I sent an E-mail to Remington about a week ago,, asking where the R-51 was. This was their reply:

"We appreciate your patience as we continue our efforts to re-launch the R51. Currently we don't have a timeframe for the re-introduction but our Huntsville R&D center is working to have it back on the market as soon as possible".
Thank you and best regards,
Remington Customer Services

My translation; "we got no idea how to fix this dog! Maybe we'll figure it out and maybe we won't. Who knows"?

I'm glad they bought mine back! My XDs has been flawless!!!

Thanks for the update...

I find it amazing that they can't get one to work. The Pederson design is not that complicated.

I am guessing that a steel frame would solve a lot of their problems. I would buy one with a steel frame in a heartbeat. They could use it as a selling point - all steel construction; weight further reduces recoil; on and on.

Tater wrote:I find it amazing that they can't get one to work. The Pederson design is not that complicated.

I am guessing that a steel frame would solve a lot of their problems. I would buy one with a steel frame in a heartbeat. They could use it as a selling point - all steel construction; weight further reduces recoil; on and on.

Truthfully, not much that Remington makes works, at least not like in the "good ol' days". Quality control is only a word to them,not a fact! Too Bad, used to love Remington!!!!

Guys,
It does not look like they are going to resolve the issues with the R51 design after all. It is not even listed in the new 2016 catalog. The Shot Show is in a couple of weeks. I am sure it will be a topic that someone will write about. It sure seems like Remington has decided to take the RM380 design from Rohrbaugh and push that as the new EDC handgun. It would not surprise me to see a new RM9 come next, like the Rohrbaugh R9 design.
Not hopeful for the next generation R51,
ShoT3

I still have hopes for a R51. It's a nice setup. My fingers are crossed they get it out, but I'm not holding my breath.

Maybe we'll see something at SHOT? They had "gen 2's" at last years SHOT

I've yet to see even one at a gun shop or gun show in my state...

A buddy owns both an original and new model and both work fine...and I have shot them.

I'm new to this whole R51 matter, but I don't understand why they could not just make a reproduction of the old Model 51. Maybe its like not being able to get ice cubes in Kentucky - the old lady who knew the recipe died.

As I've mentioned (and pictured) before, my now 97 year old Model 51 still operates like new. I bought the R51 so I could give the old guy a break. That Pedersen Action is like a soothing massage to the hand, wrist, and arm. Perfect dynamics for comfort, accuracy, and reliability.
Hey Remington, look at and listen to the steel Model 51 in .380 ACP (9mm Short). Do it in steel and duplicate the old 51 with the new look on the outside. The aluminum won't work with a Pedersen design. And... Imagine even less muzzle rise with the added weight... Your main advertising feature!!!
Geez! This R51 saga is really wearin' me out. Get on the stick Remington!!! It ain't rocket science!

So Today I emailed Remington and got this in Reply "We appreciate your patience as we continue our efforts to re-launch the R51. Currently we don’t have a timeframe for the re-introduction but our Huntsville R&D center is working to have it back on the market as soon as possible"

I then called and spoke with a young lady that says it "has been approved" but no date to be given yet.

I then demanded to speak to her supervisor I was Transferred to "Greg" , he said that they are being told that "production will begin at the end the month or the beginning of March" so I was given 3 different answers by 3 different people. Greg did give me "Mark and David" as supervisor's names but neither were available.

Frustrated is an under statement!

Truly a black mark on the Remington Tradition of Excellence...

I am really amazed they haven't got it together yet.

SHOOTER13 wrote:Truly a black mark on the Remington Tradition of Excellence...

I am really amazed they haven't got it together yet.

I'm curious what they'll do if/when they get it out, to help heal the black eye. Rebate, extra mags, pelican, etc.

I would hope something like extra magazines...

Guys,

8:44 this morning - I was just called by a person at Remington that is in the know and am once again excited about the R51… I told that person that I would not reveal all of the items about which we spoke or that person's identity, but was very pleased with the phone call.

Yesterday I got to the point where I had heard enough, read enough, called enough, and emailed enough, that I was going to have to talk to someone. I wanted to talk to someone that could give me the info that will help me decide whether I should continue to hold on to the last thread of hope or write it off and look for the next closest 9mm that could match the way the R51 felt in my hands, it carried, concealed, the reduced recoil, and gave me the same enjoyment, and was just fun to shoot. So I started with a couple of more emails to some of the management departments with requests to be called. I called the Support phone number and was told the same pat answer that "it is being tested and there is no time line as to when it will be released into production". I asked to speak with her supervisor and was passed off to another nice lady that could not give me any more info. Again I asked to speak with her supervisor and was kindly told that would not be a problem and was thanked for calling and being so patient…then was transferred to another VM. Then I called Arkansas and talked to someone that worked in another department, that recommended I call a person in Huntsville, Alabama (that sounds good) in QC and gave me their direct phone number. Once again, I hit a road block and left a message on a Voice Mail. My last ditch effort before completely giving up and saying To Hell with Remington, was to send another email to an engineer that had responded to a previous email I sent 6 months ago. I asked in the email "well is it or is it not going to be released?". Previously he was not able to provide the answers, but he sent my email to his boss and replied with the response that was provided to him. It was what I thought to be the most honest from someone that appeared to really represent the truth about the situation. But alas, not even a receipt that he had received my email this time. That was yesterday.

8:44 this morning - I was just called by a person at Remington that is in the know and I am once again excited about the R51. The last person I emailed yesterday, sent my email up the chain to someone that truly cares about the image of the company for which he works. That person told me the testing that has been going on has been extremely successful and the R51 WILL be going back into production. There is one single part that was holding up the final acceptance, but the final tweaking was done in December so that it would comply with the requirements. Had it not been acceptable, they would have had to redesign the tooling for the frame. Those requirements are based off of a maximum amount of rounds that it is designed to handle for the expected life of the pistol before any part has to be replaced. All of the production line new R51 pistols are being shot each day and then evaluated, then put through the same testing again and again until they have been tested to meet those maximum amount of rounds.

Being as frustrated as all of us who are still hanging on to the possibility that the R51 will be corrected and re released, I felt much better after the conversation. I was told the decision as to the actual release date will only be made after all of the testing is completed, and the testing is much more strenuous than ever before on any model. Similarly, the new RM380 also was supposed to be released several months prior to its actual release date, but was delayed because of the additional QC that done in the tooling tolerances and testing that had to meet the approval of the engineers first. We discussed some of the posts being published on the forums about several conspiracy theories: "Remington has been leading people on to reduce the financial impact of having to reimburse its consumers all at the same time"…"The new pistols in design will be issued to replace the R51"…etc., etc. We discussed several of the issues I have posted on this forum. I had run over 800 rounds through the one that I returned and it was functioning fine. My biggest issue was it was showing some minor wear on the Disconnector. I was told the design of the final part that was accepted in December 2015, before the new R51 was approved by their engineers to comply with the design requirements. The new version of the R51 with all of its approved parts functioning the way it is supposed to, (and I assume with the new improved parts shown during the Shot Show 2015) is in the final firing testing and WILL BE GOING INTO PRODUCTION as soon as these tests are completed. Doing some "cipherin" on my own…at 65 rounds a day, if they are shooting a total of 5000 rounds, that would equal 77 days of shooting, (without including any days for tolerance evaluation, checking for wear on the barrel, slide, trigger, disconnector, ejector, etc.) and at 21 working days in a month, that is three and a half months. Since the redesign of the final part was approved in December, then that pushes the testing completion at least into April or May at a minimum.

I explained there are a lot of diehard Remington R51 loyal consumers that have still been waiting, (either patiently optimistic because we are smart enough to know that when something is rushed, mistakes are caused; or pretty darn stupid, because why would any smart person remain optimistic after being patient so long) but their frustration level is reaching its peak and even some of them are already changing their brand. If what I was told is factual, (and I believe it is) we will have our replacements this year (hopefully this summer). The conversation also included talk about several other launches that are in the works…but will not be released until the engineers testing is completed on the production line pieces first. We spoke for 18 minutes and 44 seconds. Later this morning, I noticed I had received a reply at 9:12 from the engineer fellow that I emailed as my last ditch effort yesterday:

"I am sorry to hear that you are still unable to resolve your customer service issue regarding your R51. I have forwarded your entire message to my boss who will do what can be done to obtain additional information; when I receive a reply, I will pass it on to you."

Still hoping to be a future R51, Gen 2 Beta Tester,
shoT3

Well shoT3, that was a refreshing 'read'. I'm still on the band wagon, not for replacement of one returned, but rather to purchase another when it becomes available 'for sale'. I'm sure the first number of them will be going out to the people waiting for their warranty replacements. I took the 1911 R1 for my R51.

Thanks for being so dedicated to getting some answers. I've been wanting one of these since they originally came out and I've been patiently waiting this whole time. I understand the situation, but after awhile you start to wonder.

I will certainly be one of the first people to get one as soon as they come out. I'm going to tell my go to Gun Shop to get one and keep my name on it

Like some others, I waited for about six months and then took the R1 trade. BUT, I check this forum every day for some kind of hope that the R51, that I liked so much, will be available again.......I still have 4 of the original magazines and manual.

Thanks shot3 for the update. My R51 is long gone. I'm holding out for Remingtons new V3 at this time but still like keeping up on the R51 story

Thanks shot3. It's been just about 2 years since I sent my R51 back for replacement. I've emailed Remington several times and received the same reply back thanking me for my patients but not giving any idea of when I might receive my replacement R51. Sure hope you are in the ball park with you estimate of receiving it this summer. I really appreciate your keeping us updated because Remington sure is not.

Yea...thanks for the update.

There is as much chance of that gun ever making it back to the market as you have of getting a free meal in a Chinese Restaurant!

mardetcv66 wrote:There is as much chance of that gun ever making it back to the market as you have of getting a free meal in a Chinese Restaurant!

AmericanPride wrote:

mardetcv66 wrote:There is as much chance of that gun ever making it back to the market as you have of getting a free meal in a Chinese Restaurant!

God made the world in 7 days! Remington can't fix a pistol in over 2 years! Time for Big Green to look for Divine help! Why go with a design by Pederson when John MOSES Browning was on your payroll! Kind of like having some Joe Schmoe architect redo a Donald Ross golf course, just don't make no sense!!!

mardetcv66 wrote:

AmericanPride wrote:

mardetcv66 wrote:There is as much chance of that gun ever making it back to the market as you have of getting a free meal in a Chinese Restaurant!

God made the world in 7 days! Remington can't fix a pistol in over 2 years! Time for Big Green to look for Divine help! Why go with a design by Pederson when John MOSES Browning was on your payroll! Kind of like having some Joe Schmoe architect redo a Donald Ross golf course, just don't make no sense!!!

While you might be right, the old Model 51 in 380 was an incredibly reliable and comfortable pistol to shoot by all accounts I've read. I think the fault lies with Remington's research and design staff not being up to par. They are sub standard in my humble opinion. Add to that machinists who are sub standard (can't cut a chamber to the right dimension?!?) and the result is an R51.

Tater wrote:... the old Model 51 in 380 was an incredibly reliable and comfortable pistol to shoot by all accounts I've read.

Pretty much what I've wondered. This is the same company (more or less) which made the original Model 51. Did someone lose the blue prints?