Model 81

[CatskillCrawler]

There's a Rem Model 81 in 35Rem at the local gun shop that keeps attracting my attention. Not sure why as I have no desire to shoot a semi-auto in the woods but it keeps pulling me back. It is in good shape for it's age with no obvious defects other than its experience. Anyone have any experience or knowledge with this clunker?

My friend has a 7400 that is reliable, an oddity, but shoots horrible, not so much an oddity... Every time he brings it out I cringe as I know the expletives will soon be ringing thru the shooting shack.

 

[DrMike]

I've been aware of some of the Remington semi-autos and pumps that could shoot pleasing groups. Likewise, there are some that must have frustrated owners something terrible.

 

[JD338]

I used to have a M742 Carbine 30-06 and it shot sub MOA.

JD338

 

[SJB358]

I like the 35 Rem. Some 200 grains CLRNs at around 2250 will lay the smack down on deer!

 

[FOTIS]

They are good guns and very hard to find at least in these parts. The 35 Rem hits hard.

 

[onesonek]

Not much knowledge on the rifle, but knew a couple old bachelor brothers out in Colorado used the.35 Rem. 220 gr. on everything. Well,,, they only hunted deer and elk. But they knew the area and movements well, and said it worked for them. They agreed it wasn't much for range, but said it mattered little to them, as range was short to very modest.. But well placed shot didn't require any follow ups, even on elk, according to them.

 

[duckcreekdick]

You're being too hard on the old gal by calling it a clunker. First of all, the Remington 8 and the later 81 rifles were the first semi-auto rifles capable of handling high power cartridges and that, in itself, makes it an iconic design. It was designed by old John M. himself and works on the long-recoil system. It was first chambered for a family of cartridges which included the .25 Rem., .30 Rem., .32 Rem., and .35 Remington. Later in the Model 81, .300 Savage was added.
My Stoeger's catalog from 1936 shows the "New Remington Woodmaster, Model 81, Most Powerful Autoloading Sporting Rifle Made" being sold at a price of $64.50 in Standard Grade, Special Grade at $92.70, Peerless Grade at $176.15 Expert Grade at $264.70 and Premier Grade at $353.25. Keep in mind that a Savage 99-A sold for $43.50 and a Winchester Model 95 sold for $34.60. In other words, the Remington Model 81 was considered the best of the best and in the deer camps of the east was probably owned only by the wealthier hunters. In most of the Remington calendar advertising art of the 20's and 30's, there is usually the stalwart woodsman confronting danger with his trusty Model 81.
I own a Special Grade Model 81 in .300 Savage with a nice Lyman tang sight. If you want a rifle made of finely crafted steel and American walnut, I'd say go for it.

 

[FOTIS]

Not much knowledge on the rifle, but knew a couple old bachelor brothers out in Colorado used the.35 Rem. 220 gr. on everything. Well,,, they only hunted deer and elk. But they knew the area and movements well, and said it worked for them. They agreed it wasn't much for range, but said it mattered little to them, as range was short to very modest.. But well placed shot didn't require any follow ups, even on elk, according to them.

In my area the longest shot ever taken on an elk is 123 yards. So yeah the 35 would work well.

 

[HTDUCK]

I've got an 81 in 300 Savage that has been locked in the safe since I was a kid.
Dad started huntng deer in Pennslyvania and W. Virginia w mom's uncles. They all shot Mdl 8s and 81s or Savage 99s.
I've never shot the old girl.

Frank Hamer, the Tx Ranger that took down Bonnie and Clyde had a Mdl 8 in 35 Remington in his hands
when they sprang the trap on them.His had been modified to take a 15 round removable magazine.
Pretty potent statement as to his choice of rifles in that day in age.

 

[duckcreekdick]

Here is a photo of my Remington Model 81 in .300 Savage. A classic rifle in a classic caliber!

 

[SJB358]

Here is a photo of my Remington Model 81 in .300 Savage. A classic rifle in a classic caliber!

Wow, that rifle is SHARP!! Very nice. Cool cartridge too!

 

[DrMike]

Here is a photo of my Remington Model 81 in .300 Savage. A classic rifle in a classic caliber!

Very nice old firearm. They were great rifles in many respects.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

They were ahead of their time with the rotating bolt head yet reliable with their simplistic long-recoil system. Nonetheless, they're clunkers in my eyes. I appreciate some clunkers though. Just wish I wasn't so committed to my project at this time. I also wish I could be more callous when my offspring's education demands interfere with my pursuit of babbles and trinkets.

She is a beauty DCD!

I can easily envision a deer camp in the northeastern woods with several Mod 8/81s and '94s lying around. Men wearing Mackinaw jackets standing under a full game pole.

 

[DrMike]

They were ahead of their time with the rotating bolt head yet reliable with their simplistic long-recoil system. Nonetheless, they're clunkers in my eyes. I appreciate some clunkers though. Just wish I wasn't so committed to my project at this time. I also wish I could be more callous when my offspring's education demands interfere with my pursuit of babbles and trinkets.

She is a beauty DCD!

I can easily envision a deer camp in the northeastern woods with several Mod 8/81s and '94s lying around. Men wearing Mackinaw jackets standing under a full game pole.

True, those words. Good memories, CC.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

My very first semi-auto rifle was a Model 81 chambered for the now defunct .30 Remington...I still have it, my Grandad bought it for me at a cattle auction in 1979. He told me the day he bought it that it would soon be "a thing of the past"...but that it was a classic that I should hold on to just for the sake of having it.

Certainly not a benchrest rifle...but I did take several deer with it back in the day...I still have 1 full box of ammo, figure I better keep it though because .30 Remington ammo is as scarce as hens teeth.

The 35 Remington is quite a short range buster...I have seen quite a few black bears put down with that round.

Some good reading on the Model 8's and 81's...

http://thegreatmodel8.remingtonsociety.com/?page_id=8

 

[duckcreekdick]

Thank you all for the kind words regarding my Model 81. Here is a sample of the calendar art I referred to.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I killed the largest whitetail buck which I have ever shot with a Marlin 336 in .35 Rem and a 2.5X Leupold scope. It was a neck (chip) shot at 40 yards as he lay there in his bed, looking the other way after I had sneeked up on him. This ended a two season pursuit of this trophy buck by me and a friend.