We have had this on display in the store for almost a year, a few lookers, no serious buyers. It followed me home tonight.
If you are not familiar with the R51, it is a 9mm +P, 3.4", pocket rocket. It uses a fixed barrel with a locking breech block, originally designed by a gentleman named Pederson around 1910. Part of the design has the recoil spring around the barrel, instead of a below the barrel on a separate guide rod, lowering the bore axis. This significantly reduces muzzle flip, allowing you to get back on target much quicker, and a reduction in felt recoil. The original Remington 51 was a 380, discontinued in the mid 1930s. Remington revived the design and released the R51 in 2014 to high praise from the gun writers. Trouble was, they were all provided pre-production pistols which were hand machined and fit. Production guns were a different matter. Few functioned properly, many were little more than paperweights. After initially denying there was a problem Remington offered owners a full MSRP refund, or a R-1911, or a new R51 at a to be determined date.
Remington was also in the process of relocating the manufacturing to Alabama during this mess. They then determined the quality assurance process they had in place was insufficient to accurately inspect the R51 with its unique construction. New, upgraded, pistols were produced, over 1.5 million test rounds were expended in them. Customers who had opted for replacement R51s received new guns, multiple magazines, and a Pelican case before any were released for sales.
Current reviews are either 100% positive, or very negative, with the vast majority on the positive side. It does appear the firearm is very ammo fussy, disliking 115g low power stuff, but seems to run hot and +P ammo flawlessly.
Why did I buy it?
#1 - I like the looks, kind of Buck Rogers, art deco type thing. Doesn't look like every other piece of iron at the range.
#2 - I like the feel. No plastics here, solid metal. Feels good in my hand.
#3 - I don't have any other Pederson action pistols.
#4 - A hot, compact, 9mm +P could become my EDC, though it will have to work hard to knock my Model 60 and EMP 9 off their perches.
If you are not familiar with the R51, it is a 9mm +P, 3.4", pocket rocket. It uses a fixed barrel with a locking breech block, originally designed by a gentleman named Pederson around 1910. Part of the design has the recoil spring around the barrel, instead of a below the barrel on a separate guide rod, lowering the bore axis. This significantly reduces muzzle flip, allowing you to get back on target much quicker, and a reduction in felt recoil. The original Remington 51 was a 380, discontinued in the mid 1930s. Remington revived the design and released the R51 in 2014 to high praise from the gun writers. Trouble was, they were all provided pre-production pistols which were hand machined and fit. Production guns were a different matter. Few functioned properly, many were little more than paperweights. After initially denying there was a problem Remington offered owners a full MSRP refund, or a R-1911, or a new R51 at a to be determined date.
Remington was also in the process of relocating the manufacturing to Alabama during this mess. They then determined the quality assurance process they had in place was insufficient to accurately inspect the R51 with its unique construction. New, upgraded, pistols were produced, over 1.5 million test rounds were expended in them. Customers who had opted for replacement R51s received new guns, multiple magazines, and a Pelican case before any were released for sales.
Current reviews are either 100% positive, or very negative, with the vast majority on the positive side. It does appear the firearm is very ammo fussy, disliking 115g low power stuff, but seems to run hot and +P ammo flawlessly.
Why did I buy it?
#1 - I like the looks, kind of Buck Rogers, art deco type thing. Doesn't look like every other piece of iron at the range.
#2 - I like the feel. No plastics here, solid metal. Feels good in my hand.
#3 - I don't have any other Pederson action pistols.
#4 - A hot, compact, 9mm +P could become my EDC, though it will have to work hard to knock my Model 60 and EMP 9 off their perches.
