Bob, my R9 shoots 14.5 Crosman Premiers around 675-680 mv and its the only pell I shoot, great accuracy and hitting power.

Wonder if 41 lovers gravitate toward the 'middle ground' airgun cal.....5mm?

Even if it's not a R1, R9's are still great guns.
2 of mine that are keepers.

Those customer barrels or 'sleeved' as they look thick vs. mine. Son has a 'blue .17' like that one. Nice but heavier.

The checkered walnut stock is nicer than w/o also.

Those are custom shrouds I had made for my guns, helps keep muzzle jump down being that these guns aren't tuned, yet. The blue one is a Limited Edition version, #71 of 200.
Is your son's gun a L/E version? Weihrauch made Beeman L/E versions in .177, .20. They made to many stocks and started to sell them with the blue stocks but wern't the L/E models. They didn't have the L/E medallion at the bottom of the pistol grip, and it didn't say "Limited Edition" in gold on the left side of the action.

SN S0101

Has L/E Med. on grip and gold L/E on action.

.177.

When he was a Teen, he brought the gun to me in two pieces, asked if he 'let the bbl slip' before engaging during cocking and he said no. Called Beeman, as it busted just behind the tang, said no more stocks, then cannot recall if I sent it back to them -stock or whole gun, but they ended up replacing w/new blue stock. At first I thought they 'repaired it' but I looked and could find nothing where it had split, so I am 100% sure it's a new stock. STILL for the life of me cannot figure why it split, my son SWORE he was cocking normally and bbl did not fly back.

No matter, it is ONE fine shooter, even w/irons, I was shooting itty bitty targets at 40-60 yds or so on rimfire range.

The R9 is to my mind a 'best buy' for an overall air rifle for an adult or young man. Other guns have been overly heavy, harsh firing, etc. R9s have plenty power for an airgun IMHO.