Results so far

[nhithaca]

Bought R51 @ local gun show on 9/8/18.  Serial # H0066xx91R51.  $290 NIB no tax, no fees, no transfers, one hour background wait only due to gunshow traffic.  Thought I would give it to the GF for a carry arm after I test it and break it in.

300 rounds down range so far.  Yellow box UMC's and steel cased Winchesters (both 115 grain FMC) are the best so far with really no problems.  Tula steel case are NG!!  Speer 124 grain FMC are hotter and had issues while the Remington green box 147 grain and the Fiocchi 115 grain (both FMC) are just OK.

Nose dives seem to happen because of the shape/length of the bullet.  Speers and Tula are longer and tapered while the UMC and Winchester are shorter and rounder.  Next up are JHP bullets which I think I will favor Remington and Winchester.  Have some S&B 115 grain so they will go first.

All loads shoot low with a center POA.  Have a Trijicon set of sights I will install to see if the POI will move up any.  Great looking gun, nice feel and hold but just a little disappointed in the POI/POA.  The fussiness of the ammo is not a huge issue (yet) as long as we can narrow it down to a couple of loads that work well.  Mags so far don't seem to be the issue.

[funflyer]

Low POI seems to be the norm with most, if not all, R51s. Mine needed .040" taken off the front sight and is perfect now. You might want to measure your new sight set before you install it to see if it's any different then the stock sights. Some say to use a combat hold(cover the target) but why do that when most all modern pistols are sighted for a 6:00 hold. 

[R51Fan2017]

Nothing new here. Mine shoots low too. Pretty common problem with these pistols. Heck, I was so happy I got mine to be 100% reliable I wasn't even paying attention to where it was hitting!    In the meantime while I wait to get a new front site, I will just compensate with the combat hold for now.

[lklawson]

It's not a problem.  They're not shooting low.  The sights are set to "Combat Hold" or sometimes called "Military Center Hold."

Line up the spots and the bullet goes right in the middle of the front spot.  Don't use a 6 o'clock hold ("target hold" or "bullseye hold").   Don't use the Divided Bullseye hold.  When you have your proper Sight Alignment ("Equal Height, Equal Light") then the front spot will cover the impact.  It's supposed to make it quicker to sight during a gunfight.  Just get the front sight over top of the bad guy's center and press the trigger.

The 1911R1 has the same sighting from the factory.

https://www.hipointfirearmsforums.com/articles/review-remington-r51.146/



Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[Hrfunk]

I've not found that to be the case with my 1911R1's. I'm curious, has Remington ever confirmed the "Combat Hold" for the sights, or did shooters just come up with it as a way to explain the low POI for the R51. I keep seeing people post that information in forums, but I've never seen a reference to an official comment from the manufacturer.

Howard

[lklawson]

I've not found that to be the case with my 1911R1's. I'm curious, has Remington ever confirmed the "Combat Hold" for the sights, or did shooters just come up with it as a way to explain the low POI for the R51. I keep seeing people post that information in forums, but I've never seen a reference to an official comment from the manufacturer.

Howard

Why would they have to?  It matches up with a common sighting system and it doesn't seem like any other manufacturer states it.

https://www.nationalgunforum.com/semi-auto-handgun-discussion/59073-can-someone-translate-me.html


https://sigtalk.com/legion-series/222529-how-does-your-legion-sight.html


https://www.hkpro.com/forum/hk-handgun-talk/200816-uspc-shooting-low.html


https://sigtalk.com/sig-sauer-pistols/1628-12-o-clock-sight-picture.html


Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[funflyer]

I've not found that to be the case with my 1911R1's. I'm curious, has Remington ever confirmed the "Combat Hold" for the sights, or did shooters just come up with it as a way to explain the low POI for the R51. I keep seeing people post that information in forums, but I've never seen a reference to an official comment from the manufacturer.

Howard

Howard,
my R1-S is the same, along with my RM-380. I think the R51 is the odd-ball here. My R1 Enhanced has an adjustable rear sight, something they should have put on the 51. I did replace the front sight on mine with one I made in the shop. .040" shorter and it's perfect now.

[R51Fan2017]

It's not a problem.  They're not shooting low.  The sights are set to "Combat Hold" or sometimes called "Military Center Hold."
Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

Kirk,

My Ruger SR 1911 doesn't hold to this theory. You shoot it with the top of the front site at 6 o clock of the intended target. If I used a combat hold on it, it would be overshooting the target. No other pistol I own uses a "combat hold". I think Todd is right here. The R51 is the odd one out.

[Hrfunk]

Yes, I would like to see the factory option of a lower front sight for those of us who use a different sighting method.

Howard

[lklawson]

It's not a problem.  They're not shooting low.  The sights are set to "Combat Hold" or sometimes called "Military Center Hold."
Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

Kirk,

My Ruger SR 1911 doesn't hold to this theory. You shoot it with the top of the front site at 6 o clock of the intended target. If I used a combat hold on it, it would be overshooting the target. No other pistol I own uses a "combat hold". I think Todd is right here. The R51 is the odd one out.

I don't disagree that it is not the most most common. Only that it is not particularly new and unheard of, has a fair history, a reasonable theory of use, and that there's nothing "wrong" with the sight.

The sight is not shooting low.  It's not a problem.  Just have to know how it's sighted and shoot it that way.  You don't have to know why but it helps if you do. 

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[nhithaca]

Update:

Installed the night sights; really no change in POI.  Have from the beginning used the "center" or "combat" hold and still too low (7-10 yards).  Mostly shooting 115 grain bullets not +P.  Expect to try 147 grain again and see if any difference now that I am more comfortable with the gun.

Total of 425 rounds down range, two cleanings to date.  Shot 75 rounds last night and only one nose dive using S&B FMC.  Have found that the mags work better if when fully loaded you rap them smartly on a flat surface to seat all rounds back into the mag housing.  Both IMI and S&B JHPs shot very well, no issues at all. 
Trigger still a little gritty/jumpy, but then I prefer a SA revolver over an auto loader anyway.

[lklawson]

Update:

Installed the night sights; really no change in POI.  Have from the beginning used the "center" or "combat" hold and still too low (7-10 yards).  Mostly shooting 115 grain bullets not +P.  Expect to try 147 grain again and see if any difference now that I am more comfortable with the gun.

Heavier bullets will typically impact a tad higher but probably not that much higher at 7 yards.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[Rog54]

I agree Kirk, know your weapon and shoot it accordingly!  I adjusted to it. But some have adjusted the gun to them.  Both work as long as it goes where you want it to !  Seems to me if I hit the bad guy an inch or two low in his sternum that it will still have a productive effect.
Rog