After Remington’s failure to swiftly step up and admit there were problems with the production R 51 pistols, the last thing you probably expected to see was a new pistol from that company. But here it is and I spent two days shooting this little pocket gun and dare I say, I was impressed. The R 51 is not dead, production was halted in North Carolina so it could be moved to Alabama. R 51s that work like the pre-production sample I was provided should be hitting the shelves soon. The new pistol, the REM 380 was born, bred, and built in Alabama and it looks to me like Remington got it right from the jump.
Beyond my experiences shooting this little pistol I’m confident in this statement because I know a guy named Daniel Cox. Daniel might be a suit – that’s hillbilly for someone with an important job with a big company – but Daniel is a shooter. In fact, Daniel out shot me on the Duck of Death at Gunsite one time. (Notice I said “one time.”) At any rate, the RM 380 was Daniel’s baby and Daniel don’t mess around. He knows his stuff and he knows what shooters expect from a pistol.
Check out the story behind the RM 380 over at North American Hunting Club. You can see the video by clicking HERE. And, then, watch my reliability test video at the bottom of this page. If you’re going to be in Nashville, TN at the NRA Annual Meetings, I suggest you drop by the Remington booth and give the RM 380 a look.
To read the full article, click the image below. Portions of the Empty Cases blog are syndicated at North American Hunter
Remington RM 380 Reliability Test Video
Before you watch this video there are a few things you need to know.
1. This was an impromptu test. While we were at Gunsite the instructors took a group of us over to the Urban Scrambler for the purpose of running some rounds through the RM 380 during a practical like exercise. When we arrived, I suggested – to the surprise of Remington officials in attendance – that we see what the pistol could handle under sustained fire. We rounded up all the ammo and I began shooting at a steel target at about 20 yards.
2. The trigger pull on this pistol weighs in at about eight pounds. That’s about right for a pocket pistol of this size that comes without a safety. (Thank the Gun Gods that it does not have one of those ridiculous Glock-like triggers.) At any rate, if you pull an eight pound trigger about 150 times in a hurry, it becomes difficult to do it any longer and still hit anything. (Afterwards, its hard to effectively pick your nose with that finger.)
3. On thing I wish I had addressed on the video was how comfortable this little pistol is to shoot. Yes, admittedly, my finger got tired but my hand was not sore. Daniel Cox and his team at Remington did an excellent job designing this pistol’s grip. Unlike some ultra-compact 380s, the RM 380 is very pleasant to shoot.
4. On the funny side, I thought I could shoot faster than my associates could load but they teamed up on me with four loaders and 10 magazines. My trigger finger gave out before their thumbs did.
