The full text of Remington’s announcement is as follows:
“Earlier this year, we launched the innovative R51 subcompact pistol to critical acclaim. During testing, numerous experts found the pistol to function flawlessly. In fact, they found it to have lower felt recoil, lower muzzle rise and better accuracy and concealability than other products in its class.
However, after initial commercial sales, our loyal customers notified us that some R51 pistols had performance issues. We immediately ceased production to re-test the product. While we determined the pistols were safe, certain units did not meet Remington’s performance criteria. The performance problems resulted from complications during our transition from prototype to mass production. These problems have been identified and solutions are being implemented, with an expected production restart in October.
Anyone who purchased an R51 may return it and receive a new R51 pistol, along with two additional magazines and a custom Pelican case, by calling Remington at (800) 243-9700.
via Breaking: Remington R51 9 mm Pistol Update – American Rifleman Mobile.
It had to happen. Remington was catching a boatload of crap for being too slow and not necessarily because they came out with a gun that was not reliable as that will happen to any gun company.
I hope there has been a serious shake up within Remington as people are complaining not about theR51 but many of their other guns plus they are also recalling their two models of their most popular rifles.
Time to step up.
This is STILL not the mea culpa that’s owed. The three R51s I handled at the NRA Annual Meeting were utter crap, as previously described here at Miguel’s blog. Not just not quite perfect. Not just off a little bit. Not just needing some tweaking and polish. Utter. Crap.
–Andrew, @LawSelfDefense
Cross posting to GBBL, thanks!
I’m looking forward to the new R51 partially because it really reminds me of the Vektor CP1 (yep, I still have mine!). I was going to get one and then the bad reviews started hitting. So happy that I waited. I’m glad Remington is stepping up and is trying to make things right.
I’m 3 months in to the recall process on my 700. I used to be a huge Remington fan, but I’m pretty much through.
I saw the R51 and thought, “Way cool, gotta have one!” Then I remembered waiting three months to get my XD-S back and thought that maybe letting them work the bugs out first would be a good idea. Turns out I was right for once.
It is a complete falsehood that Remington has “owned up” to the problem. In fact, they did everything linguistically possible in their carefully crafted, 170 word statement to AVOID owning up to anything. They state “some” R51 had issues – seems to me that they almost ALL do. The state the gun is “safe” but it is not for several reasons, the least of which is that a gun oriented for self defense that is horribly unreliable is not safe by any stretch of the imagination. (and this is without getting into the signs of pressure issues in the gun and documented out of battery discharges) They offer to “replace” anyone’s R51 – no questions asked. That is a recall in my vocabulary. The stated out their “update” as a marketing sales pitch – with more than 60 words of the entire statements 171 being POSITIVE marketing BS that heaps accolades on the R51 and admits nothing – not the opposite.
I think the best barometer as to whether Remington can adequately clean this horrific mess up is how they communicate with their customers – and its not starting off good. Many of the faulty R51s were already on the way back to Remington in MARCH. That would make it 4 months since the issue came to their attention – although I have no idea how the guns could have even made it out the door. By the time the expected “production restart” starts in October (and they didn’t say whether that was the 1st of October or the 31st) is it likely that anyone who’s been out a working gun will have one in hand in less than 7-9 months when considering shipping, etc? The compensation to the purchasers is a plastic box to replace the cardboard one that Remington shipping the gun in to begin with is Remington “making things right?” I don’t think so…
Bought one early on. Found it to jam, unable to rack, with out the use of a table leg or something . It puffed out the primets and bulged out the casings. Most of the time couldn’t even get through a magazine without some kind of problem. Now i’ve been waiting for my new gun seems like for ever now, hope it comes soon. On the plus side the gun shot smoothly and came back to battery with lighting speed. Never had a gun that shot like that before
Hope the new pistol shoots as smoothly.
I find the gun intriguing… one moment is cool looking and the next is like a PPK. I hope they get the problems fixed, I wanna try it
i sent 1 of mine [i have 2] for the recall in july/aug? . got an offer to recieve a R1 [45] in stead my R51 back as promiced when I sent it in,because of washington st’s thirst for tax for $$, I would have to pay tax on any gun [except my R51 that I sent in for repair]..It is march 2015 and nothing ???? RWW.
Weall, now April 13 and nothing from remington. Really don’t know what to think, maybe if they would send me the money I paid for it and I could order the new/remade ?? One when and/if they do…I am not getting any younger (81), and like get this done.,RWW
I sent my R51 to Remington on Oct 2, 2014.. It’s now Nov 23, 2015 and I just got off the phone with another disappointing “we have no date for shipment” response. YES, they offered me a 1911 to replace it.. Yes, they offered to refund my purchase price.. I still want an R51 and want to see it succeed.. If I had it to do over, I’d still have it and waited to return until they were actually being shipped (I had zero problems with it.. ok.. maybe 2 jams in a dozen boxes of ammo.).. It was difficult to chamber and I could handle that, but my wife (main purpose for the purchase) had a problem.. Replace with a couple extra clips and a Pelican case.? SURE.. I’ll go for that.. Isn’t a year and a half a little long to wait.? How many were sent back.? Would “everyone” calling speed things up, or have they just put us on the back burner because no one’s fussing..? Waiting, less patiently every day..
I sent one (l have 2 ) in july 2014 , have not heard anything from the factory , other offering an R1 45, I want the R51, got 45s.
I got it when it came out that’s over a year ago I don’t have time to wate for a new one I will contact Remington and see if I can get a 1911 in 45cal