Remington R51

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CajunBass

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I don't know if I've mentioned it here or not, I did a search and didn't find anything I'd posted, so if I have, bear with me.

I bought a used Gen 2, Remington R51 a few weeks ago. I knew the gun had a checkered past, but I have a soft spot in my head for unloved guns.

Bad: Got it home and found one of the magazines was a "gen 1" type, and was basically worthless. Tossed it, sent an email to Remington and got two new magazines in the mail a few days later.

Good: I like the gun. It feels great in my hand, and I like the way it looks. I don't say that about many semi's.

I've fired about two hundred rounds through it in the last couple of weeks with no problems. Not the first one. It does shoot a little low at 7-10 yards, if I use my standard 6 o'clock hold. Moving the POA up to cover the X on the B-27 resulted in a big hole where the X-ring had been.

Not a really extensive test, but it's looking good.

Oh bad:, it is a bear to take down and reassemble. Hopefully it will get better with use.

We all like pictures.

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I think they are nice looking pistols also, they put me in mind of the old Wolverine. I hope the gun works out for you but I'm still leery of them.

Maybe someday
 
Glad to see your review. While I don't have one, the R-51 is a very good looking pistol. I also like to see companies try new (or retry something old).
 
I know this is letting my OCD run amok, but the fact that the back of the slide and frame don't align perfectly would drive me insane.
But that's just me. I really, really wanted to like this pistol (I have a vintage 51) and if they make a .45 I'll get one- glad yours is running well, congrats! Some day, that may be quite the collector piece.
 
... but I have a soft spot in my head for unloved guns...
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I’m in that same club. I’ve got one coming from an online auction. Glad to hear a (mostly) good report.

I have the original model 51 in .380acp, & for its age it is amazingly thin, ergonomic, & a sweet shooter (it’s bore is frosted so it’s a collection piece with only occasional range use). It’ll make you cuss during reassembly after field stripping, though!!
 
I am glad that other people are getting reliable service out of a R51. I had a R51 gen 2 smoke that I really liked but ended up returning to the shop that sold it because it couldn’t be made reliable. It had two problems that Remington could not fix after two trips to service. ( the second trip to service actually made the gun worse )First problem; it wouldn’t feed hollow points. I tried several different brands of bullets, but none worked. Second problem; with a full magazine, you couldn’t rack the slide. The slide would stop hard about half way back. If you wanted the gun to work at all, it was 6 rounds of brass cased FMJ.

As far as takedown goes, a squeeze type furniture clamp is your friend. Pull the slide back to the takedown position and clamp the barrel to hold the slide back.
 
As far as takedown goes, a squeeze type furniture clamp is your friend. Pull the slide back to the takedown position and clamp the barrel to hold the slide back.[/QUOTE|

Sorry to hear about your bad luck with your's. I've never had a bad gun, but I suspect it's frustrating as all get out.

Thanks for the tip on the clamp though. I'll give that a try.
 
From my current readings about this handgun, I, too, am considering one for concealed carry. Weight and size are under a lot of earlier or current .32/.380s.
Steve
 
Bad: Got it home and found one of the magazines was a "gen 1" type, and was basically worthless. Tossed it, sent an email to Remington and got two new magazines in the mail a few days later.

My experience pretty much tracks with yours, but how do you tell what generation of magazines you have?
 
My experience pretty much tracks with yours, but how do you tell what generation of magazines you have?

You know. I'm going to have to confess here. The magazine I THOUGHT was a Gen 1, probably isn't. I thought it was because the ammo I was using would hang up in the magazine, and I had to actually take the magazine apart to unload it. It seemed it was just a little too narrow.

However, after you asked that question I started to look at it. I was told the Gen 1 had a magazine baseplate that fit more flush with the base of the grip. Well, with the problem I was having with loading that mag, I didn't even bother to check the baseplate, I just assumed (Yes, you know what happens when you do that. So do I.). Anyway, when I looked at them closely, the baseplates look the same. I tried loading it with a different brand of ammo, and this time there was no problem at all. The rounds fed through the gun by hand just fine (making sure the gun is pointed was pointed in a safe direction of course). So, maybe there is nothing wrong with that particualar magazine after all. Next range trip I'll have to check it out.

But to answer your question I was told the baseplates are different. The Gen 2 has a slightly thicker one.
 
You know. I'm going to have to confess here. The magazine I THOUGHT was a Gen 1, probably isn't. I thought it was because the ammo I was using would hang up in the magazine, and I had to actually take the magazine apart to unload it. It seemed it was just a little too narrow.

However, after you asked that question I started to look at it. I was told the Gen 1 had a magazine baseplate that fit more flush with the base of the grip. Well, with the problem I was having with loading that mag, I didn't even bother to check the baseplate, I just assumed (Yes, you know what happens when you do that. So do I.). Anyway, when I looked at them closely, the baseplates look the same. I tried loading it with a different brand of ammo, and this time there was no problem at all. The rounds fed through the gun by hand just fine (making sure the gun is pointed was pointed in a safe direction of course). So, maybe there is nothing wrong with that particualar magazine after all. Next range trip I'll have to check it out.

But to answer your question I was told the baseplates are different. The Gen 2 has a slightly thicker one.
Thanks, I'll have to check mine out. The only problem I've had with mine is that it won't load a round from a full magazine if the slide is closed when you insert it. It doesn't jam up or anything, the round just noses down and won't go up the feed ramp, leaving the chamber empty. Open the slide first and the gun functions great.

It's such a nice shooter that I'm willing to put some effort into fixing the issues, if they can be fixed...
 
I've found that too. The first round will often nosedive if I just rack the slide. However, If I drop the slide using the slide release, it works just fine. I SUSPECT, and I'm not sure, that I'm maybe I'm not racking the slide fully. IF I make sure I've fully racked the slide and then release it, the sound is totally different and it works without a hitch.

It sort of reminds me of a Marlin rifle I had once. If you worked the lever slowly, it would jam up. Really rack that lever though and it would feed flawlessly.
 
The 2nd Gen magazine had not only a thicker baseplate, but the follower was modified with a ramp that held the rounds nose higher.
I don't know if there's a 3rd type magazine available. But make sure your mags have that added ramp.
 
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