Any experience w/ Remington 1911 R1?

I have a friend offering one up. He's not a gun guy and got it from his late father. He says it looks clean... that's all he can offer since he has zero experience.

Anyway, does anybody here have any experience with one? I'm reading mostly negatives online, but that's how things work. General rule I learned when working in customer service: when someone has a good experience, they might tell one or two people. When they have a bed experience, they'll tell ten.

R1

My FFL had a few .45s that he let me shoot at the range from a recent auction and estate sale. We shot the Ruger sr1911 full size and commander, two Remington R1 1911 and two high end ones from some custom shops. We shot good old 230 ball ammo and the Remingtons were by far the most accurate of the bunch among all the shooters. We even had a newbie to .45s shoot a super tight group. I shot both the base model with a nice dark blue finish that should show some character as it wears away and enhanced.

I have been saving up for a high end .45 but I ended up ordering the R1 base and using the savings on some ammo and some extra clips. My FFL is great and out the door with all fees and taxes was $605 plus it comes with a $75 rebate so once I cash that in it will cost me a grant total of $530.

Very well made gun and looking forward to seeing how it shoots but based upon the other models I have high hopes.

A buddy of mine had one. On our second range trip the barrel bushing, spring plug, and spring all came out while shooting. When he found the bushing I noticed that the tab that locks it in place was gone. He bought it used so it could've been an aftermarket bushing. That experience has made me steer clear of them though.

I bought one when they first came out and have never regreted it. An outstanding pistol. Very accurate and I believe they have the best out-of-the-box trigger of any 1911. I consider the Remington R1 to be one of the best bargins in 1911s today.

I purchased the R1 Enhanced new, three years ago for $800.
First, I think it isn't anything special. It is, however, as good as anything else in its price range.
Fit, finish, etc., as good as anything in its price range. It's more a duty finish than a pretty finish, so don't compare it to a Colt.

It has the fiber optic front sight and while I am "getting used" to them, I'm still "a ole guye" and prefer blades and dots.

Despite my whine about the fiber optic, I like the Enhanced sights. The front blade width and rear notch are about as perfect for my eyes as I've found. The rear is adjustable, a first for me on a 1911. Meh. I'm not a "minute of pencil dot" shooter, having used guns substantially for defensive purposes looong before I started competing. I was also taught to adapt to whatever was put in my hands. Never trust the sights on a gun you don't know. Test them and tighten them. The target is a long way away? Holdover. Who has time to adjust sights in the middle of a bullet exchange?

The grips are called "Enhanced Wood Laminate." I like them just fine. They fit me well, are not too fat, and don't slip in my sweaty palms. The left one has been relieved for the magazine release, something that does not help me one little bit. I have a long thumb. I can reach the slide release without shifting my grip.

Checkering on the backstrap follows the school of slash and bleed. Those little pointy things are sharp and the lower palm-side corner digs into my hand. The Remington is not the only newer auto to do that. I was perfectly happy with vertical grooves. A few light taps with a steel hammer blunt them up a bit, but I'm sure that scraps the warranty.

The Enhanced trigger has holes in it and is adjustable for over travel. I have a S&W PC1911RB with ZERO overtravel. That means no warning before it goes "BANG!" I hear many people like that, but I adjust for just a tad of trigger movement so I know where I'm at.

Fore and aft serrations on the slide? Meh. I guess they're nice. I'm adhere to the school that says keep your tender fingers away from the muzzle.

I like the beaver tail. Works fine.

It came with two, 8-round magazines with bumpers.

Mine has been accurate and reliable. I've put some 500 rounds through it, and two of our sons have each put about 500 rounds through it.

It fits any other 1911 holster I have.

Only a magazine has let me down. The lips went soft after less than 200 rounds. I called Remington and their answer was "Magazines are consumables." Yeah, OK, but I've got these WWII ones with the springs and followers that were in then when I got them in the late '60s and they chug right along.

Sooo, I just threw the remaining magazine in with the my bag of miscellaneous and use it as it comes to hand.

The guns were a bit hard to come by when I bought this one from a gun store in Waukesha WI. I think they are not as scarce, now. Would I buy another? Well, I don't NEED one, and I think others are more interesting, such as my Springfield Loaded Operator - when I can steal it back from our Law Enforcement son, or my Springfield GI with optional three-dot sights. And my "weighs a ton" Sig 1911CA-45-BSS, "Commander-ish size."

I also have a battery of Colt Series 70 and Government surplus 1911A1s that I've accumulated over the years. So, I don't feel my Remington needs a family sibling.

For me, then, a qualified "yes," with price being the only factor. I'm always up for a bargain because there really isn't anything as "enough" guns.

The main reason I bought it is to have a 1911 made by Remington. I'll certainly never be able to afford an original. And yeah, I know, "Remington Rand." It's still cool to see "Remington" on the slide. I also think it's cool to see "ILION, NY" on the frame. Mine also has "ERPC" on the frame which, so far as I can tell, is an attempt to describe a digestive noise.

So, worth what I paid for it. Don't think I'll buy a second.

Still have mine, shoot it frequently. The grip safety gets a bit uncomfortable with long shooting sessions. It's accurate as all get out.

Oh, and conventional takedown. No one-piece guide rod. I prefer that. If all that extra stuff is supposed improve shooting, I guess I'm a failure.

I just dug mine out to play with it. Er, I mean, examine it.
The red front fiber optic is a little far below the top of the blade. If you're using it to shoot into a dark background, you have to remember not to put the top of the dot in line with the top of the rear sight. You'll shoot high.
It's why I like THREE dots, if I'm going to have any.

Got one recently, $469. with $75. factory rebate, CDNN Sports.

Most accurate out of box 1911 I've ever had, very good trigger, well put together. Only a few hundred rounds thru it, but no problems.

Very satisfied with it.

I have the R1 Enhanced. As others have stated it is a solid 1911. The fiber optic front sight on a 1911 was new to me as well when I bought the gun two years ago. I estimate I have put around 400 rounds down range with it. No problems so far and it seems to have decent accuracy out of the box. The trigger is OK, no grit and very little creep.

I bought the Remington R1 Enhanced back in October and I really like it. The gun has a great finish, feels great in hand, the serrations on the back of the slide are awesome and the 3.5 pound match trigger is great for accuracy. I've had one FTF but I attribute that to the ammo I was using. I'm very satisfied with this 1911.

I own the Remington R1 1911 standard model. It's a very good 1911 pistol. I'll just list my likes and dislikes of the Rem.R1

Likes: Reliable and not magazine picky. While it won't feed every brand hollowpoint ammo it feeds most hollowpoints fine. Accurate and the accuracy is the best I've seen in any 1911 I've owned. Good trigger-pull..despite having a series 80 style firingpin block my Remington 1911 still has a nice trigger

The dislikes: The 'black-oxide' finish isn't that great. The slide-stop lever nub stuck out into the magwell too far..ammo literally had to 'jump' around the lever nub..(didn't cause issues but I did stone it down to proper size). The frame is cast which really I don't mind except the inside of the dust-cover had some funky casting roughness that scratched the slide....a bit of work to the internal surface of the frame's dust-cover with a Dremal sanding drum and a cold blue touch-up fixed that.

Harkrader said:

The main reason I bought it is to have a 1911 made by Remington. I'll certainly never be able to afford an original. And yeah, I know, "Remington Rand." It's still cool to see "Remington" on the slide. I also think it's cool to see "ILION, NY" on the frame.

Click to expand...

FWIW, Remington the gun company, made 1911's way before Remington Rand the typewriter company did.


They made a run of them for wwI. They are one of the original 3 manufacturers. 21,500 units in 1918& 1919

I have the base model R1, I bought it because it is configured the way I wanted it. A GI gun with a few upgrades. I think in todays market the smart money buys the 1911 that is closest to how you want it.

There are too many choices to buy a gun then spend $ changing parts around. Very quickly you end up in Colt territory money wise, and if you are going to spend that money you should have a pony on your slide. IMHO.

I have two Ruger SR1911's that have been great, but I am growing tired of the black controls. The R1 stainless is just perfect to my eyes. I have no interest in the enhanced or Carry models.

I bought a plain blue 1911 R1 in 2012. Got a great bargain. As others have said, it has a great trigger and the upgrades make it a good shooter.
Match barrel and bushing.
Its throated.
Servicable and removable sights. Three Dot sight picture, easy to see sights.
Cut back ejection port.
Good accuracy.
Nice 1911 appearance.

Only concern is that the bluing is wearing. Early holster wear.
Jim

I absolutely love my Remington Combat Commander. Extremely well made and a great value.

Rem 1911

Hate to be negative but a Korean War veteran that I know bought
one at Cabela's when they first came out. He wanted pistol for
house and 1911 was only pistol he ever shot, back in 50s. Salesman told him to clean it before shooting. Joe took it apart
and couldn't get it back together. Brought it to me, I can still do
one in dark. That Rem made my fingers bleed. Interior mill work
was terrible. Even bushing was hard to get in. He had box of
S&B ammo, 1 or 2 stove pipes out of each mag. Shot lousy for
accuracy. Maybe they got bugs out now but I don't want one.

I picked one up with very few rounds shot, but it was the Enhanced Threaded Barrel version. Shot several boxes of ammo and it seemed to like every kind. If I would have kept it, I would have changed out the barrel and sights and grips and would have too much $ in it for my taste.

Over all I was pleased.

I've had the base model stainless version (R1S) for a few years now. Shot great right out of the box and I have yet to have any problems.

I bought the standard model a couple years ago. I bought it because it looked the most like the original, but with better sights and the price wasn't bad. It also appeared to be very well made, and has so far proven to be. I've had no issues with it whatsoever. It's an accurate, great-looking, solid, tight, well built, made in USA gun that works - and doesn't cost Colt money.