First Range Day with the New R51 and Review

[R51Fan2017]

Ok, the moment I have been waiting for for weeks! I was very happy to see when I opened the box that the frame was stamped Huntsville, AL not Charlottesville, NC. I contacted Remington the other day, and they tell me it was made in July this year. So yesterday, I put the new 51 to the test! Not an all inclusive test, mind you, ( I wanted a greater variety of ammo than what I had on hand, but was to lazy to make the drive back into town to get more) but a reasonable test nonetheless. I went ahead and modified the mags first, so as to check one item off the list of possible problems. So with no further ado, let's get to it! The ammo I used were (1) Federal 115 FMJ aluminum case ammo 100 rounds (2) Federal Hydra-Shock 147 Hollow points 50 rounds and finally (3) Hornady Critical Defense 115 FTX hollow points 25 rounds. All shooting took place at 10 yards. I elected to start by loading a full mag of the 115 grn. Federal aluminum ammo on a closed slide and attempted to jack in the round off the top by racking the slide. I got half way back and it froze up. Darn! Punch the mag out, and lock the slide back. Inserted the full mag again and closed the slide. No problems. First mag.......7 rounds no failure to fire, extract, or double feeds, or nosedives. Ok, runs good. Shot the entire first 50 rounds uneventfully. Ok, on to the Hydra-Shock hollow points. First mag, no snag ups. Second mag.....just as good as the first. Last two mags, rapid fire. I was impressed so far. Back to the Federal aluminum stuff. Shot all 50 rounds, no problema. Saving the best for last, I shot the Hornady Critical Defense 115 grn. FTX hollow points. Slow shooting the first couple, then rapid the last two. Again, functioned flawlessly. I ran clean out of ammo, and NOT ONE FAILURE OF ANY KIND!!!!!! Furthermore, I loved the overall lighter recoil and natural feel it had in my hands. And again, it was flawless on function. I would have no qualms about entrusting my life or safety to it for a carry gun, or making it a good target gun as well. Now time for the negatives. The trigger left somewhat to be desired in my opinion. Then again, I'm used to the nice clean, crisp trigger of my 1911's so maybe I'm just spoiled. And a plastic trigger??? On an all metal gun?? Really??? And like a plastic trigger isn't light enough, so we need to skeletonize it to make it even more lighter?? Maybe they did it for cosmetic reasons. Take down is not as bad as I had expected. After watching multiple youtube videos, I was expecting my field strip experience to be about as graceful as a grossly overweight goose trying to run for dear life on a froze over pond. Surprisingly, my only tough time was trying to get the barrel properly aligned to go back in the front of the slide. Otherwise, no further complications on my part, but I still have to admit, field stripping could be easier. Overall though, I am one VERY PLEASED R51 owner!!!

https://i.imgur.com/SGkpNme.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/JAR1lCL.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/2UFZGip.jpg

[1911SHOOTER]

. Otherwise, no further complications on my part, but I still have to admit, field stripping could be easier. Overall though, I am one VERY PLEASED R51 owner!!!

https://i.imgur.com/SGkpNme.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/JAR1lCL.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/2UFZGip.jpg


[/quote]

Glad you finally got your R51.   Glad it all went Bang!   I guess we will have to live
with not being able to rack the slide on a full load.  But as long as the slide locks back,
For sling shoting,  we are good to go!
Blackie

[Zenshot]

Great review! Also nice to hear that the Hydra-shocks fed with no issues. 

[springfield art]

Hi, I too, am not impressed with the trigger on the R51. Not the action, but the particular piece itself. The plastic does look 'cheap', and it seems to set kind of high in the trigger guard for an instinctual finger feel; you kind of have to consciously keep your finger upwards, in a sense. That said, before finding this nice Forum, I came across numerous web comments castigating the Remington Company and its products. If someone doesn't like a product, just let it go. Men who have an odd personal grudge that drives them to make angry statements on line, even deriding a company president personally, have no place on educational, experience-sharing forums like this one. I like my R51, and am glad to be learning about it; any 'negative' comments are meant as 'constructive criticism'. Thanks, all.

[springfield art]

Springfield Art recently fired his r51 120 more rounds of hardball; total now at 200 rds. with zero fails...no nosedives, jams, FTFs, etc.

[paul7177]

Thanks for the nice review. There have been several magazine modifications mentioned over time.  What did you do to your magazines?

[1911SHOOTER]

Thanks for the nice review. There have been several magazine modifications mentioned over time.  What did you do to your magazines?

Paul,
     Are you having a problem with your mags?   Let us know, and we can walk you through the fixes.    Other than that,
if it ain't broke, don't fix it.   
Blackie

[R51Fan2017]

Thanks for the nice review. There have been several magazine modifications mentioned over time.  What did you do to your magazines?

Paul,

There is a tab that is bent inwards on the front of the magazine. I took some needle nose pliers and bent it out and almost straight. That solves the nose dive problem. The only other mod that I haven't done yet is shortening the follower legs about 3/16" to allow for racking the slide on a full mag. Those are the only two mods that I have heard of. After that's done, you should be trouble free from here on out.

[R51Fan2017]

Springfield Art recently fired his r51 120 more rounds of hardball; total now at 200 rds. with zero fails...no nosedives, jams, FTFs, etc.

Sounds like you have it working on all cylinders for you! Great!

[1911SHOOTER]

l
[/quote]

"I was expecting my field strip experience to be about as graceful as a grossly overweight goose trying to run for dear life on a froze over pond"

Those are my sentiments exactly!.  Thank goodness for shop clamps!
Blackie

[JDCRAB]

Ok, the moment I have been waiting for for weeks! I was very happy to see when I opened the box that the frame was stamped Huntsville, AL not Charlottesville, NC.

What is the deal with Charlottedville NC frames?

My R51 is stamped as Charlottesville NC and functionally it runs good.  The accuracy is not that good, but good enough for it's intended purpose.

[R51Fan2017]

What is the deal with Charlottedville NC frames?

My R51 is stamped as Charlottesville NC and functionally it runs good.  The accuracy is not that good, but good enough for it's intended purpose.

I didn't want ANYTHING related to Gen 1 on my pistol. Not that it really matters in the grand scheme of things, I just wanted to get see AL on the frame. Psychological you could say.

[Chokejug]

Mine are both South Carolina frames, no big deal!
I think that they had made up a bunch ahead of time, even sent just the extra frames on down to Alabama.  As long as they meet the final specs, there should be no problem.

My second one, even had an earlier SN then the first one, not by much, but must have been laying on Cabelas shelves a bit.  The first one came from the LGS.

As to magazines and modification, I have a sneaking suspicion that there is at least 3 iterations out there.

I suggest, "DON'T MODIFY" unless you actually have a problem!


I had problems with my first two, modification seems to have cured the problem.
With on slight exception, #1 quite often won't hold but six rounds, without fussing with it a bit.
Comes up solid, but if you keep "jabbing" it down, it with finally snap over somewhere inside and accept that last cartridge.  At first, both #1 and #2 did that, but now only #1.

On to 3.  Right off the bat, I noticed a difference, I loaded it the very first time by bare hand, quite easily actually.  I don't know if someone had sort of "broken in" the spring or what, but it sure was weaker sprung.

#'s 4 & 5, somewhere in between on the spring strength.
But the thing is, none of #3, 4, or 5 magazines needed any mods whatsoever!

OH, and yes, one of mine did have too steep an angle, or was bent too far, meaning that little tab on the front of the mag, meant to stop the follower from raising too far up out of the mag.

They should have used some other means of stopping that follower!

Still have that set of "Big Leaf Western Maple" wood grips, that I had on the first one less than two weeks.  First $20 gets someone a real nice set of a bit thicker than stock, wood grips!
Cant beat that price!

I actually preferred the thinner plastic panels, but did go two tone black and white custom.
Got to get some pictures and get 'em on here!  (Even with my big mits!)

[R51Fan2017]

I had problems with my first two, modification seems to have cured the problem.
With on slight exception, #1 quite often won't hold but six rounds, without fussing with it a bit.
Comes up solid, but if you keep "jabbing" it down, it with finally snap over somewhere inside and accept that last cartridge.  At first, both #1 and #2 did that, but now only #1.

#'s 4 & 5, somewhere in between on the spring strength.
But the thing is, none of #3, 4, or 5 magazines needed any mods whatsoever!

OH, and yes, one of mine did have too steep an angle, or was bent too far, meaning that little tab on the front of the mag, meant to stop the follower from raising too far up out of the mag.

They should have used some other means of stopping that follower!

Still have that set of "Big Leaf Western Maple" wood grips, that I had on the first one less than two weeks.  First $20 gets someone a real nice set of a bit thicker than stock, wood grips!
Cant beat that price!

Yeah, all of mine have got springs that are tough enough to catapult a FA-18 Hornet off the U.S.S. Lexington! When I finally got the seventh round in mine, I am letting them sit for a week fully loaded before I shoot again. Maybe they will start to loosen up. My free bee mag from Remington should have arrived yesterday, but no joy. Maybe it will be in today's mail. As far as your grips go, I would like to see some pics. Not sure if I would want to go wood or not. Kinda want to keep it tactical black for now!

[1911SHOOTER]

R51Fan,
     Have you tried the mags that came with your second R51 in the original gun?
When my "Smokey" gets here tomorrow,  I will number the new mags #6 and #7.
Then, I will shoot all of the mags in my black R51,  Log any discrepancies and
then shoot all the mags in "Smokey".   See what happens.
#1 and #2 orig mags came with Black R51
#3 came from online vendor.
#4 and #5 new mags from big green with different part number
#6 and#7 will be mags that come with Smokey.  These I will not make any mods to.
I will not shoot Smokey dirty,  it will get cleaned after each session.
My black R51 continues to perform after 400 rounds shooting dirty.
Blackie