There's this too: http://anarchangel.blogspot.com/2016/08/remington-reliability-and-r51.htm. Same conclusion, basically.
I hadn't seen that one, so thanks for pointing it out. I don't think it takes a hotshot engineer to figure out that the mechanism is too dependent on fine tuning and fine production... I guess the older ones had better production practices and different cartridges.
There's nothing wrong with delayed blowback if it is designed for a specific cartridge and power level. The roller locks on that rapid-firing German machine gun (the model escapes me) worked pretty well, I am told, but it was for a very high powered specific single cartridge, and in a rather heavy firearm.
Compare that to the R51, which is a light handgun (again, therefore sensitive to hold*) with a ticklish action concept, and in which cartridge (9mm) power, and bullet weight varied widely. Too much to expect, and once again, it doesn't take a hotshot engineer to see that.
You might be thinking of the Pederson toggle lock rifles.
Yeah, probably. I'll have to dig around in my references when I get around to it to check. 77 year old memory, doncha know.
You want a gun just for "pretty," see if you can find a Whitney Wolverine.
Cut yer losses, Remington, both in money and reputation, pull them all back, deduct the losses from corp tax, and move on.
Terry, 230RN
* Yes, despite disclaimers to the contrary, guns do start to recoil before the bullet exits. Sometimes it's hard to measure or detect with a heavy gun, but they do.