[Foolsgold39]

Evening everyone,

This is a low key request for long term reports on the Remington R51 pistol.

I say low key, because I'm not in the immediate market for one but the pistol has always interested me (largely due to its mechanics and b$tching art deco look)

I remember the nightmare that was their initial rollout. I remember the release of their improved model some time later, but I recall some users still having problems.
Then the pistol seemed to drop off the face of the earth.

So, if you've had one for a while, I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts. How has it held up to long term use? What sort of round counts have you put through it? What issues or lack of have you encountered?

Thanks!!!

Regards,
Foolsgold39

 

[TNTRAILERTRASH]

Remington is dead.............

 

[Chef Duane]

Too janky a design with the Pederson Action hesitation locked barrel through recoil spring bolt/slide blow back delayed extraction blah, blah, blah. Don't know if you can even find them anywhere these days. There are no long term reports on a R51 because they don't last, you know, long term.

 

[Foolsgold39]

TNTRAILERTRASH, Chef Duane,

Thanks gentleman! Alas, I fear you are both correct.

Damn shame with all the woes Remington has gone through due to its parasitic corporate overlords.

I really do think the design is neat.

Regards,
Foolsgold39

Remington is dead.............

Too janky a design with the Pederson Action hesitation locked barrel through recoil spring bolt/slide blow back delayed extraction blah, blah, blah. Don't know if you can even find them anywhere these days. There are no long term reports on a R51 because they don't last, you know, long term.

 

[moona11]

Ask Kirk

 

[adam01364]

Ask Kirk

@Foolsgold39 yup, ask @lklawson he owns at least one.

 

[Foolsgold39]

Moona11, Adam01364,

Thanks gents! Much obliged.

@lklawson

Hopefully you can swing by and drop some r51 knowledge bombs.

Regards,
Foolsgold39

 

[ajole]

Kirk owns 2. The 2nd gen one he bought after he traded his first Gen 1 gun that was crap back to the company for an R1 1911, and the 2nd gen one I sold him because I really didn’t like it at all.

My experience was that it was very, VERY hard to seat a loaded mag on a closed slide, and the sharp corners used to get that thin space age look and the grip safety were uncomfortable.

Also, disassembly and reassembly sucked.

 

[Foolsgold39]

Ajole,

Good information. Thank you, I appreciate it.

Regards,
Foolsgold39

 

[lklawson]

Then the pistol seemed to drop off the face of the earth.

Remington couldn't talk about the R51 because they were too busy being financially run into the ground by a bunch of stuffed shirts who thought they understood finances and didn't know shiz about the firearms community.

So, if you've had one for a while, I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts.

I like them. I think they're good. I find them comfortable and easy to shoot with a surprisingly low felt recoil impulse.

How has it held up to long term use?

Only real problem I've had with the Gen 2 is when something (probably a sliver of brass) got into the firing pin channel and bound up the firing pin in the Pedersen Block. It didn't really seem like it was designed for DIY servicing so I sent it back for the factory to take care of.

What sort of round counts have you put through it?

Thousands.

What issues or lack of have you encountered?

They have what seems to be a SAAMI minimum spec Leade. If you get one, always take out the barrel and plunk any new ammo you have never shot in it before. I have had multiple types of bullets which the Ogive will actually contact past the Freebore. Just take the barrel out, plunk the cartridge, sharply tap it in with your bare finger, then turn it over to see if it drops free. A surprising number will not. This includes commercial ammo, such as Winchester Winclean 124 gr and a ton of different bullets I've hand-loaded; everything from 115 gr FMJ through various Hard Cast cone nose and truncated cone, both coated and un-coated.

It loves the Hornady Critical Defense and Critical Duty bullet shape and the 115g Hard Cast Hollow Point bullets from GT Bullets.

And it's not just my barrel. I've tried it in 4 different barrels (I still have three of them). They're all the same.

The SAAMI minimum Leade makes the gun (potentially) more accurate because there is less bullet jump but there are few people who are skilled enough to see the difference. I think Remington should have pushed the Leade out a skosh more.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[lklawson]

Too janky a design with the Pederson Action hesitation locked barrel through recoil spring bolt/slide blow back delayed extraction blah, blah, blah. Don't know if you can even find them anywhere these days. There are no long term reports on a R51 because they don't last, you know, long term.

Nah. They're fine. I've put thousands of rounds through mine.

The Pedersen action is cool. I have an issue with the retaining pin in it. But it's cool.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[lklawson]

Kirk owns 2. The 2nd gen one he bought after he traded his first Gen 1 gun that was crap back to the company for an R1 1911,

I still think there was probably nothing wrong with the Gen 1 I had outside of whatever was causing it to mag drop every shot. Probably just a weak spring in the mag release or the mag release was out of spec. Other than that, it seemed just fine.

My experience was that it was very, VERY hard to seat a loaded mag on a closed slide, and the sharp corners used to get that thin space age look and the grip safety were uncomfortable.

I never thought I'd get to tease someone else about girly-man hands. I am a computer nerd, after all.

Also, disassembly and reassembly sucked.

OK, yeah, the takedown is a little bit wonky. But, honestly, it's no more challenging than the takedown of a 1911. I mean, when field stripped, it's down to a grand total of 5 components; Slide, Barrel, Recoil Spring, Pedersen Block, and Frame. I guess 7 if you include the stainless steel retaining collar for the recoil spring and the takedown pin.

In a lot of ways, it kinda reminds me of my Astra 400.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Foolsgold39]

lklawson,

Outstanding info! Thanks. Just what I was looking for. There are very few long term reports on the pistol that I have seen, well, anywhere. The barrel info is particularly valuable, I wouldn't have thought to check for that. Thanks again!

Follow up question, any other tips, tricks, or arcane incarnations/rituals you have found to keep the r51 up and running well? Preferred maintenance routines, spring replacement intervals, etc. Any parts you suspect will become an issue in the future with wear that might be worth stocking up on?

Regards,
Foolsgold39

 

[Chef Duane]

Nah. They're fine. I've put thousands of rounds through mine.

The Pedersen action is cool. I have an issue with the retaining pin in it. But it's cool.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while.

 

[lklawson]

lklawson,

Outstanding info! Thanks. Just what I was looking for. There are very few long term reports on the pistol that I have seen, well, anywhere. The barrel info is particularly valuable, I wouldn't have thought to check for that. Thanks again!

Follow up question, any other tips, tricks, or arcane incarnations/rituals you have found to keep the r51 up and running well? Preferred maintenance routines, spring replacement intervals, etc. Any parts you suspect will become an issue in the future with wear that might be worth stocking up on?

Regards,
Foolsgold39

My gun likes grease better than oil, particularly on the Pedersen Block but also on the rails. Some people have problems with the mags and end up trimming the legs on the follower, reversing the spring, or both.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Zorba]

I have one I bought on a lark. I do like how it shoots. I had considerable nosedive problems with the mags at first, but was able to more-or-less fix it with a little judicious filing. The only thing I don't like about it is the ambi mag release - I'm always hitting it from the RH side and dropping the mag unintentionally. Thinking about grinding the RH end of the button down flush to prevent this annoyance. I also replaced the stock plastic trigger with an aftermarket metal - noted a slight improvement in trigger feel. Its a royal PITA to take apart/reassemble unless you have the 3rd party special tool. Then its easy!

 

[Foolsgold39]

Zobra,

Great stuff, thanks!

I really dislike ambidextrous mag release buttons, I've had similar problems to you before.

Do you by chance remember where you got the trigger?

Regards,
Foolsgold39

 

[lklawson]

Do you by chance remember where you got the trigger?

They were (are occasionally) sold by a member on R51Pistol.com who machines them himself. I think he had a small machining business at one point called "DangerCo." I don't think they are currently available but he has reportedly indicated that he wants to make more.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[Foolsgold39]

lklawson,

Thanks!

Regards,
Foolsgold39

 

[Zorba]

They were (are occasionally) sold by a member on R51Pistol.com who machines them himself. I think he had a small machining business at one point called "DangerCo." I don't think they are currently available but he has reportedly indicated that he wants to make more.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

Yea, I think he is - or was - deployed overseas for awhile.