.35 Rem / Model 81 Potential Part 1

[Throwback]

All the boy’s were up at Wild Bill’s Sandy River camp for the annual Memorial Day "extravagunza". I brought my .41 Mag Ruger Blackhawk and my Remington Model 81 .35 Remington so that I could test a few new reloads. I had a great time shooting a plethora of great guns.

The .35 has been a recent project of mine. My goal is to find and settle upon the best loads using Lyman’s 358315, which runs about 206 grains lubed and checked. Accordingly I loaded up with available powders for velocities ranging in purpose from plinking and light game to big game hunting. I have not finished development of the hunting loads. Those will follow later as soon as I have the opportunity to test them.

I worked my way up to the following combinations while testing initial accuracy at 50 yards with 5-shot groups. A Marlin 336 RC with microgroove rifling was also used for comparison. All loads used R-P cases trimmed to 1.912 inches and primed with Winchester Large Rifle primers. OAL was 2.043 for all loads. Bullets were quenched WW, sized .358.

#1 Trail Boss 9 grains Best Group 1 3/8 ~ Worst Group 2 ¾ ~ 1,124 fps velocity, 22.8 es., 9.7 sd.
#2 Unique 9.5 grains Best Group 1 1/8 Worst Group 1 3/8 ~ 1,290 fps velocity, 24.7 es., 9.6 sd.
#3 Herco 10.4 grains Best Group 1 1/16 Worst Group 1 11/16 ~ 1,359 fps velocity, 55.4 es., 20.3 sd.
Above loads must be manually cycled. Recoil is very pleasant and only “bounces” the action.
#4 IMR 4227 22 grains 1,677 fps average ~ Poor Accuracy and Erratic Velocity
#5 2400 19 grains Best Group 1 1/8 Worst Group 2 2/3 ~ 1,719 fps velocity, 33.2 es., 14.8 sd.
#6 SR 4759 19 grains 1,725 fps average ~ Poor Accuracy and Erratic Velocity
#7 Accurate 5744 23 grains 1,726 fps average ~ Poor Accuracy and Erratic Velocity
#8 IMR 4198 24 grains Best Group 2/3 Worst Group 1 1/2 ~ 1,590 fps velocity, 56.3 es., 25.2 sd.
Above loads were pleasant to shoot and all cycled the action reliably.
#9 Win 748 32 grains Best Group 2 3/8 Worst Group 3 ¾ ~ 1,941 fps velocity, 24.2 es., 10.4 sd.
Win 748 was tried as a potential hunting load. Groups were well centered and evenly distributed but they were not tight. This load recoils very much like factory.

Load #8 was the most consistent all around and it will get a lot of use by me. I was quite surprised that loads 4, 6, & 7 were so unsatisfactory but hey - that is why we test!

Herco and 2400 would occasionally throw some flyers so my vote is for Unique, Trail Boss, and 4198 as the most useful powders tested so far. Helpfully velocities are diferent for each. The Trail Boss is plain fun and as soft shooting as you can get. Both Unique and Trailboss were especially good in the Marlin, which of course functioned normally with all loads.

Load #9 would not stabilize in the Marlin. I suspect that harder bullets sized to .359 or larger might improve things.

The Model 8/81 is an exceedingly well made rifle that could not be made for anything like reasonable money today. But for the uninitiated it is interesting to note that it kicks out of all proportion to its cartridge with factory-level loads. With loads it likes, it shoots like a dream and it will drop anything you can hunt in Maine. Lighter loads add to its versatility.

[35remington]

Very nice looking rifle.

Perhaps it's time to use a little dacron with the 2400/4227/4198 et. al. powders, as they should give better accuracy than the fast pistol powders. The dacron should take care of the wide velocity variations quite nicely, and since they cycle the action hopefully you can find a mild load with them that drops the cases right at your feet.

The 4198 load that you like so well should see improvements in SD and ES with dacron and is the next step I'd try. FWIW.

[EMC45]

Gorgeous gun! Is that the safety on the side like an AK?

[Glen]

I am fond of 38.0 grains of H335 under the 200 grain cast bullets in the .35 Remington. Very accurate in my guns.

[felix]

Glen, that is the classic load. Up it two grains for either 180's or 160's. ... felix

[Old Dog]

It's funny how folks who don't know each other have similar experiences.

My father-in-law told me once that he got rid of his Winchester M94 in 30-30 and bought a used M81 Remington in the early /60's. He said he never had to shoot a deer more than once with that old 35 Remington and the Remington Corlokt ammo.

Years later an old friend of my dad's told me virtually the same story. When he replaced his old 30-30 with a Remington M81 in 35 Remington all his deer kills became one shot stops.

Great old rifles and a great old cartridge, especially for the eastern mountains/woods.

[Throwback]

I knew a few individualists who used these when most used the Winchester 94. Almost no one around here uses either anymore. Their choices are usually rifles that are a great deal less handy. My step father still has his father's rifle (a model 8) that has hardly any original finish left. His father bought it second hand about WWI and shot all of his deer with it.

A friend told me about his uncle using one. He got his deer every year. More than once my friend saw his uncle shoot at a running deer and drop it in its tracks.

The .35 is justly famous around here for killing deer and black bear most effectively.

I think that the safety and the bolt were both inspirational to Kalashnikov or the team that finished his rifle. Perhaps he saw one of the Belgian FN examples up close at some point.

H335 is one of the powders I am working up. I have a few loaded with 37 grains that I have not shot yet.

I am really starting to like this little round - as much as another .35, the Whelen. It packs some significant punch in a small package.

[KCSO]

I am some surprised by #9 as W/W 748 loaded to just at 2000 with that same buller is a real winner in my M8 and shoots as good a group as factory ammo.

[45 2.1]

Groups reported in the magazines of the time were 3 to 4 MOA. These rifles can do very nicely with cast as i've found some loads with 4895 to go 2 MOA regularly, if one can see the sights and target well at the same time.

[Throwback]

KCSO - I don't have a great deal of experience with the m8/81. What little I have with this rifle suggests that it either likes a load or it doesn't. There does not seem to be any middle ground.

I am not done with the 748 yet and I would not be surprised if it hits a sweet spot as more powder is added. It does not seem to throw fliers but groups are not as tightly clustered as with some of the lighter powder charges. Having said that, if this is the best the rifle will deliver, I will still happily use it. 4 MOA at 100 yards, while not spectacular is eminently huntable. Heck, I used a Tulle fusil de chasse musket once that was minute of barn.

I also intend to test Varget, 3031, H335, H & IMR 4895 and 4064.

[jlchucker]

I don't have a classic 35 like the Model 81, but have had really good luck with the RCBS-200 bullet with both 3031 and 748 powders in my Marlin. Lately I've gone to AA5744 with the same bullet, again with excellent results. I use 4064 in other calibers but haven't seen a need to work up a 35 load with it, since I've gotten great results with the powders I've tried. I'd pick 3031 if I had to use just one powder.

[NHlever]

I tried the Lyman "accuracy" load of AA-2015 with both the 200 gr Hornady, and the RCBS 35-200. Both shot an amazing 1", or so group at 100 yds at the same point of impact out of my Marlin, and I quit right there for hunting loads. The load is a bit warm according to other manuals, so I would use a little caution with a Model 8.