Protruding sharp ‘target grip’ pokes a lefty’s hand and grinds into right hip when holstered.
From the 1960s through the 1980s Bavarian firm RG Rohm GMBH Sontheim/BRZ built and imported to the USA many cheap firearms, especially single and double action revolvers in .22 Short, Long Rifle and .22 Magnum. Some were dangerous junk, while other models were decent enough, serving on farms, ranches and on hunts to this day.*
This RG Model 66 single action SAA-style cowboy 6-shooter is one of the better ones, probably a late model judging by the useless ‘adjustable’ sight-which I removed in two minutes, and the ‘target grip’ on the left side, both designed to make an impossible to conceal weapon harder to use, but easily fixed.
Cock hammer to 2nd half-cock to rotate cylinder for loading and ejection.
I bought it from my pal Dennis at Eagle Loan on Vernon Street in Roseville for $100USD, just over that counting tax and fees. My California buyers card had expired after five years so I needed to take the safety test again for $20 as well.
Positive full-length ejection but of course 19th century loading speed.
I shot one CB Cap short round in it for function before I started working on it to be sure I didn’t have to return it. Discarding the ‘adjustable sight’ left a shallow sighting grove in the top strap which will be entirely adequate for the gun’s main task of killing tin cans in the woods.
‘Adjustable sight’ was apparently made from an old ‘pop-top’. I unscrewed and disposed of it before Jimmy Buffett could hurt himself.
Notorious tightwad that I am I didn’t want to spend real money for a cowboy holster. Luckily, my garage yielded a flea market $15 Krasne’s Triple K (klan?) holster of a sort of ‘Mexican loop’ type made of a single piece of leather. It was made for a 8 3/8″ bbl caliber .38 Special and had a closed (now amputated) toe.
Quick surgery with a carpenter’s razor knife and it fits the RG’s 4 3/8″ barrel for length.
The smaller RG trigger guard meant I had to relocate the snap-equipped security strap, easily though crudely done in 10 minutes using slot-head screw with nut.
Not bad, but excess leather makes it look like the holster is swallowing the gun.
Final cut
That’s better. A few minutes work with a Leatherman Wave and a razor knife and the excrescence is excised. Reinforcing stud I added should be a rivet but this anachronistic Phillips head screw with nut will have to suffice. Brown shoe polish concealed new leather cuts.
The plan: replace ugly-ass RG grips with beautiful walnut Colt panels originally made for a large frame double action. Lots of cutting needed, I had just started here when I remembered to take this snap.
More in the future on walnut Colt grip upgrade, weapon and holster function and accuracy, and possible refinish of horrible, soft black paint on the Zamak grip frame.
*Sadly, RGs were also used to wound Ronald Reagan and assassinate Robert Kennedy. [Strike that – inaccurate. The comment at bottom below is correct, the RFK revolver was a similar Iver Johnson model, not an RG. Thanks, Rip. June, 2024.]
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Would like to replace my grips also! My 66 is really a straight shooter. Someone would really want it bad before I would let it go!
Al, thanks for the comment. As rough as these old bavarian cowboy guns look they shoot just fine. I have not shot mine recently and have not yet filled in and ground down the silly ‘target’ sight yet either but will one of these days. Thanks for viewing and have fun with your Kraut plinker.
I have on just like this holster and all, my dad bought it for me when I was 14 (1974) I lost my mag. Cylinder any ideas where I can buy another one,and let me know how handles work out,I need a set too.
Tommy
I have searched for a spare mag for years with no success. Luckily the original one still works. As I suggested to Doreen, you might try searching for a grip panel and magazine for the Astra Cub since the Colt is a close clone of that automatic which was produced longer. If that fails you could have the broken grip 3D printed in brown plastic. Of course with no mag that won’t work. Best of luck.
I have on just like this holster and all, my dad bought it for me when I was 14 (1974) I lost my mag. Cylinder any ideas where I can buy another one,and let me know how handles work out,I need a set too.
Tommy
Thanks for viewing my post. Sorry the gun’s cylinder is lost. Best bet for finding a replacement part for old guns is probably: https://www.gunpartscorp.com/
If Gun Parts does not have it you might try calling local gun stores. Good luck.
I have one I can sell you. johnalden.oregon@gmail.com
John, thanks for reading and commenting. I gave that German cowboy gun away a few years back but thanks for the kind offer.
actually an Iver Johnson cadet 22 was used in Robert F Kennedy assassination. I gave my uncle my Colt Frontier Scout because he asked me for it. He said “you need a gun” and I agreed. He took me to the Western Auto store in Pearsall, Texas and bought me a gun that looked like my Colt. It was a RG 66 with dual cylinders. My uncle took me out and I proceeded to shoot cactus, rocks and any available target of opportunity. I probably have 5k rounds or more through that revolver. Only had to fix a broken bolt/trigger spring. Very accurate gun. Every grandkid and friend gets to shoot it. I really don’t know how many rounds through it as they are countless. Most memorable gun I own and least monetarily valuable.
Right you are Rip, an Iver Johnson .22 was used on Robert Kennedy, I read. I never understood the scoffing at .22 and .25 calibers as mouse guns, killed more peeps than smallpox.
Yes, fixed barrel .22 semiautomatics and revolvers can be very accurate even if cheap. And accurate guns are the only fun ones.
Your uncle got the pricey cowboy gun, but you got another fun one, maybe you will inherit it back some sad day.
With the Germans’ reputation for fine craftsmanship, it’s funny to me to see a cheap and cheesy gun like the RG 66, albeit working just fine, blowing their upscale engineering rep. But the Germans would tell you the gun lacks high tone, like a Sig, because the lazy Bavarians manufactured it. Thanks for the tip and the comment, now I’ll need to correct my post.
I really enjoyed your original post and of course your response. Thank you for taking time. I abused that RG by fanning it as a kid but it took it. I have always been awestruck by the effectiveness of a.22. The Reagan attempted assassination is a prime example. That was an RG model 14 I believe. It’s about as cheap as it gets. The RG 66 is not junk and German steel has a good reputation. Germany was trying to get out of the war effects from 50s and 60s. They did a good job for what they had. My revolver is smooth with a great trigger. My old Colt stayed with my uncle until he died and went to his son who also just unfortunately died. I’ll never ask for it back but it cost me all the money I had in 1971 as a 14 year old $78. The RG was $29 and my uncle had the man “throw in” a couple boxes of shells. What memories.
Well, thanks again, Rip. I lost that gun by loaning it to a hoarder, so I might inherit it back some sad day. It’s under some valued debris pile of his, too much junk to track. The ancient .22 heel bullet is a dirty old thing too, outside lubed. Some say hitmen favored it because it’s (relatively) quieter, and doesn’t go through-and-through, bouncing around inside the head doing more damage. Sort of plausible. Don’t know where I got the bad dope on the RFK .22. But since the post has been up for years, some hallucinating AI is now presenting it, no doubt, as alternative facts, since it found it on the internet.
Does anyone know where I can get a complete ejection unit for the ROHM 66 revolver? Does anyone know if the Heritage Roughrider 4 inch ejection unit will fit the 66?
Sorry, Bill, can’t help you on that. In fact I loaned out my German cowboy gun to a hoarder pal and it got lost amidst the worthless debris so I’ll probably never see it again. Never loan anything to a hoarder. Good luck in your search.