The Remington R51 and I’ve an fascinating relationship. The gun premiered in 2014, however there was a good bit of lead-up from the time the weapons have been introduced to their launch. I adopted the manufacturing of the gun and was trying ahead to it. Single-stack 9mms have been the recent stuff in 2014, and Remington promised one thing completely different.
Considered one of my character flaws is liking issues which might be completely different simply because they’re completely different. In 2014, single-stack 9mm handguns have been all conventional striker-fired Browning short-recoil motion weapons with polymer frames.
Remington R51
Reside Stock Worth Checker
The Remington R51 supplied a single-stack 9mm with an inside single-action hammer, and it used the hesitation-locked motion designed by John Pedersen.
The Remington R51 was a sequel to the Mannequin 51, a .380 ACP or .32 ACP pistol first produced in 1918. The Mannequin 51 delivered an fascinating general design for the period, nevertheless it was by no means tremendous standard. It was a neat gun that Remington had in its annals and determined to deliver again to the trendy world. The R51 used higher metallurgy and design to create a 9mm model of the Mannequin 51.
The Controversy
We are able to’t discuss concerning the Remington R51 with out speaking about its controversy. I didn’t purchase one in 2014 as a result of, properly, they sucked. Within the firearms world, the R51 turned a little bit of a cultural milestone. Many individuals nonetheless name it the gun that killed Remington. It additionally modified the gun media for the higher.
Individuals noticed glowing critiques in conventional paper magazines, which instantly contrasted with consumer experiences shared on the web. Web sites started publishing their critiques, which weren’t so glowing. The Remington R51 had failures to extract, stovepipes, failures to feed, magazines failing to lock in place, and extra.
The largest challenge was that the gun may hearth earlier than the motion closed, leading to an out-of-battery detonation. This was downright harmful. Remington introduced a voluntary recall in 2014. It took two years for Remington to ship the Gen 2 weapons. One of the simplest ways to inform a Gen 2 is by the place it’s made. Gen 2s come from Alabama, and Gen 1s come from North Carolina.
Gen 2s nonetheless had issues, notably the failure to feed challenge. Apparently, trimming the journal follower fixes the difficulty. Mine is a used mannequin R51, and it seems somebody did that mod, which ends up in one among my two magazines failing to lock the slide open.
The Remington R51 in 2025
The place would it not stand in the present day if the Remington R51 ran like an absolute clock, and the discharge was problem-free? Doubtless with most different single-stack 9mms. It wouldn’t be out of date, however Remington would have most likely produced a micro compact, optics-ready variant by now. Assuming the gun ran reliably, I’m nonetheless uncertain how profitable it will have been.
Taking the gun aside is a nightmare. Very like the unique Mannequin 51, it’s a tricky gun to take aside. One thing a few Pedersen design from 1918 doesn’t translate properly to 2014, a lot much less 2025.
The hesitation lock is fairly neat. It’s extra sophisticated than a Browning brief recoil motion, so I get why the brief recoil operation is extra standard. The hesitation lock is healthier described as a delayed blowback motion.
This technique means that you can use a really Walther-like design. The recoil spring nests over the barrel, protecting the bore axis low. The gun makes use of a set barrel, like a Walther PP.
The ergonomics are surprisingly good. I like how the gun matches in my hand, which is a foolish consideration however value making. The slide is simpler to govern than most. The journal launch is ambidextrous, and the slide launch is simple to succeed in and entry.
The grip is aggressively textured and has detachable and replaceable panels. Remington made wooden panels, which I’m at present trying to find. The gun makes use of a grip security that clicks properly when engaged.
The gun’s most notable facet is its look. It has an attention-grabbing artwork deco type.
Capturing the R51
It’s a disgrace the gun had such a foul popularity and legacy as a result of the Gen 2 shoots properly. Sure, the primary consumer needed to modify the magazines, nevertheless it runs surprisingly properly. The gun does appear to have much less muzzle rise than comparable fashions and weapons of comparable dimension and caliber. This makes the sights very simple to trace, which makes fast, correct hearth a bit simpler.
I used to be shocked how rapidly the entrance sight returned to the goal. It’s moderately good. Whereas the muzzle rise is minimal, the rearward recoil is barely extra intense than comparable weapons. The recoil feels prefer it goes straight rearward moderately than rearward and upward. The hesitation lock actually has a singular really feel.
Remington didn’t skimp on sights. They’re fairly massive and straightforward to see. Straightforward-to-see sights are easy-to-align sights, and the little R51 shoots precisely. At 15 yards, you’ll be able to simply create tight little teams that don’t exceed greater than three inches. At 25 yards, I can maintain all of my photographs on 10-inch gongs, and at 50 yards, I can maintain them hitting an FBI Q goal.
The only-action set off has some takeup, and it’s not 1911-quality, nevertheless it’s good and crisp. I’d prefer to see extra single-action inside hammer weapons on the market, nevertheless it looks like the FN Reflex is the one firm making an attempt one thing completely different.
Is It Dependable?
I didn’t torture take a look at this gun, and since I’ve owned it, I’ve most likely fired 200 rounds by means of it. I had no actual issues with the gun. It fired, extracted, ejected, and loaded each time. One of many magazines fails to lock the slide open on empty, and that’s the one challenge I’ve had. That’s not an enormous take a look at, however this isn’t a carry gun for me.
It’s a curiosity—a enjoyable piece of firearm historical past, or infamy. The Remington R51 didn’t kill Remington; unchecked enterprise capitalists killed Remington, however the R51 didn’t assist. It’s an actual disgrace as a result of in a distinct timeline, I’m carrying an R51 with a stack and a half journal and a pink dot in 2025.
About Travis Pike
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms fanatic, and now a daily man who likes to shoot, write, and discover methods to mix the 2. He holds an NRA certification as a Primary Pistol Teacher and is the world’s Okayest firearms teacher.
