My thoughts on the r-51 after several trips to the range.

[iquit]

The early problems I had with this pistol seem to have solved themselves by shooting and breaking it in.
now that said I feel it is a pretty good handgun, but it will never be my favorite. accuracy is ok for a self defense pistol but certainly could be better. the back of the slide wants to cut my hand with the sharp edge. recoil seems to be no better than any other 9mm even though it is advertised as being softer. The take down and re assembly is a bit harder than most handguns. that damn spring takes all the strength I have. It looks good feels good in the hand, but just doesn't make an old revolver guy jump with joy. argie1891

[lklawson]

I do find it to be a more manageable recoil, personally.

The takedown really isn't any harder than a 1911, but it is certainly very very different from that of any other pistol.  The difference is what makes it more "difficult" not the number of steps or the strength required.  In some ways, it kind of reminds me of my CZ52.  I have to use a tool to take out the barrel in that.  But I do love shooting it. 

If you're a true-blue wheelgun guy, I doubt any autoloader is going to make you fall in love.  That's OK.  There are lots of sweet wheelies out there and not enough appreciation for them. 

I'm glad you got your R51 behaving.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[iquit]

there is no way you can say the Remington r51 is as easy as the 1911. first the spring is so darn strong it takes a gorilla to take down. then in putting back together well the same thing. and that flat spring that has to go on top of take down pin takes 3 hands and a screw driver to get it into the correct position.  I wanted to love the Remington as I own 4 of the original model 51 pistols and really like them. the new one is ok but not great

[GONRA]

lklawson  sez:
  "In some ways, it kind of reminds me of my CZ52. 
   I have to use a tool to take out the barrel in that"
GONRA sez - Czechs want you to use the lip on base of the CZ52 mag.
Sticks in there to "unlock the rollers" for relatively easy barrel removal.

[lklawson]

lklawson  sez:
  "In some ways, it kind of reminds me of my CZ52. 
   I have to use a tool to take out the barrel in that"
GONRA sez - Czechs want you to use the lip on base of the CZ52 mag.
Sticks in there to "unlock the rollers" for relatively easy barrel removal.

That's one of the common ways, yes.  I'm not sure it's the preferred way.  I've not seen a Czech military manual saying to do it this way, but then again, I don't read/speak Czech. 

Another common, much better, way is to use a rod inserted into the milled hole in the block.  A hex wrench, a Phillips head screw driver with a shaft that fits, or even just a generic brass rod, all work very well.

This is what I do.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[1911SHOOTER]

The early problems I had with this pistol seem to have solved themselves by shooting and breaking it in.
now that said I feel it is a pretty good handgun, but it will never be my favorite. accuracy is ok for a self defense pistol but certainly could be better. the back of the slide wants to cut my hand with the sharp edge. recoil seems to be no better than any other 9mm even though it is advertised as being softer. The take down and re assembly is a bit harder than most handguns. that damn spring takes all the strength I have. It looks good feels good in the hand, but just doesn't make an old revolver guy jump with joy. argie1891

I agree with almost everything you say, same on my R51 Gen II. However, the slide is not the culprit on the hand scrapes. It is the sharp edges around the grip safety.
I have taken to using a pair of shooting gloves to shoot on the range. If you hold your R51 in a shooters grip (empty of course) you will see that the slide clears your hand by at least
3/8 of an inch. And if not limp wristing, the pistol will not arch back onto your hand.