The New Remington R51

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rswartsell

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I saw one other thread about the introduction of the R51.

The introduction date is February 1, at least 2 weeks after that before you can hope to buy one in a brick and mortar gunshop. The original MSRP was $ 389.00! Amazingly low agreed, but just a few days later and not across the intro date and we have $ 420.00.


I am very interested and combing the 'net. What I like:

1. Pedersen design from WAY back,... hybrid blowback-locking breech
2. 1911ish straight back trigger
3. Low bore axis
4. Aluminum alloy frame instead of polymer
5. Concealed carry (dehorned, sight friendly)
6. Designed for +P
7. Straight "dry" weight about 20 oz.
8. Smaller profile than S&W Shield or XDS
9. Less than 1" thick
10. Concealed hammer vs. striker fired
11. Recoil spring around barrel, very short slide travel (contact shooting does not drive chambered round out of battery)
12. NO external safety, does have grip safety

What I don't like;

1. No trigger reset (we saw this with the S&W Shield and opinion forced a change), by this I mean a tactile or audible reset signal and attention to fast reset for the gamers or tacticool among us
2. Not much else IF they can execute to deliver as advertised which is a question in itself. Long time since Big Green was a serious handgun player. It IS an ancient action design they did before, AND they have done at least a credible job on the R1 1911 clone (maybe better than that).
3. PRE intro MSRP creep from $ 389.00 to at least $ 420.00 from what I see.


I placed an advance order with my FFL and am awaiting anxiously (9mm, no interest currently for .40 S&W, .45 ACP? well let's talk then).

I have an order in and on tenterhooks.:confused: Anyone have anything to add?
 
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Pretty sure there isn't much that hasn't been said on the other R51 threads. Won't have much else to say until its released and people have put in some trigger time.
 
I'm not likely going to buy one before April just so I can see what folks have to say about them. I was all set to buy a Ruger SR1911 in February but when I learned the R51 was coming out I decided I had enough .45s (P90, STI Spartan 1911, XD) and since my Rossi 462 got relegated to full-time office gun and my SP101 got put in full-time carry rotation I've been wanting a better gun for concealed carry in the office (the Rossi sits in a lock box that is a combination and key combo so my boss's 3 year old can't accidentally get into it and I only take it out to carry when I've left my SP101 at home for whatever reason).

If the MSRP creeped $30 that sucks but such is life 389.99 seemed too good to be true anyways. If I can get one OTD for under $420 I'll be a happy boy and that's all I care about. I hope it turns out to be an awesome gun so other manufacturers follow suit. You hear that Ruger, I own eight handguns from you so get off your rump and make a nice aluminum pistol in 9mm like the R51 so I don't have to bother with LC9 which I'm never going to get. Better yet make it in .32 and really wow me.
 
rs, . . . your list of likes is nearly exact to mine.

But yeah, there is a lot of info on the other thread. Maybe this one can be "personal experiences" [as soon as that happens]. Maybe someone was able to look at one at Shot Show? I saw Gunblast videos at the media shoot and didn't see him shoot it there . . . . so not sure if Remington had one out there. Would be really surprised if they chose to NOT utilize that opportunity to get more word out.

Is anyone subbed to a channel that did shoot one for the media day?
 
rs, . . . your list of likes is nearly exact to mine.

But yeah, there is a lot of info on the other thread. Maybe this one can be "personal experiences" [as soon as that happens]. Maybe someone was able to look at one at Shot Show? I saw Gunblast videos at the media shoot and didn't see him shoot it there . . . . so not sure if Remington had one out there. Would be really surprised if they chose to NOT utilize that opportunity to get more word out.

Is anyone subbed to a channel that did shoot one for the media day?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgqtnA4t98U
 
I just watched the fateofdestinee video . . . . . . and that trigger sure looks hinged to me. No big deal, . . . but not a straight back pull.
 
Remington did not have the R51 available for the media day shoot.
Maybe not, but the video in post #5 shows two different people shooting it. True enough, it's not a shooting review, but at least you can see it being shot. Have to wait a while before good reviews come out.
 
Its already made a media day shoot several weeks back and a few writers got to try to kill it.

I have had one on a want list at my lgs now for 2 weeks. Wholesaler has pricing for our dealer and hes given me a price he can stand by , $361.
 
Looks like it could be Harrison Ford's backup gun on "Blade Runner".
 
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I have heard a few reports [less favorable] that talk about the feel of the grip safety and trigger. They didn't like the audible "click" the safety made [in the event you had to ready your gun quietly . . . for some reason]. Also, they said that they felt the trigger was . . . "hi point-ish". Along with that, they made a comment about "inside the slide machining being rough looking". One of them questioned the fact that Remington didn't have some available for the media day shoot.

With all things, . . . I won't know how the gun will be for me until it comes in and I can manipulate it myself.
 
I suspect any noise the grip safety makes is simply because the gun is new, and wear hasn't smoothed all the surfaces out. I say this because I have Model 51, which is basically the same design, and the there is only a slight click when you squeeze the grip safety because it's a metal part that makes contact with the metal frame when fully depressed.
 
I suspect that use will smooth things out for this gun. I still plan on getting one, and unless I just absolutely hate it when I get on in hand, I'm sure there will be a process of "breakin" with it.

One thing is pretty certain. It isn't a straight pull back trigger. But that's okay.
 
Rough machining in the dust cover or areas that don't really affect accuracy are to be expected with a gun that costs that little. Even CZ leaves the inside of the gun ruff in places that don't come in contact with any moving parts. That shouldn't be a problem, and the click that you hear on the grip safety should wear in, or be able to be removed, it's new and there are likely to be recalls of some sort in the beginning.
I like the flatness and size, it may be a carry rotation candidate, especially if they make a 40. That design is very accurate, and the recoil should be reduced.
 
I was really interested until I heard the actual dimensions of the gun. It is taller and longer than the XDs or Shield. Now I really don't see the benefit of it, save for some as of yet up reported miracle of function.
 
I've only seen one report of a $420 MSRP and that was in the link I posted in the other thread. Perhaps he was trying to estimate an out the door price based on a $389 MSRP. The $30 difference is about average for sales tax...(at least around here).
 
I can overlook the larger dimensions than previously stated.
The machine marks inside the slide aren't too big of a deal. I can wait to make sure it is reliable.
Now I find out the trigger is hinged and not straight back? Are we going to find out its not true single action, too?

This pistol has felt too good to be true since I first heard about it. I guess my feelings were right.
 
This pistol has felt too good to be true since I first heard about it. I guess my feelings were right.
Good grief! How about waiting until you get a chance to handle one for yourself before pronouncing it dead? Speaking for myself, I'd rather have a Commander-size gun than a real subcompact anyway. I don't pocket carry, and I can conceal a slighly larger gun in the belt scabbards and IWB holsters I carry. A nice, ergonomic, flat 9mm, with a full-length grip for better control, and with a low bore axis and attendant reduced muzzle jump is just the ticket, as far as I'm concerned.
 
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