Quote:
Originally Posted by todd allen
Steve, that's some cool stuff there. What is the autoloader in the 2nd pic?
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That is a Remington Model 81 a re-do of the earlier Model 8 that was nearly identical. These rifles were considered nearly junk 20 years ago and I bought this one for something like $165. Today they are pricey....maybe $800 for one like mine, which is nearly new.
One of the neat things about 8's and 81's, to me, is that Frank Hammer shot Bonney and Clyde with one in 1934. His was a Model 8 and a highly engraved one. That rifle was in 30 Remington, and mine is too. The round is identical to a rimless 30/30 and I use those dies and data to reload for it.
The Model 8/81's are a Browning design, similar, sorta to a Browning Auto5/Rem model 11. These Model 81's are heavy and kind of blocky feeling. The barrel is short. Shooting one it is kind of like shooting a semi-auto Tommygun. Neat. Pretty accurate and a great pig gun. It is a gas/recoil operated weapon, the bull barrel is the gas cylinder. You can get them in 300 Savage, but I load my 30Rem with 150 grain pointed bullets and it shoots hard enough. Oh, they are all take-downs! That's cool. I can easily pack it in my little camper.
At one time you could buy a removeable magazine for these, least I've read that. You can load it with a stripper clip from the top, but I just jam them in their with my thumb. The bolt release is on the left side. The safety looks like the one on an AK47 and I've wondered if the Soviet dude who made that rifle copied the good old Remington/Browning Model 8/81.
If you are a fool for neat old guns, like I am; you need one of these Remington Model 8s or 81s. They come in 25, 30, 35 Remington and 300 Savage. I think 35 Remington is the best, but you seldom see them. I'll just stick with mine.
