I also don't really get why, when they had the top of the slide nicely rounded toward the rear, they went and raised the sides of the slide and flattened out on top along the forward portion. I'd have extended that more rounded contour all the way forward.
The rear of the slide doesn't have a barrel/spring assembly running through it, just the bolt body which sits lower in the frame. It may well be the metal was getting thin if they ran the taper all the way forward.
"That slide seems a little overbuilt for 9 and 40, given the metal around the barrel. Granted, it keeps a spring underneath, but how likely is it that they've pre-designed the slide with the notion of a .45-barrel hole cut in the end of it?"
Possible, but I kinda doubt it. The spring, plus clearance, plus another .12" or so of steel surrounding it probably adds up to about what we're seeing. I'm pretty sure they'd need to redo the frame/lower for .45, and that means the slide would need stretching and a bunch of other changes, too. I do think a 45 version is inevitable if Rem doesn't utterly blow this thing (hard to imagine how, given the reviews, pre-emptive aftermarket, and feature set so far)
"It looks like the 'love-child' of a HK P9S and a Vektor CP1."
"The original 51 has a sleek, elegant design, similar to the BHP."
"That R-51 has an arse that is very similar to the Vektor CP-1:"
"Whitney Wolverine"
"Space gun"
I love how no one seems able to describe the aesthetic look of the gun; that's almost a sure sign Remington is onto something real, here. Also, the gun is nothing like the CP-1, a straight blowback with the attendant recoil, it merely has a smooth rear side for carry that slopes forward like all non-glock pistols have for at least a century. The original 51 was thin and rounded like other small pocket guns from Europe during the era like the Ortgies, but unlike its competition had a true locking breech. The Hi Power is a giant pig of a gun (by comparison) with slab sides and angular lightening cuts across it.
"I literally just heard about this gun, very excited to see an affordable slim 9mm with a metal frame coming out."
I think it surprised everyone. It's hard to believe rumors or concept drawings of this piece haven't floated out before now. I have to assume it was kept under deep wraps to keep the competition from springing similar guns at the same time.
And the reason SIG is unable to sell an "anything killer" is because they have too many dang model numbers to keep straight anymore (it's gotten worse than Glock, and their endless variations on the same gun clutter up gunstore display cases relentlessly
). Which one's the P239 again?
TCB