Remington R-51

Guess no one but me cares that it was based on the design of a man in a fairly elite group, someone who could sit down and have a beer with John Garand or John Browning and have a chat about firearm design.

The original is a fine weapon with exc...no, outstanding, handling characteristics. If anything could seduce me away from my MiniGlock, this may be it. Love to have a reliable, thin, easy to shoot 9 that points naturally.
 
You are probably not the target demographic. Nor am I. I think they are marketing this at people who want a gun for self defense, but aren't in to guns. It's rounded like that so that it will not hang up if used as a pocket pistol. At least I think so.

While I would agree, I also think it will serve a market with people that are into guns and have been waiting for something like this. Same size as an LC9, same capacity as a 3913, lighter than a 3913, SA, and no thumb safety. While I'm not crazy about the looks, for the features I can easily look past the looks. I just hope it doesn't have issues.
 
Thanks! This looks like an interesting firearm, but I don't know that I'd buy one. Like others, I prefer the 3913/14 design.

As 18DAI says, this undermines the claim that S&W can't make a metal frame hand gun at a competitive price.

I have no plans to replace my 3913 with one, but if it streets at around $350 or so, I may have to try one out.
 
Guess no one but me cares that it was based on the design of a man in a fairly elite group, someone who could sit down and have a beer with John Garand or John Browning and have a chat about firearm design.

The original is a fine weapon with exc...no, outstanding, handling characteristics. If anything could seduce me away from my MiniGlock, this may be it. Love to have a reliable, thin, easy to shoot 9 that points naturally.

And you missed my enthusiasm about maintaining the spirit of John Pedersen's design how???

I couldn't give a rat's buttocks caring about styling cues if the thing performs as well as the original.
 
Skiming is not reading, sorry about that. Glad to know I am not the only person who likes the design as opposed to the styling.

This may be my wife's gun come this spring. She needs a laser sight and the fact that it is inexpensive, has one already available and has minimal muzzle flip are all positives.
 
I'll be looking at a Bersa Thunder tomorrow with an eye towards using it as a pocket gun. Or, if my wife decides to start carrying, it could be her pocket(book) gun.

My son bought on in November and I was impressed with it when I test fired it.
 
First, I though S&W killed the 3913 along with the rest of their 3rd Gens years ago...

Secondly, I might be in the minority, but I find that ray gun looking thing so ugly it makes even a Glock look good.


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I'm still out on making any decisions, it kinda reminds me of a re-engineered PPK with the blowback and lock breech. Some say it has a lighter recoil spring. I can't imagine what it is like with 9mm+p ammo. Even with an aluminum frame I think it will take a beating on recoil, afraid to even think what it will be like when they consider the .40 S&W in it. I agree on the statement on bringing it out in .380.
 
I have always appreciated the styling of the PP and PPK. My only hesitation with them was the cartridge's lack of power. It's interesting that in the last few years the .380 has enjoyed a renewing of popularity. Perhaps we'll face bad guys who are easier to stop in today's 'kinder & gentler' society?

Anyhow, I like the looks of the R51. Now; I have spent my time crawling around in the weeds looking for 9mm brass. My interest is in the .40 S&W flavor. My only concern is over the persnickety nature of the .40 cart. It may have changed but at one time there was concern over the fact many pistols had an open area of their firing chamber and the unsupported portion of the .40 casing wall tended to bulge, indicating it could burst there. Perhaps a few did, causing injury to the shooters. Reloading was actually discouraged at one time because the "safe" power range was very restricted, with warnings about the possibility of a KaBoom at both ends of that range. This would not apply to the 9mm.

If the R51 opens the breech a tad bit in the early part of the firing cycle does that mean the whole base of the casing is unsupported while still under high pressure? That'd be my only reservation based on what I have seen up to this point. Since reading about people getting on the Wait List for 9mm models, I will check the local dealer about getting on a list for the .40 and see where we go from there.
 
I have always appreciated the styling of the PP and PPK. My only hesitation with them was the cartridge's lack of power. It's interesting that in the last few years the .380 has enjoyed a renewing of popularity. Perhaps we'll face bad guys who are easier to stop in today's 'kinder & gentler' society?

There are any number of posts on this forum about advances in 9mm ammunition lethality, including why some agencies are thinking of going back to it. Is there any reason to think that similar advances haven't and won't be made in .380?

My son is a pretty well built guy, but he doesn't like the recoil of 9mm. I'd rather have him carry a .380 that he can hit his target with than a 9mm that he can't.
 
There are any number of posts on this forum about advances in 9mm ammunition lethality, including why some agencies are thinking of going back to it. Is there any reason to think that similar advances haven't and won't be made in .380?

My son is a pretty well built guy, but he doesn't like the recoil of 9mm. I'd rather have him carry a .380 that he can hit his target with than a 9mm that he can't.

Sure, good for him. Some folks find the .32 H&R Magnum in a J Frame gives six shots of stopping power they need while still having a grip they can get their hands around. That round's effectiveness surprised me since my only experience with .32s were the ancient S&W Long revolver loads which seem so weak they lead to carelessness.

I personally feel quite uncomfortable with low powered rounds and am surprised you challenged me on that very general comment. My usual carry these days are a 640-1 loaded with .38s, or a Colt Officers Model .45 ACP. In previous years it was an M-29 which my son now has. I am big enough to comfortably handle and carry a larger weapon, so they are my preference. The only reason for carrying a .38 is the environment isn't always conducive to the more powerful weapon.

Because ammunition manufacturers must hold pressure to levels which are safe for older firearms, and because of the straight blowback action most .380s use it seems unlikely the cart's power can be increased very much and still be safe to fire in older guns. The .38 ACP/.38 Super evolution is a good example. The results with that exercise were similar to loading a batch of .38 Spl rounds up to .357 Magnum pressure and firing them through a prewar .38 Spl revolver: Rather messy.

However, as you note, recent years have seen some really amazing improvements in bullet design, greatly improving existing ammunition's effectiveness. There is no argument with anyone carrying and shooting the combination of firearm and ammunition which works the very best for him or her.
 
So since Remington is resurrecting the Model 51, when do you guys think Colt will reintroduce a new slightly beefed up version of the M-1903/1908 pocket autos and then Smith and Wesson with their .35 pocket autos? I was just thinking to myself the other day why no one has tried updating the Remington and then this post pops up. So any day now we will have our flying cars like in the Jetsons!
 
I've got to go into my ffl and do another transfer. Been reading about this one and going to tell them I'm interested in beta testing the R51 and to order me one as soon as they're able. At $389 msrp, I'll likely pay sub 350 and if the fiancee doesn't claim it as hers, I'll run it through its paces and see if it unseats any carry horses in the stable.
 
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