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I have been wanting an old Remington model 8 or improved 81 for a while, but I do not know a whole lot about them, looking for any advice, recommendations, and experience with these neat rifles. Thanks to Sgtnambu for renewing my desires I am looking at several in .35 Rem, your thoughts on this flavor? Also, any idea about rebarring to .308win
What say you all!
 
I remember when I had mine that there is a special tool I had to make so I could take it apart without messing up the internals, otherwise it was a cool rifle. A bit heavy, but it shot well.
Here's what the tool I made looked like.

 
I once had a Remington Autoloading Rifle. That's what they called it before naming it the Model 8. Mine was in 35 Rem. I never used it for hunting and rarely shot it. A need to raise money for some long forgotten thing was the reason for the sale...

It was the coolest, strangest gun to shoot. The shuffling of the barrel as it moved back and forth was pretty strange. Seemed to have a pretty light recoil and then it pulled the gun forward as the barrel returned to position. The takedown feature was very simple and easy to use, plus kept the two pieces together very well.
It was a lot of fun and would make a great, close range hunting gun. I'll have to look around and see if I can find a pic of it.
 
One other thing to think about is that the front hand guards are prone to cracking, as they are very thin.
Mine had a small sliver of a crack starting, so I used a clear two part epoxy and some fine weave fiberglass, and after roughing up the inside, I bedded it the whole length.
Replacement hand guards are very hard to find.
 
IMG_0876.JPG

The model 8/81 were favorites of the '30's era gangsters!
This was the police model!!! IMG_0890.JPG
 
I'm always fascinated with early ideas in firearms, and especially things designed by the Great John Browning, who designed some of histories greatest small arms, and here is a neat design and a creative solution for a reasonable and reliable semi auto rifle! My l.g.s. has 5 of these in various conditions, and all in .35 Remington, I plan to bring one home soon, just need to go through them and pick one out!!!
 
I'm always fascinated with early ideas in firearms, and especially things designed by the Great John Browning, who designed some of histories greatest small arms, and here is a neat design and a creative solution for a reasonable and reliable semi auto rifle! My l.g.s. has 5 of these in various conditions, and all in .35 Remington, I plan to bring one home soon, just need to go through them and pick one out!!!
I know where there is an 81 right now in 300 savage. I haven't picked it up and checked it out but it looks like good condition in the rack. It would probably make a good shooter.

I have It's contemporary competition the much less powerful but fun as heck to shoot Winchester 1907 in .351wsl.
 
SCHWINNNGGGG!!

I don't know why, but when I found out about those way back when, I thought they were the coolest damn thing. Still do.
I haven't tried the model 8 (I'm pretty sure it's bad axe), but both these Winchester and Remington early autoloader designs are impressive. Evidently the gangsters of the era agreed. The .351 is basically a .357mag semiauto carbine. They are dependable and hit hard at 150yds with a 180 grain bullet at 1700-1900fps. I find that a 158 grain flat nosed hard cast going slightly faster than the 180grain hits a 1/2" thick 12x12 steel plate wicked hard. It will dent ar500 at less than 50 yards. I can't imagine how much more powerful the model 8 with a bottle neck cartridge must be.
 
Bonnie & Clyde were shot with a couple of these guns.

Yes, reputedly by Captain Frank Hamer of the Texas Rangers.

A brief article about his life and his choice of firearms, including his Model 8 (with a 15 round magazine), which was pretty much state of the art in that day:

Frank Hamer: Legendary Lawman

Hamer, like Wyatt Earp, really was a remarkable lawman among lawmen.

Texas Ranger: The Epic Life of Frank Hamer, the Man Who Killed Bonnie and Clyde: John Boessenecker: 9781250069986: Amazon.com: Books
 
Remington Core Lokt 150gr 2300fps 1760ME 200gr 2100fps 1920ME

Compare to a 30-30 150gr 2390fps 1900ME 170gr 2200fps 1800ME

They're pretty close. Depends on if you put value on bullet diameter.
 
Remington Core Lokt 150gr 2300fps 1760ME 200gr 2100fps 1920ME

Compare to a 30-30 150gr 2390fps 1900ME 170gr 2200fps 1800ME

They're pretty close. Depends on if you put value on bullet diameter.
It seems like if you wanted .308 type ballistics an 81 chambered for .300 savage would get you close wouldn't it? I'm out of my league with .30 caliber bottleneck stuff. I've never reloaded that I tap out at .22-250 haha.
 
Yes, reputedly by Captain Frank Hamer of the Texas Rangers.

A brief article about his life and his choice of firearms, including his Model 8 (with a 15 round magazine), which was pretty much state of the art in that day:

Frank Hamer: Legendary Lawman

Hamer, like Wyatt Earp, really was a remarkable lawman among lawmen.

Texas Ranger: The Epic Life of Frank Hamer, the Man Who Killed Bonnie and Clyde: John Boessenecker: 9781250069986: Amazon.com: Books
Dave Bolke says the 15 round mag and the Colt .38 Super was most likely BS. Pretty cool podcast worth a listen and sets a few things straight on the actual guns used.
 

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