low quality revolver.
The RG revolvers can still be found in gun shows and shops, and on-line
auction sites. As for value, generally speaking, regardless of the model,
prices top out at under $100. Today they are considered as more of a
novelty item than a serious handgun. A major gun value publication listed
the following ranking for a RG14 value:
Excellent: $75. Very Good: $70. Good: $60. Fair: $25. Poor: $0.

Rhm Model RG24, a 6-shot .22LR caliber revolver. Circa 1964