Röhm Gesellschaft, often referred to as RG, is a German brand of firearms and related shooting equipment. RG developed as a diversification of Röhm GmbH in the 1950s. Following a 1968 US division, RG Industries was established in Miami and lasted until 1986. In 2010, the RG brand was acquired by Umarex GmbH & Co. KG.
History
In the early 1950s, Röhm GmbH of Sontheim/Brenz, which was traditionally focused on the production of chucking tools, diversified its product line and began to produce gas alarm guns, flare guns, starting pistols and handguns. Röhm's product line of firearms was primarily established under the brand name RG. Following, and perhaps due to, the limitations on the importation of small pistols imposed by the 1968 Gun Control Act, RG established a factory in Miami in the 1970s under the name RG Industries. The Miami factory produced revolvers, automatic pistols, and derringers in small calibres such as.22 LR,.25 ACP,.32 S&W, and.38 Special. The Miami factory ceased operations in 1986. In 2010, the management of Röhm GmbH decided to sell the branch of manufacturing firearms to the Umarex of Arnsberg and to refocus on its core market of chucking tools.
Models
Little Joe: cal. 6mm Flobert blank miniature revolver
Röhm Mini: cal. 6mm Flob. blank. Plastic version of RG-3
Röhm Mini 1: Larger version of the Mini with an integrated 15mm/9mm flare adapter inside the barrel
RG-3s: Front firing version of the RG-2s. 6mm Flob. blank-, gas-, flare-pistol. Able to shoot CN cartridges, 9mm flares. 15mm pyro ammunition can be used with an external adapter
RG-3: Successor to RG-3s and replacement for RG-2s, 4s and 5s. Still in production by Umarex
RG-3 S: RG-3 for the US market. Unable to shoot tear gas and flares
RG-4s: Improved version of the RG-2s. Top firing but a 15mm/9mm flare adapter can be installed
RG-5s: Like the RG-3s but a slightly different shape
RG-86:.22 calibre SA revolver resembling a Colt Model 1873 The Receiver or Cylinder Housing on this model is constructed of steel.
RG Model High Noon:.22 Caliber Single Action 6-shot Revolver. Cylinders were provided in either.22 Lr. and.22 Mag. Calibers. This Revolver is very similar to the RG Model 66 series, however it has numerous safety enhancements were absent on the RG Model 66. To date 6" and 9" Barrels have been encountered.
RG-88: 9mm P.A.K. compact semi-automatic blank pistol. Similar in appearance to a Walther PPK.
RG 69& RG 89 & RG 99: 6-shot 9mm R. /.380 R. blank revolver
RG-90:.315 K. blank pistol.
RG-96: 9mm P.A.K. replica blank pistol of the P8 used by the German Armed Forces
Röhm Vektor CP1: 9mm P.A.K. version of the Vektor CP1
Litigation in the US
Police Officer Thomas Delahanty was shot by John Hinckley, Jr. with a Röhm revolver during his failed assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan in 1981. Delahanty later sued Röhm with the argument that small, cheap guns have no purpose except for crime, and thus that the company should be held responsible. The suit was subsequently rejected by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals in a suit that has served as case law for other similar product liability cases. In 1985, Kelley vs. RG Industries was filed over a 1982 shooting in which Kelley, a grocery clerk, was shot in the chest with an RG firearm.