quote:

Originally posted by soggy_spinout:
The only good that came out of the R51 debacle is that its failure contributed to the dismantling of Freedom Group. However its successor, Remington Outdoor Company, hasn't exactly had a string of resounding success stories. The R1 has been a sales dud, though after shooting one I don't think that it's anything close to being the disaster that too many Youtubers slapped on its flanks. And too often we send newly made and sold 870s back for service on behalf of their irate owners.

As for any personal experiences with the R51: I've yet to shoot the Gen 2 and since we don't sell them have no reason, curiosity or desire to do so. But several years ago I did get a chance to TRY to get a Gen 1 to work before our shop sent it back to Remington on behalf of one of our customers. It didn't work (extraction failures, double feeds), and that customer got his money back from Remington instead of accepting a straight-across swap for the R1 1911. Frankly I hadn't seen a Gen 2 in over a year until one of our regulars transferred one in before Thanksgiving.

This customer has a penchant for cheap and crappy guns (sometimes mutually exclusive, other times not so much), and some internet retailer was offering the Gen 2 R51 dirt cheap. Exactly in his wheelhouse. His subsequent range report wasn't exactly the most confidence inspiring though its overall performance sounded more promising than what the Gen 1 was ever capable of. According to him, his jammed on the first round of its first magazine but then proceeded to fire without further heartache the remaining 99 rounds put through the gun that day. He labeled it a success and will probably never shoot the thing again, as he's off looking for the next cheapo gun to buy.