R51 Article by Wiley Clapp on American Rifleman

[russc2542]

Old shooter, rookie at this forum. Glad y'all are here, because I've got the exact same problems.

Finding posts on this forum indicating the new mags have a DIFFERENT PART NUMBER is a huge red flag that Remington goofed, figured it out and fixed it, but stealthily took a "buyer beware" approach to buyers who took them at their word that the Gen 1 problems were fixed.

Why not send out replacement mags to owners and handle this the right way? Embarrassing, surely, but better to admit it openly and fix it gracefully.

I wrote Rem CS asking for 3 replacement mags (I'd bought a third one), and hope to get the "good stuff" this time.

In the meantime, I should remove about 3/16" from the bottoms of my mag followers to get proper use out of them?

Because there's no master list of who has or doesn't have a R51. Frankly failure to feed isn't a safety concern in the eyes of the establishment the same way firing when undesired to do so so there's no recall. Further, as evidenced by this forum, many users have already modified the original mags to function satisfactorily. In your later message you state that they were agreeable to sending replacements which I think is satisfactory, especially if they aren't demanding return of the old ones.

That being said, I better go take a look at mine since I bought 4 more from midway a few weeks ago.

[1911SHOOTER]

Old shooter, rookie at this forum. Glad y'all are here, because I've got the exact same problems.

Finding posts on this forum indicating the new mags have a DIFFERENT PART NUMBER is a huge red flag that Remington goofed, figured it out and fixed it, but stealthily took a "buyer beware" approach to buyers who took them at their word that the Gen 1 problems were fixed.

Why not send out replacement mags to owners and handle this the right way? Embarrassing, surely, but better to admit it openly and fix it gracefully.

I wrote Rem CS asking for 3 replacement mags (I'd bought a third one), and hope to get the "good stuff" this time.

In the meantime, I should remove about 3/16" from the bottoms of my mag followers to get proper use out of them?

Because there's no master list of who has or doesn't have a R51. Frankly failure to feed isn't a safety concern in the eyes of the establishment the same way firing when undesired to do so so there's no recall. Further, as evidenced by this forum, many users have already modified the original mags to function satisfactorily. In your later message you state that they were agreeable to sending replacements which I think is satisfactory, especially if they aren't demanding return of the old ones.

That being said, I better go take a look at mine since I bought 4 more from midway a few weeks ago.

Russc,
     I checked the part numbers on the Mags that came with my R51 and it is #17696.   The part number on the two mags that Rem is shipping (?)
to me is #F304502.   Could be thay upgraded and aren't publicizing it?
Blackie

[russc2542]

Old shooter, rookie at this forum. Glad y'all are here, because I've got the exact same problems.

Finding posts on this forum indicating the new mags have a DIFFERENT PART NUMBER is a huge red flag that Remington goofed, figured it out and fixed it, but stealthily took a "buyer beware" approach to buyers who took them at their word that the Gen 1 problems were fixed.

Why not send out replacement mags to owners and handle this the right way? Embarrassing, surely, but better to admit it openly and fix it gracefully.

I wrote Rem CS asking for 3 replacement mags (I'd bought a third one), and hope to get the "good stuff" this time.

In the meantime, I should remove about 3/16" from the bottoms of my mag followers to get proper use out of them?

Because there's no master list of who has or doesn't have a R51. Frankly failure to feed isn't a safety concern in the eyes of the establishment the same way firing when undesired to do so so there's no recall. Further, as evidenced by this forum, many users have already modified the original mags to function satisfactorily. In your later message you state that they were agreeable to sending replacements which I think is satisfactory, especially if they aren't demanding return of the old ones.

That being said, I better go take a look at mine since I bought 4 more from midway a few weeks ago.

Russc,
     I checked the part numbers on the Mags that came with my R51 and it is #17696.   The part number on the two mags that Rem is shipping (?)
to me is #F304502.   Could be thay upgraded and aren't publicizing it?
Blackie

Absolutely, companies in all fields supersede part numbers all the time without publishing it. If you complain they can look it up and if it's in for other work they can swap them out without having to push it out in a recall. When I worked in shops and dealerships still, it wasn't uncommon to have a part superseded a few times. Then there's the computer modules... seems there's a revised software flash available about every other week. Not necessarily a problem, just someone complained once and they fixed it and they push the fix out to others as they bring it up. That's why it's important to talk to the manufacturer when you have problems rather than just b**** about it online or to friends.

Cars are also different where they can look up owners from registrations. Firearms recalls are harder because they aren't registered (thank god) so it has to be done loudly so everyone can hear and everyone does hear...and remember. Auto recalls you hear about 1 in the news every few years but there are actually hundreds every year across the various mfrs and thousands of non-recall campaigns and TSBs that range from "if you see the old part number, replace it" to "if the customer complains, replace it" to revisions of the service information.

[1911SHOOTER]

Russc2542, said,
"That's why it's important to talk to the manufacturer when you have problems rather than just b**** about it online or to friends".. ==============


If we hadn't talked about it on line and to our friends on this blog,  we would not have the
fixes we got!   We now have functioning R51s.  Remington has not been forthcoming at all with us. 
Blackie   

[russc2542]

Russc2542, said,
"That's why it's important to talk to the manufacturer when you have problems rather than just b**** about it online or to friends".. ==============


If we hadn't talked about it on line and to our friends on this blog,  we would not have the
fixes we got!   We now have functioning R51s.  Remington has not been forthcoming at all with us. 
Blackie   

ha, I said not JUST talk about it online. I never said don't talk about it online. If anyone tries to tell me I can't open the hood, take it apart, or find ways to improve I say "Challenge accepted!". "No user serviceable parts" only pertains to the warranty period.

BUT I also know from common sense and experience building a workorder system from scratch at work and being the complaints funnel, I've lost track of the number of times I'm trying to find out why something is wrong, go and ask users and hear "oh that's never worked. It didn't work when they gave it to us so I never used it". Meanwhile, when I DO get feedback on the system I help support, the vendor we work with usually has stuff fixed in a few days.

[1911SHOOTER]

Russc2542, said,
"That's why it's important to talk to the manufacturer when you have problems rather than just b**** about it online or to friends".. ==============


If we hadn't talked about it on line and to our friends on this blog,  we would not have the
fixes we got!   We now have functioning R51s.  Remington has not been forthcoming at all with us. 
Blackie   

ha, I said not JUST talk about it online. I never said don't talk about it online. If anyone tries to tell me I can't open the hood, take it apart, or find ways to improve I say "Challenge accepted!". "No user serviceable parts" only pertains to the warranty period.

BUT I also know from common sense and experience building a workorder system from scratch at work and being the complaints funnel, I've lost track of the number of times I'm trying to find out why something is wrong, go and ask users and hear "oh that's never worked. It didn't work when they gave it to us so I never used it". Meanwhile, when I DO get feedback on the system I help support, the vendor we work with usually has stuff fixed in a few days.

Russc2542,
     99% of the time you will be right,   But if you have really read the comments on here,  you will se that nobody is getting help from the vendor
Three or four of us have been promised the upgraded magazines,, yet the only person to get any was Wiley Clapp.  Who got two of them plus
ammo after Remington said they were not shipping them yet.  . That is not cooperation,  that is sucking up to the gun magazines and writers.
I did not accuse you of saying don't talk about it.   
Blackie

[1911SHOOTER]

      As stated on another post,  I received an email from UPS to expect a delivery on
Monday from Remington.   Could it be the long awaited magazines?   
Will let all know Monday evening after "Big Brown" drops by.
First thing I will do is compare the new mags to the ones I now have.
Part numbers., Followers, springs, base plates etc.
Blackie