We recently posted a review of the R51 9mm pistol. Remington’s new concealed carry gun was one of the most anticipated guns coming out of the SHOT Show this year. Remington was kind enough to send us two for testing and evaluation. Unfortunately, the gun tends to pound the shooter’s hand, making practice less likely. It’s also all-too-easy to re-assemble the R51 incorrectly. An incorrectly assembled R51 will not function properly. The slide lock may lock back before all the rounds in the magazine are fired. We stand by these findings. But we have responded to reader feedback with some changes to the review . . .
In the original version of the review, Nick stated that the R51 tames the snappiness of +P ammunition. Some readers wondered how that squared with his assertion that the gun was uncomfortable to shoot. While the R51 does a good job of making +P ammunition feel no more snappy than regular pressure ammo, shooting normal ammunition is an uncomfortable experience. Nick has updated that paragraph to clarify this point.
The review’s original opening paragraph pointed out that TTAG wasn’t included in Remington’s intro of the R51 to some members of the gun press. A number of readers considered the negative aspects of the review retaliation for being snubbed. Not so. Nick went into the review process with an open mind. His findings were extensively researched and duplicated on both guns provided by Remington. It’s also important to note that Nick has positively reviewed Remington’s products in the past, and owns some Remington models as well as those of its subsidiaries.
Following the release of the review we offered Remington the opportunity to dispute any facts presented and/or write a rebuttal (which we would publish without editing). They haven’t responded. Prior to publication, we contacted Big Green about the assembly problem. They said they’d seen the same issues in testing that we saw in their production guns. They admitted that consulting the manual for re-assembly is critical for assuring a fully-functional firearm.
All of the writers and editors at The Truth About Guns understand that the firearms we review may be used in life-or-death self defense situations. We also appreciate the over-arching importance of firearms safety and our readers’ financial limitations. We would never allow our relationship with any gun manufacturer – whether positive or negative – to influence our findings or opinions to compromise your safety or waste your hard-earned money.
Thanks for reading and your feedback. Both are very much appreciated.