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Thread: That Model 8 in .25 Remington ...

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    That Model 8 in .25 Remington ...

    Guys, I have been watching for years for a Model 8 in .25 that I could afford. I spotted one Sunday at Guns International and reached out to the seller, Collectors Firearms of Houston, TX. The deal was done and the rifle arrived Wednesday, very well-packed.
    When I dug it out of the styrofoam peanuts, I was very pleased: wood sound, metal finish almost uniformly that olive blue shade, just a bit of freckling and a quick glance down the bore with a light in the receiver suggested that it might clean up very nicely. "Good bore, strong rifling" had been their description.
    But alas, when I pulled the barrel assembly off and ran a bronze brush soaked in Hoppe's down the bore, I hit a wide spot near the muzzle. Fearing the worst, the borelight confirmed a badly rung bore about inch 17 of the 22 -- and three more shallower rings between the first one and the muzzle! I have never seen multiple rings like this.
    So on Thursday, I sent photos and an e-mail to Collectors Firearms with the comment that the bore they described as "good" would be described by most riflemen as "ruined," and what incentive would they offer for me to keep the rifle rather than return for a full refund.
    The most straightforward option would be to shoot it and see if it is accurate; one never knows. The second option would be to counterbore the barrel down to the first ring. The next most drastic option would be a reline and rechamber, but that would be very expensive. And no machinist in his right mind would attempt to turn, mill and rifle a duplicate. Browning designed for things to work; the machining needed to make the parts seemed secondary.
    Anyway, I suggested it would cost about 25 percent of the purchase price to ship the barrel to a gunsmith and have it counterbored. Collectors agreed and promptly refunded the amount this morning.
    I felt compelled to lay out this case first to note how easy it can be to innocently overestimate rifling condition. One would think sellers would at least run a patch down the bore of used firearms they consign or resell, but I cannot count the number of times over the years when I have examined a rifle for sale whose bore had scarcely if ever been cleaned, and I used to bring put a cleaning rod and patches in the truck when going on the hunt at gun and pawn shops.
    I of course could not examine the bore of the Model 8 before purchase, but at first glance it looked OK to me, too. I do not believe Collectors intentionally inflated the bore condition.
    The second point is simply to congratulate Collectors on their prompt, courteous and fair customer service. I would buy from them again without hesitation -- except to confirm bore condition is as described.
    Here are a couple of images of the Model 8. Dies, brass and bullets arrive next week so I will be able to load a sample of cartridges for testing. If the results are encouraging, I will see about loading some gas-checked cast to try in it.






  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Sad that the bore has rings, but will probably shoot the Hornady 117 RN fine. I don't know about cast in that bore. I have a Model 14 in .25 Rem, that is as accurate as my .222 Rem bolt actions. In fact if you compare a .222, .25 Rem, and a .30-06, they all seem to be proportionate too each other.

    Someday I want too build a nice SR Mauser rifle in .25 Rem , with a short stiff barrel, and really see how well it can shoot. Hope you see some success with cast, and share what loads you used .

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    Will do, G-G. I see that NOE is sold out of its 260-115 FN GC mold. That's the one I would want to try.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    Just heard from a wiser man than I -- and there are so very many of them! --that the barrel, once free of the jacket and springs, disassembles further, to the point it might not be ruinous to have a new one turned and chambered. Help Mr. Wizard!

  5. #5
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    I just so happen to have a Tikka 25-06 1-10” take off barrel in excellent shape……
    In case the project leans that way.
    Love those model 8s.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    TBG: It is said that Frank Hamer favored an 8 in .25 Remington early in his career on the Texas border.

  7. #7
    Banned
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    I just so happen to have a Tikka 25-06 1-10” take off barrel in excellent shape……
    In case the project leans that way.
    Love those model 8s.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    How did you happen by that barrel?

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by TD1886 View Post
    How did you happen by that barrel?
    I found it and a 7mm Rem mag Tikka barrel on fleabay. I bought them for small ring Mauser or liner projects.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
    Bent Ramrod's Avatar
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    I had a Model 8 in .25 Remington with the rare pistol grip stock. The one-two punch recoil was minimized (compared to a friend’s 81s in .35 Rem and .300 Savage), and it dropped the empty shells in a nice little pile by my right foot when I fired them.

    However, the groove diameter was 0.260” from end to end. Normal 0.257” jacketed bullets would hit a dinner plate at 50 yards. I bought a few boxes of 0.260” bullets from a custom swager (at 50 cents a piece), and they grouped better, into a couple inches, but plinking with them was rather expensive.

    I made a die to squeeze 6.5 mm bullets down to 0.260” and soldiered on for a while, but eventually found a Model 30 bolt action in .25 that could shoot (or outshoot) the 8’s 50-yard groups at 200 yards, with conventional bullets, so I sold the autoloader off.

    It was a very nice gun though; made before the bean-counters went over every machine operation to see what could be cut for cost savings. Very nice trigger, and it always worked.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Finally got the Model 8 to the range yesterday. It fed and fired my handloads very nicely, but the bullets went hither and yon, so the barrel is unusable in its current state. Leaning toward a counterbore first.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check