R51 Magazines

[JRH6856]

Regarding mags and FRTB, a full mag is really tight and there is little room for compression of the rounds against the bottom of the breechblock when seating a fully loaded mag with the slide in battery. The manual says to insert the mag with the slide locked, then slingshot to chamber the round. That should put it onto battery if the round headspaces properly on the case mouth.

Topping off and reseating the mag requires extra attention to insure that it seats. Even then, it is binding on the breechblock and might inhibit cycling of the slide on the first shot. I know it is advertised as 7+1. but 6+1 is probably more realistic. It is the same problem that many have with flush fit 8 round mags in a 1911.

Just a thought

 

[barnbwt]

You have to remember the bolt camming down actually depresses the magazine slightly (I think), so I'll just bet some of the return to battery issues could be caused by binding followers or springs (I know my follower tries really hard to bind on round number 7; I initially thought I'd been scammed into 6 round mags by Remington )

TCB

 

[cfullgraf]

The few times that I have loaded my R51 7+1 it has fed the first round from the magazine without issue.

I try to remember to tap the back of the magazine to seat the cartridges to the back of magazine. When I have forgotten is when I may have some kind of feed issue with gun. But these have been few and far between these day with 300 or so rounds through the gun, about 1%-2%.

I will agree, 6+1 loading is probably a better idea though.

 

[shinerjohn]

I returned to the range today and ran 150 rounds (mostly Remington FMJ) through the R51. That is a total of just under 400 rounds. Function was much improved today. I have as many as 5 magazines in a row without any failure. The main failure I had was on the 6th round in each magazine. It would lock the action open with the cartridge nose up beyond the ejection port. A few times, the empty shell never was extracted and ejected. I feel sure that was the reason for the nose-up FTF. Overall, the R51 functioned more consistently than at any time in the past. The reduced recoil and muzzle flip plus the excellent accuracy, continue to give me joy.
I have noticed "some" improvement when I do not top off a 7 round mag. But not every time. Once I hit 500 rounds, I'll contact Remington if I continue to have issues. It is much better, but I can't accept 4 out of 10 mags malfunctioning.

 

[barnbwt]

And let's not kid ourselves; the magazines themselves aren't exactly top-drawer, either . When's an aftermarket maker gonna step up? I thought Rem kicked out test pistols all around (at least, that's what they said in their press reports, and yet non-pancake holsters, grips, and parts remain unseen )

TCB

 

[shinerjohn]

The magazine "may" be the only problem I am having at this point.

 

[JRH6856]

And let's not kid ourselves; the magazines themselves aren't exactly top-drawer, either . When's an aftermarket maker gonna step up? I thought Rem kicked out test pistols all around (at least, that's what they said in their press reports, and yet non-pancake holsters, grips, and parts remain unseen )

TCB

After-market accessories will not be available in quantity until the R51 sells in enough volume to create a profitable market. That may not happen until Remington gets its acto together. And that may not happen soon enough to overcome the negativity they already created.

BTW, the manual says (summarizing)

1. Lock slide back
2. Load mag with seven rounds and insert
3. Drop slide (slingshot)
4. The pistol is now fully loaded. (that's 6+1)

That might explain the first round issues, but not the last. Perhaps recoil is shifting the later rounds forward in the mag.

 

[JRH6856]

Looking at the frame, especially the mag well, it is overly large for 9mm. It seems like Remington is planningon using he same frame for larger calibers and it will perhaps evenhandle .45ACP.

To accommodate the 9mm, they designed a mag to find the well and resuce the internal dimensions of the mag using stamped folds in the sheet metal. At least, on the sides. On the front, there is no fold and they caution to tap the mag to seat the rounds at the rear. There is a lip at the top front that appears intended to guide longer cartridges to the rear of the mag but it hangs in hte cavity of hollowpoints. Perhaps a better solution would be a full length guide inside the mag to reduce the front to back interior dimension and eliminate the need for the front lip. This would require a smaller spring to fit the reduced space and a new follower as well.

This guide would probably need to be welded in place as trying to stamp the proper folds into the sheet metal would make the front of the mag look like an accordion (you really don't want the nose of he bullet riding on the point of a fold so it would require two folds that the bullet nose could ride between or a wider meplat could ride on.) Not to mention how they would interfere with the slots for the latch.