My R51 is back!!

shinerjohn · January 31, 2019, 10:37:01 PM

I got my R51 and all 3 of my magazines back from Remington this evening. I sent her in because she would not run at 7+1 - full magazine with one in the chamber. The repair work documentation states that they found the problem: Action Binds!

So they gave me 2 new parts: 1) and new slide, and 2) a new barrel. They also polished the bolt (breech block?) and "adjusted" the mags.

I will hit the range this weekend and report back.

Remington is taking this seriously!

shinerjohn · February 02, 2019, 06:34:17 PM

Ooops! They did NOT replace my slide and barrel. I misread the repair document. My bad...

FlatEarther · February 02, 2019, 10:14:22 PM

Seems "polished the bolt " is what they did for HR Funk too...
Any chance you could post pictures or a description of said polishing?
Thx - Joe

Zenshot · February 03, 2019, 09:34:30 AM

I'm also interested in what work Remington is doing to the breech block to make it run better.

shinerjohn · February 03, 2019, 03:47:40 PM

I tore the magazines down and I see no changes to the magazines. I sent them 3 new style mags and have 2 old style. One of the old style mags has a spring that is one coil shorter than the others. I put that short spring into one of the mags I sent them. And it came back in the mag I sent it in. There is no difference in the length of the legs of any of my 5 magazines. I believe they did absolutely nothing to my mags. I will check the breech block (bolt) tomorrow after I receive GerryR's take-down tool.

shinerjohn · February 06, 2019, 12:55:50 PM

I enjoyed a brief visit to our outdoor range yesterday. I took an additional misbehaving pistol so my time was split and brief. As previously stated, I have 5 R51 mags (3 gen2 and 2 gen1). I took all 5 to the range although only the 3 gen2 mags had been sent for repair. I shoot guns better than I shoot cameras!

As best I could determine, all breech block polishing was on the one side (bottom). Polishing was not drastic, extensive - it was slight, modest. I did not see any evidence of the lip described by HRFUNK.

*********************************************************************************************************
Remington's Repair Work Performed Document
Problems I reported:
Consumer states handgun fails to feed when loaded to capacity. Fails to cycle as well. Including 2 original magazines and 1 magazine that he purchased for testing. Using American Eagle 124 grain and Remington UMC primarily. All problems were running 7 + 1: 7 in the magazine & 1 round chambered.

Remington coded it as follows:
Problem Reported Problem Found:
A_M019 - Fails To Feed Action Binds
B_M020 - Fails To Cycle

Notes
Polish bolt, adjust mags, safety/function check and test fire.
*********************************************************************************************************

I do not believe they tested with 7 + 1. I believe they merely made sure it would fire and that it was functioning safely. I have no clue how they adjusted the mags. They polished the bolt to improve the action and returned the pistol.
Soooooo, yesterday tested all 5 mags at 7 rounds without 1 in the chamber. I had NO problems. She ran smoother than she ever has before. I fired 50 rounds of Magtech 115gr FMJ without incident. I used my mag loader for each round. The action is now flawless! I will use the same approach on the next range trip. If all goes well, I'll progress to testing 7 + 1.

GerryR · February 07, 2019, 11:03:46 AM

Thanks for the update, John. Nice report! Interested in seeing the results with 7+1.

FlatEarther · February 07, 2019, 09:43:58 PM

John thanks for the followup.
On mine I found a small sharp edge on the bottom of the bolt face (the place where Funk said he thought a lip was removed). Just enough to catch a finger nail. So I smoothed/rounded with fine emory cloth.
My R51 has had a random FTF nose dive problem since day one. Maybe this will help.... Joe

shinerjohn · February 07, 2019, 10:24:18 PM

i hope that does the trick for you, Joe!

We just had a nasty cold front here and it's not supposed to reach 40 until Sunday afternoon. Odds are pretty good that I won't shoot again until then!
Y'all stay warm and safe!!

shinerjohn · February 14, 2019, 04:32:56 PM

I finally made it back out to the range this afternoon. I am thrilled: 4 of my 5 mags now work with 7+1 !! The one that doesn't work is STRANGE, but I'll take it down tonight to determine what's happening.

So if your R51 does not work with 7+1, send it in! Once they polish the breech block, it should work like a champ!

Plain Old Dave · March 10, 2019, 11:28:20 AM

Mine's double feeding 124s, but the primary issue is even with the weird combat zero hold we actively discourage shooters from using in the NRA Basic Handgun course it still huts 5-6" low at 7 yards. Did you send your gun back in the original box, and if so did they send it back in the original box? The RMA says boxes are not returned, but the people at Remington say that that's wrong. Confusing.

shinerjohn · March 10, 2019, 11:37:01 AM

No, I did not send it back in the original box. I had a used USPS Priority Mail box that I sent it in. They sent the pistol back in a R51 box with the serial number labels removed. Unless they have changed their process, they will not return the box you send it in. I suggest you use another box and keep your original box.

lklawson · March 12, 2019, 07:08:26 AM

Quote from: shinerjohn on March 10, 2019, 11:37:01 AM
No, I did not send it back in the original box. I had a used USPS Priority Mail box that I sent it in. They sent the pistol back in a R51 box with the serial number labels removed. Unless they have changed their process, they will not return the box you send it in. I suggest you use another box and keep your original box.

Keeping the original box, included paperwork & manuals, and original purchase receipt & paperwork, will increase the value of the firearm. ...in 25 to 50 years. You know. For your grand children.

Original boxes and paperwork DO, in fact, increase the value for collectors. Particularly for firearms which are not as common. Not too long ago I traded off a Russian IJ70 18-AH Makarov and got premium value because I still had the box, paperwork, manual, receipt, etc. New, it was like a $250 gun (25 years ago). I traded it for a good condition H&K which I then traded (+ a little $$) for a like-new-in-box Gen 5 G19 with radioactive sights. So, basically, I added around $200-ish to the value of the gun just because I had the box and was willing to do some trades.

So, yeah. Keep the box. Unless you don't have an attic you want to junk up or unless your SO tell you to throw that useless cardboard away.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk