Remington Mod. 81 (Circa 1940) .300 Savage?

[TDC]

I just acquired an unfired Remington Mod. 81 .300 Savage (Circa 1940s) from a relative. I'm thinking about shooting it. Does anyone have any experience with this rifle?

Any comments about it would be appreciated.....

Thanks!

[crazy mark]

Yep. I have one and not sure what year it is. I shoot the 311414 in mine as that boolit was designed for the 300 savage. With full power jacketed loads they do have a slight recoil to them. Lot of mass recoiling. I have the receiver site on mine and it shoots really nice and is a great deer killer. I have shot other cast boolits in it but the 414 is my favorite. Mark

[jh45gun]

Great rifle I wish I had one interesting that Remington went from the Model 8 and 81 which where darn fine rifles to the Model 740 and 742 that were great rifles IF they would have had a tougher receiver. There is no excuse for a rifle to last only 500 to 1000 rounds if that before the receiver wears out. I do not mean to hi jack your post I was just trying to make a point that those 8's and 81's were much better then the rifles that followed. I was just given a 742 that the receiver is about half good yet. I blocked the gas port and made it a straight pull action so it will not wear out and I can continue to shoot it. Some folks convert them to pumps but this was a lot cheaper method. Like a 25 cent set screw some time and a dremel tool. Congrats on your model 81 they are a cool rifle and very accurate I have a friend that has one in 300 savage and it shoots like a lazer with the factory open sights.

[TDC]

Thanks for the comments and boolit info, crazy mark and jh45gun.....

This Rem. 81 is such a strange looking rifle. The barrel is about the size of a 12 gauge. It's apparently enclosed in some kind of shroud and I think the whole barrel must move when it recoils and ejects a shell..

I have no idea what it might be worth to a collector. The stock has scratches in it from being moved around all these years but the bluing is still 100% and it has never been shot. I'll do some hunting with later it to check it out......

Anyone else have any thoughts or opinions I'd like to hear them..

[Bret4207]

A very popular gun where I grew up. Some were tack drivers, others...not so much. They have an odd recoil. The triggers aren't great, they weigh a ton, but they're dead reliable as far as I know. I prefer the Remington pumps of the day, but at a good price I'd take 8 or 81. The 300 is just as desirable as the 35. The Remington proprietary rounds- the 25, 30 and 32 Rem benefit from a lighter platform IMO.

[TDC]

Thanks Bret4207,

I researched this rifle a bit and found some interesting information. Apparently, it was the rifle of choice of the FBI during the early 30's. It was also a favorite of Poncho Villa's bodyguards and soldiers and there are many pictures showing them with this rifle, the Remington 8's and 81's..

I'll be checking it out further. It may have a better home in some collectors hands than mine.... The wood is scratched but since it has no checkering it could very easily be refinished to look like the original. The bluing is 100% and it's unfired. I don't imagine there are many around in this condition.....

[scb]

I've worked on a lot of these. They were very popular in this area. Most common problems were caused by owners disassembling past their ability to re-assemble. There are some "special" tool required to take the barrel assemble apart. This is a difficult area to clean and generally when taken apart is very badly rusted as water easily gets trapped inside. Should one take this apart, pay very close attention to how it goes back together. This can be more difficult than it sounds because it is all under spring tension. For some reason the bolts handles seem to be lost quite easily. The area most prone to wear (in my experience) are the bolt carriers. There is a very shallow, thin groove in the top of the bolt carrier that retains the extractor. I have seen dozens of these that have had the extractor break thru the top of the bolt carrier at this groove.

[TAWILDCATT]

another fact bonney and clyde know what happens when shot as the texas range had one and pumped both full.also it was the bases for the french chauchat
"chocho" of WW1 fame.also look at the safety it is father of the AK 47 safety.
I had one in 35 rem traded it for a win 95 in 35 win.

[TDC]

Interesting comments, guys....

I'm wondering if there are any collector organizations for this rifle? I'd hate to mess with it or shoot it if it might be of interest to someone. I'd just take it to the range to sight it in, drag it around in the woods for a hunt or two, then put it away in my gun cabinet, probably never to see the light of day again.... That would be a shame to do with a 70 year old gun if it has any true collector value....

Anyone have a line on a collector group?

[madsenshooter]

Just this one: http://thegreatmodel8.remingtonsociety.com/ I always thought I'd like to have one in either 300 Savage or 35 Rem. I think I even have an new old stock Stith scope mount for one, just haven't got the gun to go with it yet.

[Bret4207]

I think I recall one of the models could be loaded by a stripper clip. That sound right?

[oldhickory]

I think I recall one of the models could be loaded by a stripper clip. That sound right?

Yes, but they weren't quite as easy to load with the clip as with a military rifle, nowhere for your thumb to go but straight down.

[Bent Ramrod]

The 8 had a clip guide slot on top, for a special small clip for the proprietary Remington cartridges. The same clip for my .25 Rem Model 8 fits my Remington Model 30 in .30 Rem. A friend has a Model 81 in .300 Savage and one in .35 Remington, and those have the rudimentary beginnings of the clip slot, but they are not machined out enough to fit the clips. Sort of a vestigial organ, if you will.

John Henwood, 819 Linda Mar Blvd., Pacifica CA 94044 (415) 359-1719, is the author of The 8 and the 81, the definitive collector book on the models. They made something like 125,000 of them altogether, and collector interest is sort of where you find it. They generally are offered for $300- $475 or so at the shows around here, and do not exactly fly off the tables at those prices. A factory-engraved model or a police model with a detachable magazine would of course go for more, if the proper "serious collector" showed up.

As Bret says, the recoil is odd, kind of a two-part feint-and-jab. I don't mind it in my .25, but it gets a little disconcerting for many shots with a .300 or .35. On the other hand, the design drops the empty shells in a pile in front of my right foot, very well mannered for an autoloader. The trigger on mine is pretty good; the accuracy pretty mediocre, but good enough for the woods.

[TDC]

Thanks again for the replies, guys!

I spent some of the afternoon surfing the website madsenshooter mentioned. It was an interesting read with some history I hadn't known.

Apparently, 3 of these rifles were used the day law enforcement caught up with Bonnie and Clyde and caused their demise. I had always had the impression large drum Thompsons were used....

I think I'm going to keep this rifle for a while and give it a little hunting time just for "old times" sake. I think its designer, John Browning, would be proud....:drinks:

Terry

[rbuck351]

I have two model 8s one in 30 and one in 35. I shoot the rcbs 200 gr boolit from the 35 and on a good day I can hold 5 shots under 2" at 100yds. If your not familiar with them they are a take down rifle. Pull the forearm and you will find a lever/bolt that can be unscrewed and the barrel assy comes off. Very neat rifles and very effective in 35 or 300Sav although a little heavy. The barrel,which is inside the outer tube/ jacket, recoils back with the bolt. when the bolt/barrel is completely back the bolt head unlocks and a large spring between the barrel and jacket returns the barrel to the front. That releases the bolt which goes foward stripping and loading a fresh round. They are a tribute to the genius of John Browning but would probably cost a fortune to build today.

[texasnative46]

TDC,

I just found this thread & you're so lucky that if you fell down a "privy hole" that you'd find a 10 karat diamond.

Hoping that you are hunting with your GREAT rifle.

yours, tex

[Texas by God]

I have one made in 1950 in .300 Savage. A slip on Limbsaver pad is your friend for factory loads. Bench shooting without the pad is masochistic behavior. That said, with milder ammo it is a fun shooter and plenty accurate.

[Drm50]

My first deer rifle was a 8 35cal. I have had all of them, but shot the 300 and 35 in the 81 the
most. I always wanted one with detachable magazine that was sold by a police equipment co.
The double shuffle recoil never bothered me, even as a kid. My brother bought one last summer
a 8 in 35. It is in very good shape and shoots well. We were also into 14 & 141 Rems which were
quality built, milled steel guns. I still have a few of them left. As a kid a I got "stuck" with the 8
all the older guys had 742 & 760s. I still have my 8, still ticking- which is more than I can say
for the 742 & 760s. The first brand new deer rifle I bought was a 742 carbine, worst rifle I ever
bought.