Gun Review: Remington R5. Gen 2. I was excited when Remington announced they were creating a redesigned Model 5. I was looking forward to seeing what Remington could do with the Pedersen Action concept, formerly lost to the mists of time. But the redesigned R5. Rather than consign the R5. Remington went back to the drawing board. At the same time, they addressed the quality control issues bedeviling the gun.
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There were good reasons not to abandon the design. John Pedersen created the original Remington Model 5. Instead of relying on a tilting barrel design to lock the action during the firing process, the Model 5. This allows the slide to start moving backwards (almost like a direct blowback gun) while keeping the case firmly seated in the chamber until the pressure drops to a safe level. The design creates less force for the recoil spring to soak up, which makes the R5. At least in theory.
Looking at the firearm’s exterior you can see where that Pedersen action comes in handy. A standard tilting barrel handgun needs a taller slide to accommodate the barrel, the recoil spring and guide rod — parts which need to stay aligned with the frame of the handgun to work properly.
Today’s R5. 1 has a fixed barrel surrounded by the recoil spring. The barrel becomes the guide rod, reducing the side’s height by a few millimeters. That’s a definite benefit for buyers looking for a slim and sleek concealed carry pistol. The original R5. 1’s sights were rudimentary at best. To make it easy to pull the handgun from a holster or pocket without snagging, the sights are rounded. But there’s still a ledge on the leading edge of the rear sight so you can rack the gun against your boot or belt.
Unlike its eighty- year- old predecessor, the new new R5. Remington has done away with the manual safety, relying solely on the grip version (and responsible gun handling). That’s more than enough — I never used the manual safety on my Model 5. Other notable differences: the R5. The original Model 5. The disassembly process remains the same as the previous iteration.
Note to those of who think a GLOCK is too complicated to strip and clean: the R5. The R5. 1 has more moving pieces than a Ted Cruz/JFK assassination conspiracy theory. Getting it right takes some practice. This is where the differences between this most recent R5. R5. 1 I tested in 2.
The first R5. 1 required the shooter to ensure that the slide stop was placed underneath the retaining spring in the frame of the handgun during reassembly. Get that step wrong and the gun would lock open with rounds remaining in the magazine.
I have deliberately tried to re- assemble the Gen 2 R5. It can’t be done. Remington either redesigned the assembly to be harder to screw up or corrected a machining issue that allowed incorrect re- assembly. Either way, result. Remington also seems to have improved its machining processes, especially when it comes to the barrel and slide assembly. Microsoft Word Corporate Seal Template. The previous model felt gritty and rough when racked, much like gliding sandpaper over rough metal. The new new R5. 1 isn’t perfect, but it’s much smoother and has less hesitation when the slide slams forward.
The magazine has also been improved. How To Install A Hard Wired Smoke Alarm. In the previous incarnation the mags were designed to be as unobtrusive as possible. The magazine’s buttplate sat flush with the edges of the mag well. The problem was that to properly seat the mag, the shooter had to pay extra attention to pressing it up the gun. Slam it home like most other guns and it might not stay.
The new mags’ extended floorplate stands slightly proud of the magazine well. Shooters can easily and firmly slam the mag home. We’re talking about an extension of only about 1/8th of an inch, but it makes a world of difference.
Out on the range I ran everything I could grab through the gun: hundreds of rounds of standard Winchester white box ball ammunition, a smattering of hollow point rounds, and a selection of +P ammo. I didn’t encounter a single mechanical failure.
Zero failures to feed, no issues with firing out- of- battery (as the previous model did), and no “locking back when still loaded” gremlins. In short, the new new R5. The R5. 1 is about as accurate you’d expect. I shot roughly two- inch groups with the gun last time around. Neither I nor the firearm have improved since then. The R5. 1 is good for “minute- of- bad- guy” accuracy, which is more than sufficient for the average self defense scenario. That said, I still have some issues with the gun.
The original Model 5. That let you know the trigger was ready to go again. The R5. 1 doesn’t have a discernible reset.
You have to let the trigger all the way out before pulling it again. Many gun owners (including this writer) “ride the reset.” They let out a handgun’s trigger just enough for it to reset it before firing again.
Anyone who uses this technique who carries an R5. Otherwise, they’ll find themselves “short stroking” the R5. The original Model 5. Much like the American public in the intervening years, the R5. Looking at the excess material around the barrel and the indentations in the magazine, it appears the modern R5. ACP and . 4. 0S& W no doubt.
That said, the excess material isn’t entirely a bad thing. The original Model 5.
In that sense, the new R5. And I’d love to see a . ACP version of this gun. One last item worthy of mention: Remington’s customer service.
When the first new R5. Remington initially denied the problems, despite plenty of evidence to the contrary. They eventually changed their tune, and made a solid effort to make their customers happy. Remington asked R5. R1 1. 91. 1 or get some extra goodies when R5.
Gen 2 version was ready. Remington sent R5. I’m pretty happy with that level of customer service. The Remington R5. I love the grip safety. It gives a level of peace of mind that my GLOCK 4.
The overall size, while larger than some, is good for a compact single stack 9mm handgun. It’s slim and short with rounded edges that ease everyday carry and make it quick to get into action. The R5. 1 isn’t exactly easy to clean.
And that trigger, with no reset and some side- to- side wobble isn’t what it could be. But for the price this is a good, reliable little gun. I’d love to see some aftermarket parts, specifically a threaded barrel (no Neilsen device needed!) and a better trigger option. But at this point the new new R5.
Specifications: Remington R5. Caliber: 9mm para, +P rated. Barrel Length: 3. Overall Length: 6. Width: 1 inch. Height: 4.
Weight: 2. 2 oz. Capacity: 7+1, ships with two 7- round magazines. MSRP: $4. 48 (street price about $3. Ratings (Out of Five Stars): Accuracy: * * * *Minute of bad guy. For a sub- compact $4.
Ergonomics: * * * * *Feels pretty great in the hand. It slides beautifully into a pocket or a holster, too. Ergonomics Firing: * *You’ll feel it when it goes bang, much like other compact handguns, and there’s no tactile trigger reset.
But +P ammunition isn’t much stiffer than standard 9mm range ammo, which is an interesting and welcome change of pace. Ease of Maintenance: * *I’d rather detail strip my 1.
It’s certainly not in Ruger Mark III territory, but it’s no fun to take apart and put back together. Reliability: * * * *Over the standard 5. Even after disassembling and re- assembling it on the firing line multiple times it continued to function flawlessly. I’d like to run a couple thousand more rounds before making a final judgement, but so far, so good. Customization: *There is exactly one holster available so far, but be patient. Given how hard Remington is marketing this thing there will be plenty of new gear available soon. Hopefully one of those options will be a replacement trigger.
Overall Rating: * * * *As- is, the gun works. It’s slim and feels good in the hand, and more than accurate enough (especially for the price point). Reliability is excellent. The R5. 1 is slightly larger than the G4. I’m knocking one star off for a) the lack of a trigger reset, and b) the difficulty in stripping the gun for cleaning. Otherwise it’s a nice piece of engineering.