Remington R-51 Post Range Initial Thoughts

I am sure many of you saw the video I posted with my concerns with the Remington R-51 that was sent to me for review, since that video I have been able to get the gun out to the range and wanted to write down some thoughts.

The fit of the gun in your hand is actually pretty decent, but there were a few issues that I had with it. The first few shots I made with it I felt like I was getting slide bite, but I checked my hand placement and there was plenty off room for the side to function and not catch the meat of my hand. After a few more rounds I realized what it was that kept biting my hand, it wasn't the slide. Instead it was the palm swell safety (grip safety) that was pinching my hand after every shot. Being that the small gun is so snappy in 9mm it causes your hand to move a bit and get pinched when the safety is depressed again. No matter what I tried I couldn't figure out a way to change my grip to alleviate this problem, which made it very unpleasant to shoot without gloves on.

Like I said above the gun is unbelievably snappy, there are other sub compact 9mm's that I have shot that had some snap to them but not like this one. Despite being snappy it was easy to keep on target, and the sights were very easy to use. The magazines both dropped freely from the gun, and it achieved slide lock every time a mag was empty. The trigger isn't terrible, but the reset isn't tactile, meaning you can't feel or hear it and you really have to take your finger completely off the trigger for it to reset. The trigger pull is smooth and consistent.

Another issue that I had was the slide became very stiff and hard to rack after achieving slide lock and inserting another mag. It wasn't impossible to do it, but it did require a little extra effort. What I found weird was this began after 6 mags (under 50 rounds) had been run through the gun, but it felt and looked like there was a thousand rounds worth of grime inside the gun. The gun continued to run for the rest of the time I shot it, which ended up being around 100 rounds total. There was only one malfunction and that was a failure to load, but I am unsure wether it was the shooter's grip or the gun since there weren't any other issues like it.

If you look close at the barrel and sleeve above you can see the scratches in them, they are pretty deep too. I noticed these when I was taking the gun apart to give it a cleaning since it apparently runs very dirty compared to some of my other guns. I am not sure if this is due to poor machining, poor fitment, or if this is just normal "wear" on the parts, but it is something I am surprised to see after only 100 rounds. 

The sleeve has scratches like this all the way around it, and if you look at the picture of the barrel below you can tell where the sleeve and spring had been jumping around on it. Granted there is a lot of force and stress on guns, but when they are machined and fitted properly they don't show hard wear as fast as I am seeing with this gun.

I plan on running the gun out to the range one more time before sending it back to Remington, but at this point I can't recommend this gun to someone. There are just too many smaller issues that will more than likely become bigger issues down the road. While I really wanted to like this gun, I am not a fan of how snappy it is with recoil or the fact that the grip safety pinches my hand after each shot. If Remington fixes the issues and improves the gun I will be all for getting my hands on the next generation and giving it a go, if they fix the issues.

Make sure to check back for the range video soon, I will make sure to go give a visual of the issues I have talked about in this post on the video. 

The Evolution of my EDC

When I first started carrying concealed my EDC left a lot to be desired, it literally consisted of a gun and a holster. Sure I carried a pocket knife but it wasn't the best for EDC. I had never really taken the time to plan out what should be carried in my EDC, I just tossed a gun and knife on and thought I was good to go. 

However as time has gone by I have put more thought into what I should have on me at any given time. What I am allowed to carry at work is completely different than what I carry outside of work, and this is something everyone should take into consideration. 

On a typical day at work or outside of work there are 2 main things that you can find on my person. The first is a knife, something that is both useful for self defense as well as utility work. Which this recently has become the Boker Coye Ridgeback or the QTRMSTR B.A. Baracas, both are sturdy blades which are easy to quickly deploy. I have spent a decent amount of time with both of these knives figuring out which ways I can deploy them best and where on my body they conceal best while remaining easily accessible. 

The second item you will find is the Olight M10 Maverick flashlight that I recently purchased. For awhile I was carrying a flashlight that was given to me by my dad, and while it was a decent flashlight the size of it made it hard to carry in a pocket. The Olight M10 is small, lightweight, and has a pocket clip that keeps it readily accessible. 

At first I didn't carry a flashlight because my phone has one, however as I have read and studied more on self defense I realized that my phone would really only be useful to make an emergency call. Having a pocket flashlight that has a very bright light comes in handy in many different situations, from finding something I dropped outside, to clearing my house. It is important to have a light that you can trust and I have found the Olight to fit the bill for me.

Outside of work I carry my gun, lately I have switched between the Glock 19 and Glock 42 (which is in a very long review run). The 19 is being carried appendix in an Alpha Concealment Appendix IWB holster which is minimalistic and very comfortable. The 42 currently does not have a Kydex holster, instead it is being run in a DeSantis SofTuk holster while it waits on the PHLster holster that I recently ordered for it. 

When I first began carrying I didn't carry an extra magazine for the 19 because I figured since it holds 15 rounds that would be enough. However that mindset also changed as I studied more on self defense and also took the CFS class, what I have learned taught me that I should carry one or two spare magazines with me for the worst case scenario. Once spare magazines are available for the Glock 42 I will be picking up a few more to carry with me.

Some of the other items that have found their way into my EDC are the Bastion LLC battery back up, iPhone charging cable, and a small kit of bandages plus a few other small medical items. 

One of the biggest reasons I have decided to add the battery back up to my EDC is because my phone tends to drain it's battery about as fast as it charges sometimes. I would have loved it if I had the backup during SHOT Show when I was using my phone to take pictures, post updates, and text/call the people I was trying to meet up with and around noon my fully charged battery was down to 30%. I could only imagine how much it would suck if I was somewhere without phone access and my phone died, leaving me unable to use it in an emergency.

While this is not a comprehensive list of items that should be in an EDC kit, it is a list of the items that I have found to work best for me, and as I explained I have added items as time goes on. The most important thing is to know which items you will personally need, and have trained with. Also never forget that an EDC kit does not replace important things like situational awareness and common sense. While the goal is to be prepared for something bad, it is best to remain aware and keep yourself out of bad situations.

One more very important thing that I have learned, and I know it is something that is stressed over and over. Train with what you carry, wether you are training with your knife, stun gun, pepper spray, or firearm. Your skill is perishable, muscle memory will fade, and familiarity with an item will too. 

I am sure that my EDC will evolve more as time goes on, and I receive more training; but at this point I am comfortable in knowing that the items that I currently carry are items that I could use in a bad situation to give me an advantage and a chance to live.

Pre Range Thoughts: Glock 42

As many of you know I was like many others when Glock announced they would be releasing a new sub compact handgun, there had been hopes that they would release it in 9mm at first and then over time add .40 and .45 to the mix. Instead Glock released the 42 in .380ACP, and at first everyone was against the idea that it should be released in this caliber. I didn't totally agree with the fact that it was going to be a .380ACP, partly because it is a harder round to find as of late and when I had seen it in stock it was priced higher than the 9mm.

When we headed to the Media Day at the Range during SHOT Show I was still very skeptical of the 42. I knew that it being a Glock it would function like a Glock and there should be no issue there, but there was just that question of why make it in .380? Once at the Glock booth I took a few moments to take a good look at the 41 and 42, they both looked good but I was still on the fence. I watched a few other people head up to the table to shoot them, and each time the person shooting would look a bit surprised with a few of them looking unimpressed. It seemed like for the most part everyone enjoyed both of the new Glocks.

When it was finally our turn to head up and shoot them I was looking forward to handling both of the guns. The first one I picked up to fire was the 42, and my first impression was "this thing is tiny" but it was also surprisingly comfortable in my hand for a .380ACP. There have been a few other pocket pistols that I have owned and every single one of them that was a .380 ended up being sold about 2 range trips in due to various reasons (crappy trigger, uncomfortable, too small, etc..) but the Glock 42 was different. Shooting with the 42 was completely different than what I was used to with any of the other sub compact .380ACP's but it was only for 5 rounds since that was all they gave us, and while I was very happy with the way it shot...it was only 5 rounds.....but they were enough to convince me that I wanted to pick one up for more range time with it.

So I went ahead and asked my FFL to set one aside for me so I could pick it up and run as much ammo through it as I possibly can and see just how much I really do like this new baby Glock. When I picked it up this past weekend I had forgotten just how small it is, but even though it is small it is still very easy to hold. The biggest surprise (which isn't really a surprise) was the fact that when I tossed it into the Tuff Products adjustable holster and carried it, it disappeared in concealment. It was almost impossible to tell that I was carrying it, and it was very comfortable to wear the rest of the day.

When I got it home I set it next to my 19 that I carry all the time (except at work) and did some size comparison so I could put the pictures up here. It is surprising how small the gun, while at the same time being comfortable to hold (and in my limited experience, shoot). I am looking forward to running hundreds of rounds through the gun and seeing just how Glock it actually is.

Make sure to join the emailing list so you can receive updates on the Glock 42, also follow me on Instagram for more pictures @Spartan_TC