I have been watching for the R51 to hit the streets. Have seen a few posts here and on another forum that a few people have received one.
So, I started stopping (in person) at the local gun shops nearest my home. No luck. So then I decided to stop at some of the "big box stores" in the next city.
"BINGO!!!' First stop was a Cabellas and they had just received the first (and only, so far) R51 about 30 minutes earlier. They had not yet checked it in and it was not on display, but when I asked if they had any, they said yes. Sales person brought the box out from the back room. I looked it over carefully and ask, how much? Took him about 5 minutes to find their price was going to be 399.00
I said, I'll take it. Had to wait for the person that checks in the inventory to return from lunch before I could actually make the purchase.
About an hour later I was on my way home with my new R51.
Disassembled and cleaned it, looked everything over.
Went to the range any fired 100 rounds thru it with NO problems.
In reading the owners book, it stated that only Remington or Barnes ammo was recommended.
The ammo I ued is my home loads. Precesion Delta 124gr FMJ with 4.8grs of Win 231, OAL 1.150
Been using that combo for a few years now and have not had any problems in any of my 9mm.
The R51 looks like a winner.

Lucky.

Local dealers (not big chain stores) here said they can't order them last month when I asked. I see they are now out and ask again, only to be told they are back ordered.

I go to big chains like Academy or Gander Mountain and they have no clue if/when they will get them.

Great score. I'm still waiting for my LGS to get his supply in. He quoted me $379.00. Does your gun have the funny QR type code stamped on the frame?

ToneDeath wrote:Great score. I'm still waiting for my LGS to get his supply in. He quoted me $379.00. Does your gun have the funny QR type code stamped on the frame?

Yes it does. I do not see a reason for Remington to do this.

Electraclyde wrote:

ToneDeath wrote:Great score. I'm still waiting for my LGS to get his supply in. He quoted me $379.00. Does your gun have the funny QR type code stamped on the frame?

Yes it does. I do not see a reason for Remington to do this.

Dollars to donuts it's a Quality Control thing so that they can track the frame as it moves through production. The auto industry has been doing something similar for a very long time.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

But why put the code on the outside of the frame? Why not on the inside, like bottom of the mag well?
Or even be more discrete and put it under the barrel or trigger guard ... Or give it end user function by putting it on the front strap, call it a texture for additional grip within the checkering.

MetalBird wrote:But why put the code on the outside of the frame? Why not on the inside, like bottom of the mag well?
Or even be more discrete and put it under the barrel or trigger guard ... Or give it end user function by putting it on the front strap, call it a texture for additional grip within the checkering.

So that as the gun moves along the assembly line, at each station a Tech can scan it with a laser scanner.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

Electraclyde wrote:I have been watching for the R51 to hit the streets. Have seen a few posts here and on another forum that a few people have received one.
So, I started stopping (in person) at the local gun shops nearest my home. No luck. So then I decided to stop at some of the "big box stores" in the next city.
"BINGO!!!' First stop was a Cabellas and they had just received the first (and only, so far) R51 about 30 minutes earlier. They had not yet checked it in and it was not on display, but when I asked if they had any, they said yes. Sales person brought the box out from the back room. I looked it over carefully and ask, how much? Took him about 5 minutes to find their price was going to be 399.00
I said, I'll take it. Had to wait for the person that checks in the inventory to return from lunch before I could actually make the purchase.
About an hour later I was on my way home with my new R51.
Disassembled and cleaned it, looked everything over.
Went to the range any fired 100 rounds thru it with NO problems.
In reading the owners book, it stated that only Remington or Barnes ammo was recommended.
The ammo I ued is my home loads. Precesion Delta 124gr FMJ with 4.8grs of Win 231, OAL 1.150
Been using that combo for a few years now and have not had any problems in any of my 9mm.
The R51 looks like a winner.

That's odd. I didn't notice the remington and Barnes recommendation. My first 50 rounds had consistent FTEs (more description in the review thread) using remington umc ammo

No coincidence that Remington and Barnes have the same parent company. This sounds like marketing to me. Although it is possible, because of this, that was the ammo they used for testing as well.

Also picked my R51 up on March 14. My local gun store had taken my pre-order back in early February. Paid $399 and the serial number is under 3,000. Put 50 rounds through it on Saturday. Overall I am pleased with the gun with one exception. The early videos put out by Remington show the slide being worked with two fingers. That is impossible with mine. Maybe in time but after 50 rounds and over 100 times working the slide by me and two others, no better. I have over fifty handguns and have nothing that is this difficult to rack the slide.

After the first time field stripping the gun it was no problem to take down in seconds. It had the light grease in the slide and I cleaned and applied some grease to the breach block and slide.

I could shoot this thing all day. Fits my hand well and also fits some but not all of my holsters for my Makarovs.

lincen wrote:also fits some but not all of my holsters for my Makarovs.

Interesting observation. I have about 6 different Makarov caliber handguns. I'll check for fit in their holsters.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

It would be much appreciated if some pictures and names be posted of these holster gents :-p

Took some pictures of the Makarov leather holsters that fit the R51 but not able to attach them.

Two of the holsters are made by Backwoods and have MAC stamped on them. One IWB the other OWB
One is a Don Hume JIT Slide No.59.
Another is an IWB made by Allen's Gun Glove. He makes very good holsters at great prices.
I have two Barsony holsters that were bought for the Makarov and they fit the R51 very well.

Update on my R51. I now have about 225 rounds thru it. (All have been my homeloads). I have never had an issue with feeding, firing, extracting, or ejecting. This gun is fun to shoot.
Now the bad part. The slide was very difficult to rack, could not be done with just 2 fingers by any "normal" person. So after field stripping and cleaning, I went after all the edges and corners inside the slide, on the breechblok, and in the frame. The result is a slide that is MUCH easier to rack. (Still not going to rack with 2 fingers). A little more work with the small files and it should be good.
The rear sight is not tight in the dovetail and will "walk" to the right from recoil. It will move about 1/16th inch in just 7 rounds. This rear sight needs a set screw to hold it in place. I contacted Remington and they are sending me the return authoization so I can send the gun in to the repair dept. i may not send it in, I may just drill and tap is for a set screw myself.
All in all, I like is gun bett than any other 9mm I have or have ever had.

The difficult rack could be from lack of break-in. My R51 was the same way but after 50 rounds and 100's of "dry" racks I've gotten it smoothed out a bit. I can now rack it with two fingers in the rear held in the serrations with my hand pulling straight back, not back from the top.

It seems to me every individual pistol is having it's own problems. Probably due to break-in and a rushing production due to the huge demand.

Some have feeding/extracting problems
Some have rear sight drifting
Some have a problem with the mag dropping under fire.

The racking issues I'm going to chalk up to break in as the delayed-blowback Pederson action has a very complex movement.

Electraclyde wrote:Update on my R51. I now have about 225 rounds thru it. (All have been my homeloads). I have never had an issue with feeding, firing, extracting, or ejecting. This gun is fun to shoot.
Now the bad part. The slide was very difficult to rack, could not be done with just 2 fingers by any "normal" person. So after field stripping and cleaning, I went after all the edges and corners inside the slide, on the breechblok, and in the frame. The result is a slide that is MUCH easier to rack. (Still not going to rack with 2 fingers). A little more work with the small files and it should be good.
The rear sight is not tight in the dovetail and will "walk" to the right from recoil. It will move about 1/16th inch in just 7 rounds. This rear sight needs a set screw to hold it in place. I contacted Remington and they are sending me the return authoization so I can send the gun in to the repair dept. i may not send it in, I may just drill and tap is for a set screw myself.
All in all, I like is gun bett than any other 9mm I have or have ever had.

Great to hear these guns are starting to flow into welcome hands, some minor problems are expected. Maybe a little bit of blue thread lock on that rear sight.

Another update. I still do not have the RA from Remington, so I removed the rear sight for a look see. The rear sight is a hollow base, not a solid base. There is a very narrow ridge around the perimeter of the sight that SHOULD make contact with the slide. Mine is only contacting the slide in 3 very small areas. This design will probably never stay in place without some way to secure it. I did re-install using blue loctite and will see if it stays in place on my next trip to the range. I don't hold much hope for this.
If this does not work out, I will make a "spacer" to fill in the hollow base and drill and tap the sight and the new spacer to install a set screw to hold both in place.
Hopefully the after market will come up with some good quality night sights for this gun. Would really like a set of Truglo TFO sights.