I picked up a finish worn but apparently solid Model 51 in 380 caliber. I finally got enough ammo to take it and my Femaru Model 37 in the same caliber out to play. I’m somewhat familiar with the latter, but know virtually nothing about the former except that Gen George Patton sometimes carried one as a backup.
I started this thread to solicit comments about anyone’s experience with the Remington but would also welcome hearing about your Femaru experiences as well
TIA ~ Froggie
"It aint easy being green!"
.
I had a pristine .380 Remington 51, which I carried & shot (light practice) for several years.
It was an excellent, all-steel, pocket gun that was a LOT less snappy to shoot then polymer frame .380's I had (Ruger LCP, KelTec, etc)
I only sold it because I needed the $$ to fund a purchase of my personal holy grail - A .380 Browning Model 1955 (below)
l
Now I lay me down to sleep
A gun beside me is what I keep
If I awake, and you're inside
The coroner's van is your next ride
I've held one in a gun store. It did seem to be a well made little-ish pocket gun, but it pointed wrong for me to use as a carry gun. That plus the $700 on the tag had me handing it back to the owner.
The 1903 and 1908 Colt Pocket Hammerless models in .32 and .380 ACP point better for me.
Real world, if it works for you it is probably a decent gun to have fun with. Neither the Remington nor the aforementioned Colts are exactly easy to disassemble for cleaning, there have been a lot of advances in the past century.
I wouldn't say no if one were given to me.
Robert
Well, to keep things going, the Remington kinda reminds me (in profile at least) of a squirt gun. My only previous 380 experience was with the relatively massive for caliber High Standard G-380. It was almost as big as a full sized European 9mm. The Remington does feel appropriate in size for a 380. Does anyone have enough experience with or research on it to comment on its durability as a shooter?
As for the little Femaru, it's a handy size for a pocket pistol, yet being all steel still has the heft to make it appropriate to use with the 380. IMHO however, the lack of a mechanical thumb safety or decocker is something of a deal breaker. Of course the Nazi version of it made during occupation had the safety. Unfortunately, it came in the "lesser" 32 ACP only and the Nazi/Waffenamt marking command an unreasonable premium. I even thought about getting one of each and making a Nazi style 380, but then sanity returned when I considered the cost of that project!
Froggie
"It aint easy being green!"
Oh Geez, I didn't realize you were such a neophyte with .380's. Since you already have some it is probably way too late to recommend running.
In my experience, .380 ACP pistols multiply at least as fast as the various .32's; maybe even as much as .22 rifles. They sure are fun though.
Robert
Thanks for the (belated) warning Robert, but my love-hate relationship with the 380 dates back nearly 40 years with that High Standard. I thought I was fixed with a “token” 380 in the Femaru, even with its shortcomings. The old Remmie just sort of fell in my lap when a friend from church offered it to me at I price I couldn’t refuse. Unless it proves to be stellar though, I don’t think it will be here long. Generally speaking, my taste in auto pistols has a sort of gap between 22 and 9mm. I’m not sure I can justify filling another pistol slot in my safe with another 380.
What I need to convince me to keep it is to hear from one or more shooters with strong love for the Model 51. I just can’t seem to find that much to recommend it. Isn’t anyone out there going to step up and sing the praises of this old soldier?
Froggie
"It aint easy being green!"
No help from me on the 380 version but I picked up a 32 some years back. It is in a conservative 97%ish condition (almost no wear on the bluing and the rest is just about perfect). I had to disassemble it for cleaning and that was interesting. Neat that there are no screws. I fired one magazine through it and it's been in the safe since. Found out later that my next door neighbor sold it to the shop along with a 32 Colt that was in similar condition. I try not to think about that as I could have bought both for what I paid for the 51...
I've been looking for one for a while, I got the urge a few years ago while shooting one that belonged to my brother's minister. I really liked the feel of the gun--pointed much more naturally for me than my PPK/s or my Browning 1955. The only thing I was not to het up about was the safety, which reminds me of the one on the 1907 Savage pistols. It is a bit awkward to reach with the thumb. However, it is my understanding that the real safety on the gun is the grip safety, and the expectation was that persons expecting trouble would carry the gun off-safe, relying on the grip safety to prevent unwanted loud noises. The one I shot seemed fairly accurate, but at 7 yards, just about anything is pretty accurate. Spare mags are few and far between.
_________________________________________________It's not that I can't spell: it is that I can't type.
Rintinglen, I don’t suppose you’re coming down to the Fishersville Gun Show next Saturday, are you?
Froggie
"It aint easy being green!"
Have one that's been in the family since new (1923 vintage). I've shot it a few times and it's a good shooter. If you have big hands the slide can take a chunk out of them. No problem for me though. Nice little gun but I don't shoot it much. Too many others that shoot just as well.
No, I hadn't planned on it, where is Fishersville in relation to Charlottesville? I went to the Nation's Gun Show last week end.Originally Posted by Green Frog
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The Fishersville Gun Show is about 20 miles West of Charlottesville, right beside I-64. (Almost up to where I-64 hits I-81.) I think it’s at exit 94. It’s a nice little show held in a county fairground building, and I see some of the smaller vendors that don’t make it up to Chantilly or over to Richmond. Probably 400 tables +/-. I plan to be there Saturday morning. Send me a PM if you’d like further info.
Froggie
"It aint easy being green!"
Will do--I think I went there once before!
_________________________________________________It's not that I can't spell: it is that I can't type.
Well, A Remington 51 was the first semi-auto pistol I ever shot,, as a very young boy. My Dad had one. I admired that little gun a lot. Sadly,, it was stolen many decades ago,, and as far as I know,, no real records exist as to the serial number etc. Out there,, somewhere,, is my Dad's pistol,, and I wish it was still in the family.
I seem to remember there is a serial # range as to when they were built but not necessarily which of the 2 calibers. I seem to remember also that there were more 380's than 32's (but could easily have that backwards).
Pretty little things and built so well from a time long past.
I’m getting the idea that the Model 51 has a lot of nostalgic attraction, but that not many are carrying/using them these days. Is that a pretty accurate observation? I guess it’s too hard to compete with the current crop of plastic guns... more’s the pity!
Froggie
"It aint easy being green!"
The real deal is that Remington only made about 64,000 of them between 1919 and 1927, about 12,000 in 32 Acp and the rest 380's. They continued to sell them from stock until the early 30's. Although they are supposed to be lighter recoiling than their competitors of the day, I can't say that there is all that much difference. They do point wonderfully well in the hand. They are a bit (ok, a lot) tricky to take down, especially compared to the turn-barrel, Browning designs, and they lack a rampant pony on the slide.
Spare parts and especially original spare mags are hard to come by, and many folk nowadays want a reload or two at hand for their carry guns. Triple K makes repro magazines from time to time for 380 only, but my experiences w/ their products have been less than uniformly joyous. YMMV
I have one of the new, 9mm, M-51's that occasionally goes with me and I have a couple of spares magazines, but there are plenty of micro 9's out there now that are smaller and more powerful than the old 380, while the micro 380's are half the weight and smaller. And the new guns have parts readily available.
If I seem to be harping on spare parts, it is because I just had to replace a firing pin on a Star Modelo Super. Finding parts for older firearms can be lengthy process, though the internet is a fabulous resource.
Last edited by rintinglen; 11-29-2021 at 12:41 PM.
_________________________________________________It's not that I can't spell: it is that I can't type.
Other than having read about them in the mid 80's, I wouldn't have known they existed. Of course after reading about them I had to have one and that took about 20 more years. Never thought I'd find one in such shape in a small town pawn shop.
At a small gun shop a town over, the owner had one in 32 still with the box that looked (and knowing him probably was) new. His stuff really wasn't for sale and his prices on guns reflected this.
I'd bet the one I bought hadn't been disassembled in a long long time. I was younger and not as conservative in my abilities when I took mine apart. I was able to do it without too much trouble, but see no need to disassemble it now. It probably won't be shot and wonder what will come of it after I'm gone. My son will probably stick it on his dashboard until it falls onto the floorboard of his truck and be lost....
Actually, 64,000 of a specialized model like this is probably a pretty good number. The main parts likely to wear out and need replacement are springs, which I believe are available new from Wolfe(?) As my rintinfriend stated, magazines are probably the main limiting factor (except of course ammo these days!) and with proper care, they should last a long time.
I wonder how much more common the Colt “Model M” which was pretty much a contemporary might be. As with so many guns, the Colt version seem to get all the props. Are the small Colts that much better or more accurate, or durable, than their Remington competitors?
I guess it was good I opened this discussion, if for no other reason than to bring out facts about a gun that has been “off the radar” for a lot of our forum members. Remember, “Knowledge is power!”
Froggie
"It aint easy being green!"
Another part that is hard/nearly impossible to find is the moving part of the breech block. They are prone to crack due to the extensive milling on them. A cracked one is why I was able to buy my 51 very inexpensively about 40 years ago. It was very difficult to come up with a replacement part, even that long ago. Might be easier now with the internet, but I'm betting it'll still be really hard to come up with one.
I like the gun, it points very well and I can shoot pretty well with it, using cast. I use Lee's 380 mold, tumble lube with JPW and beeswax, with red dot powder.
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