Remington Model 8

Bittermansbro

Bittermansbro

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Anyone else have one of these? I just picked one up this weekend in 35 Remington and it seems to be all there and in good shape.

Have seen them in pics before but not in person till this weekend. Anyone use them? How are they? Any comments, feedback and the like would be appreciated! I will get some pics up tonight.
 
I have a 81 basically the same gun with a few minor changes.They tend to kick a bit do to the long recoil of the action but they are fun guns.Pick up the book THE GREAT REMINGTON 8 AND MODEL 81 AUTOLOADING RIFLES it is the bible on the 8 and 81 and it is even printed here in Canada.
 
The Model 8 Remington was the first successful auto loader in use.It was the brain child of John Browning who assigned the North America production rights to Remington.
 
28 gauge said:
The Model 8 Remington was the first successful auto loader in use.It was the brain child of John Browning who assigned the North America production rights to Remington.
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Well that makes me feel better! If Saint John Moses was involved, its all good.

Its definitely got an interesting setup, doesn't make the Model 1941 Johnson Automatic so unique anymore since they use the same type of barrel/bolt action.
 
Fat Barrel Rem

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Far superior I think to the competing Winchester line of the M1905, M1907 and M1910, mainly because the Remingtons were chambered in rifle cartridges and the Winchester went with pistol cartridges. The Rem method of cocking is superior too, but Winchester got it right with a removeable magazine. I owned a Rem Model 8 once with evidence that someone had tried very hard (and with crude tools) to remove its magazine!
 
Nice old gun and you got a .35 too! Way easier to get ammo and very effective on game too. The 81 has a little more modern stock but essentially it's the same gun. As mentioned above they were far superior to Winchesters autos at the time. All you need is a Model 14 pump in .35 to go with it. HA HA. It never ends.
 
Andy said:
Far superior I think to the competing Winchester line of the M1905, M1907 and M1910, mainly because the Remingtons were chambered in rifle cartridges and the Winchester went with pistol cartridges. The Rem method of cocking is superior too, but Winchester got it right with a removeable magazine. I owned a Rem Model 8 once with evidence that someone had tried very hard (and with crude tools) to remove its magazine!
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Seems to me that I read somewhere that Frank Hamer's Model 8 had been modified to use a detachable magazine.He chose the .35 Remington as he thought it would give him better peneration should he encounter Bonnie and Clyde in a car.

The Model 8 and Model 81 Remington's barrel recoiled inside of a sleeve.The outside sleeve that many think is the barrel is not the barrel at all.The barrel is inside the sleeve.
 
Hey, the buttstock on that rifle polished up real nice!
I looked at that gun at the show - its a decent example.
I already have two 8s in 35 tho, so I passed on it.

They were available in 4 calibers 35/32/30/and 25
Shortly after the Model 81 came out, 300 Savage was added to the chamberings.

I still need an 8 in 25 and a 81 in 300 to complete my collection of calibers. (of course, there were a myriad of different stocks,buttplates,finishes,etc. - a collectors nightmare or dream depending on your point of view I guess :p)

Browning also European sold rights to this gun to FN, who built about 4900 of them in 35 Rem only (I have two of these rifles as well :D)

Love these guns!!


In addition to the link posted above, this site has lots of good info
http://vintagesemiautorifle.proboards.com/index.cgi?
 
Mike Webb said:
Nice old gun and you got a .35 too! Way easier to get ammo and very effective on game too. The 81 has a little more modern stock but essentially it's the same gun. As mentioned above they were far superior to Winchesters autos at the time. All you need is a Model 14 pump in .35 to go with it. HA HA. It never ends.
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Well I liked the fact it was a gun with a supply of ammo available, I load enough calibres already, I didn't really want another. And no, I don't *need* a Mod 14.....I say that now, but the seed gets planted and one day........

canuck said:
Hey, the buttstock on that rifle polished up real nice!
I looked at that gun at the show - its a decent example.
I already have two 8s in 35 tho, so I passed on it.
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Well I am glad you just looked canuck! :D This was one of those guns I saw and read about years ago, the seed lay dormant for a long while, and when I saw it at the show...well the hand went to the wallet and the rationalization started....sigh.

The pic made it look real purdy, it does have some nice wood on it and with a couple wipes of the old gun cloth, looks darned fine!

I have to admit, that 35 Rem cartridge is pretty stout looking.
 
My 25 is from second or third year of production..... can't quite remember. Has some issue with feeding ammo but I will get her going. Two years ago I knew nothing about the 8 and then I found out a local trapper had one as did another homesteader. When one came up on the EE here I had to have it just for that reason, good enough one wasn't it?
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For those interested, check this out too:
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=409434
 
The peep sight on you gun is worth $125 to $175 on the auction sites down here in the states. I have 8s in .25, .30, and .35 rem and an 81 in .35 rem with the Krieger modification which made the magazine removable. Hamer of Bonnie and Clyde fame had a Police special modified by a Police Supply Company in Chicago, I believe. The Police Guns had up to a 15 round magazine.
 
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The one I picked up is 1909, I think they started in 1906?

Tbury, welcome to CGN! Nice to have you up to visit. No passport required. I have seen some of those tang sights going for good money, pretty neat!

Looking at a lot of vintage pictures of the 8's it looks like tang sights were more common than not on them.
 
Both the Lyman and Marbles sight were sold and installed by Remington as a factory option. Both companies made sights expressly for specific models made by Remington, Winchester and others.
 
Bittermansbro said:
The one I picked up is 1909, I think they started in 1906?
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IIRC mine is 10,8xx placing it in 1908 vintage.

Something you can watch for is the first chamber stamping they came with which they had to change due to consumer confusion. For example mine is stamped 25-35 Rem. Folks would mistake that as being able to use 25-35 Winchester. I have seen them this way for the 30-30 Rem as well but not the other two that I am aware of.
 
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