Remington adding Carry Model 1911 R1

Remington is continuing to expand their series of R1 1911s with the new Carry Model 1911 R1. This satin black 1911 has been polished and de-horned for a completely snag-free exterior. But we can’t help but think that “Carry” is more about style than function with this good-looking but full-size 1911. 

The Carry Model 1911 R1 is no pocket pistol. It’s 100 percent 1911, with a full-length slide, 5-inch barrel and all-steel frame. It’s not one ounce lighter than the standard Model 1911 R1 and weighs a stout 2.4 pounds unloaded. The Carry comes with one flush-fitting 7-round mag and one extended 8-round mag. 

If you’re looking for a compact, lightweight 1911 for concealed-carry, this is not it, unless you practice yes I have a concealed-carry permit and I don’t care if I print carry. This is for out loud and proud open-carry, for please ask me about my beautiful 1911, it’s very nice carry. We can also see this on the belts of law enforcement officers who also happen to be shooters looking for something a little classier than that Glock or M&P that everyone else has hanging off their hip. 

This gun has many features you want in a 1911 for everyday-carry.  It has an ambidextrous safety, an extended beavertail safety with a memory button, a medium-long skeletonized trigger, an “enhanced” hammer, deeply-25 line-per-inch checkered front- and backstraps, enlarged slide serrations and above all, modern sights. The Carry comes factory with Novak sights, with a tritium lamp inserted in the front post. 

The Carry has other nice touches that you would expect for any premium 1911, including a match-grade barrel with a target crown, the grip panels are Cocobolo, and the ejection port is lowered and flared. Remington rates the trigger pull between 3.5 and 5 pounds, with four being common for most of these guns. 

Now the price: $1,300. That’s the MSRP, so we expect to see these in stores at closer to $1,000. This isn’t terribly expensive, either, as these R1s are made to a standard usually reserved for custom and boutique 1911s costing much, much more. While they are mass-produced, their made to as tight as possible tolerances while still leaving room for lube. 

The Carry Model 1911 R1 fills a gap in Remington’s lineup nicely. With the standard R1 they’ve got a fairly traditional 1911 approaching USGI. Their Enhanced model goes the opposite direction; it’s competition-ready with its bright fiber-optic sights and synthetic grips. The Enhanced Threaded Barrel is as tactical as a 1911 can get without adding a rail. The Carry is a modernized, up-to-date 1911 without going overboard with in any of those three directions. 

We think this gun is going to get a lot of interest with more than just the open-carry crowd. This gun looks like it would do just as well at the range or next to the bed as it will on the belt. Even though it’s called the Carry, this is a classy all-purpose 1911.