Remington R51

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  • Last Post 04 October 2016
gpidaho posted this 22 September 2016

I brought home a new R51 today. I'm hoping Remington got it right this iteration. This second version (or third, with the original) fits my hand perfectly and with it's single action backstrap safety it feels like a larger pistol than other guns with similar measurements. The Pedersen design of delayed blowback tames the +P 9mm's the pistol is rated for pretty well. I've only shot a few test rounds this afternoon. Time to start taking measurements. Gp

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 22 September 2016

please let us know how the r51 holds up....i have read about 20 you-tube reports of this interesting gun ... most of them report problems ..... as you say, hopefully the re-do solves all the prior bugs.

watch for the unsupported area of the case at the feed ramp, it appears that the feed angle at the ramp is pretty steep .

i could put up with a plinker pistol that jams occasionally.. but not one that bulges cases .

keep us informed, i have been considering the r51 or the ruger lc9s . ha although my makarov hasn't jammed in about 20 years ... hmmm .

ken

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gpidaho posted this 22 September 2016

Ken: I'll let you know how this one shakes out. I bought this pistol as a pocket carry gun and it is replacing a Double Tap 45 ACP in that regard, seven shots if needed instead of two. I stripped the gun down this morning to give it the new gun cleaning and take measurements, The barrel on this one is snug, .356- and fired cases show .0035 expansion over unfired magtech rounds. I measured up three different bullets to match the factory rounds for COL and built some test rounds, I'll try to get to the range tomorrow before the week-end rush. One thing I have to say on the negative side, they couldn't have made the disassembly and reassembly any more of a PITA if they tried, a real female dog. I'll get used to it. lol Gp

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R. Dupraz posted this 23 September 2016

gpidaho:        Another that is interested in your results with the R1. Not only the reliability with +P but also how close it shoots to the sights with this loading.        I am still on the fence as to the long term “livability” of this small auto with a diet of the 9mm let alone the +p load which I would use. Even though a carry pistol is not fired much, one  still needs regular periodic practice to maintain proficiency with these pistols.          About 15 years ago or so S&W introduced a pocket sized auto 9MM. They appeared to be a dandy little carry/ off duty pistol so a Trooper buddy and I each bought one. They didn't last a year before they quit working. Then S&W wanted them back and traded both of us  new versions of the old m- 39 for them.   As Ken wrote about his Makarov, in several years, my S&W 642 hammerless 2” airweight has yet to miss a beat.  

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gpidaho posted this 23 September 2016

Thank you guys for your interest in and comments about the R51. First range tests today of my new 9mm. My first impression was favorable and things I observed were first, reguardless of the Pedersen delayed blowback action the little gun has a pretty fare mussel flip with +P ammo. I guess that should be expected with a pistol that weighs 22oz. For me it shot well centered groups but 2 to 3 inches low. I'll move the powder charge around a couple of tenths and see it that helps. I'm very glad I made up some handloads before heading out, it turns out the pistol hates Magtech first defense HP's in twenty rounds I had three FTF's. Must be the Hp as my loads, RN and TC's feed perfectly, not a hitch in sixty rounds. Just as well, I'm not that big on HP's anyway, I much prefer RNFP's. I'm not used to seeing primer strikes like this gun produces, that being slightly cratered strikes that are (LOL) outies instead of inies. Must be the internal single action hammer thing, Remington doesn't call it striker fired. Anyway all  rounds, factory and handloads have the same look to the fired primer. The sixty handloads fired were all sized .356 and powder coated with no hint of leading and very little fouling of any kind. All the rest of the 9's in the family like their bullets sized .358 so care will have to be taken to mark the box's .356 for this pistol. Well, back to work building so more tests. I'm glad that the moulds I have on hand work so well, that will save a few dollars. Thanks again guy's. Gp

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gpidaho posted this 25 September 2016

Local range was packed today (Sunday) so I had to settle for a country hillside off a rural backroad. Sooo, function tests only with the new R51. No failure to feed with my handloads. The Lee 356-125-2R and the Lee 356-120-TC both over 4.3gr. WSF. I dumped to mags. 7 shots-load 7 shots as fast as I could pull the trigger and the rounds fed flawlessly. I'll load some more up and see how they do on target mid-week when the range clears out. Early tests, but I really like the feel of this little pistol. Gp

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gpidaho posted this 27 September 2016

First real work today with my new Remington R51 compact +P 9X19. All handload bullets were powder coated and loaded over 4.3gr of WSF COL 1.100. The lee 356-125-2R chrono Av. 985fps sd 22. The Lee 356-124-R Av 963 fps sd 18. The Lee 356-120-TC Av 982 sd 11 and the factory Magtech 124 JHP +P Av 1109 sd 16. Over 150 rounds fired with only one failure to feed the first round when I didn't seat the magazine to the locked position My fault, no fault of the gun. So far I really like this small pistol. Rounds feed and eject smoothly, the trigger is crisp and lighter than most I've tried and the sights are bright and easy to pick up as the gun comes up. Things that don't work so well for me and are most likely caused by my hold. The pistol seems to shoot low to my point of aim and the slide tends to bite my thumb on the first knuckle of the left hand. Another thing as mentioned earlier, Take down and reassembly is a real PITA. Most key board shooters are still calling the R51 junk but I don't find that to be true so far. I think it's a great compact pistol. Gp

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 30 September 2016

this might be worth mentioning ... or not ...

jamming:: since 1988 my beretta 92s 9mm has never jammed once....until i tried a box of the new hornady critical defense 115 gr / ftx bullet ...out of 16 ( $18 ) one jammed ... eeeeeek !!.... the big one !!! i stripped the gun...it was clean and lubricated ...

probably a world record if it was a 1911 ... but now my confidence is shattered ... ok, took 2 seconds to clear the jam ...

moral :: probably better to practice clearing jams than to depend on never having one.

ken

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M3 Mitch posted this 30 September 2016

Ken Campbell Iowa wrote: this might be worth mentioning ... or not ...

jamming:: since 1988 my beretta 92s 9mm has never jammed once....until i tried a box of the new hornady critical defense 115 gr / ftx bullet ...out of 16 ( $18 ) one jammed ... eeeeeek !!.... the big one !!! i stripped the gun...it was clean and lubricated ...

probably a world record if it was a 1911 ... but now my confidence is shattered ... ok, took 2 seconds to clear the jam ...

moral :: probably better to practice clearing jams than to depend on never having one.

kenWhat type of jam did you have?  Failure to feed, stovepipe, or what?

I have become more and more skeptical of very light bullet, high velocity handgun loads for defensive purposes.  The light bullet leads to lower slide momentum, and the light, deeply hollow-pointed bullet IMHO is a risk to not get adequate target penetration. 

I do agree that if you are going to use an auto for social purposes, practice clearing jams is necessary.  But at the same time, if you do the Gunsite drill for a failure to fire at least with a 1911, and your actual problem was a round with no powder, frequently you have a bullet lodged part way up the bore - bad ju ju either way.

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tturner53 posted this 02 October 2016

I'm following this story as I'm really rooting for Remington to have a hit. Don't have any Remington stock, just like seeing such an old American company succeed. I think it's all about the engineers. That said, my wife chose a Berretta PX4 for her purse. It has a very interesting action. The barrel rotates. It's been 100% in all respects so far, including some cast loads.

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gpidaho posted this 03 October 2016

tt: I've heard good things about the Berretta PX4 great for carry. As a side, my daughter is now a R51 owner also. She has a Ruger 5 shot revolver too. We will see what she decides to carry. Gp

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gpidaho posted this 04 October 2016

Guys: I had one more thing I needed to test on the new R51. How would it like lubed bullets sized .356. It's my opinion that you have a little larger margin for error when shooting powder coated rounds before leading occurs. I had on hand some lubed 124s that Duane M. was generous enough to send me when working up loads for the 9mm carbine. I sized them down to .356 and they ran perfectly with no leading. Well, out on a limb here but I'm having no problems with the new version R51 I have over 400 rounds down range now and I think Remington has the original problems worked out. Fun little pistol. Gp

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