r-51 going back for repair

[iquit]

I took my new pistol to the range and the first time it worked fairly well did have a couple stoppages but didn't really shoot many rounds.. next trip every time I pulled the trigger the gun fired but the slide stayed open I shot it with both magazines and the same thing over and over again. it is hard to believe there would be so many problems with a firearm that supposedly went through 2 additional years of testing and development after the guns were recalled. I wanted to buy one to go along with my original model 51's in 32 and 380 acp. anyway I am in the process of shipping it back for repair. I was told it would be just a couple weeks to get it back, but with all the problems I have read   about I think the work load will make the delay much longer.
I did take the pistol apart and will never do it again, the video an Remington home page makes it look so easy... that guy either has more strength in his fingers or he cut a few coils off the spring. my 68 year old hands failed to get it back together and my son barely could. he struggled with it but finally got it back together. from now on I will clean barrel brush as much as I can get out of action spray with rem oil or wd-40 and let the air compressor do the work. as it is if they don't get it fixed properly and by that I mean functioning all the time I will have a gun I cant sell and cant shoot. to say I am not happy with it is an understatement. 

[lklawson]

I'm sorry about the problems you're having.

I found my R51 very difficult to take apart and reassemble until I watched Remington's short video on it and did it exactly the way they show.  Then it became very easy.  The manual doesn't do a very good job of describing the process.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[iquit]

ok I fixed my r51 the little spring on the slide release was not in the correct position.  it takes 2 people and 3 hands to hole the spring up while inserting the slide release. just shot 2 clip loads in my garage. only problem with 7 rounds in the mag the top bullet goes nose down and wont chamber the round.

[lklawson]

ok I fixed my r51 the little spring on the slide release was not in the correct position.  it takes 2 people and 3 hands to hole the spring up while inserting the slide release. just shot 2 clip loads in my garage. only problem with 7 rounds in the mag the top bullet goes nose down and wont chamber the round.

New mag design or the old?

[iquit]

I am not sure how to tell the difference between old and new. the slide is marked north Carolina. I did fire 2 clips into a log I keep in my garage to test handguns and it worked ok. I will go to the range tomorrow or Thursday with a supply of different types of ammo.  the truth will be told about the r-51 after I have fired around 500 rounds. costs a bit of money for ammo but what better to spend my money on. I will also try hand loads of several bullet weights. my favorite bullet is the 147 gr cast hard. results will be posted here as soon as I can get to the range.

[lklawson]

I am not sure how to tell the difference between old and new.

To quote myself: "The Gen 2 Magazines are slightly redesigned. The Gen 2 has a thicker baseplate which allows more sure seating in the magazine well. The follower has been redesigned and now has an additional "ramp" on the front of the follower at about a 5 or 10 degree incline. One Gen 2 owner reports that a Remington tech assured him that the Gen 1 magazines were fully compatible with the Gen 2 R51 but also advised him to only use them for range sessions, not for carry duty."




Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[valvestem]

Thanks for the pics of the different generation magazines.  I checked mine, their the newer design.