Calfed
Member
I won a Remington model 81 at auction. Think it is an FBI model...
FBI Remington Model 81
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DWalt
Member
It looks correct. It is highly unusual to see one of them and you are very fortunate to have found one. I believe all of the FBI M81 rifles were chambered in .30 Rem. At least for a while, the FBI used a special more lightly loaded version of the .30 Rem cartridge, and the FBI version of the M81 rifle used the lighter recoil spring of the .25 Rem rifle. Originally, the FBI M81s had a fitted leather case, but I have never seen one of those. .30 Rem ammo is somewhat difficult to find today, but it is occasionally seen at gun shows, often the "white box" FMJ loads made for law enforcement and prison use by Remington back in the 1950s-60s. You can use .30-30 dies to reload for it. Not exactly correct, but they will work. You can also convert .30-30 brass to .30 Rem if you have access to a lathe. I have made several hundred .30 Rem cases that way. At one time, it was not too difficult to find new .30 Rem brass as Remington continued to sell a run of brass every so often. But I don't think they have made any for the last several years.
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robertrwalsh
SWCA Member
Very nice score indeed. Congrats.
Thanks, DWalt!
As you know, the tip off for the FBI model is the lettering on the receiver.
I have a "civilian" Remington model 81 in .30 Remington caliber which I bought years ago.
Because the Lyman 41 sight covered the serial number, the FBI had Remington shift the serial number and manufacturer lettering over to a spot just below the model information.
My non-FBI Model 81
The FBI model 81
Of course, there are other more subtle differences, but this one is the most obvious.
I'm a big fan of Rem 81's , have two myself, first in .300 Savage then .35 Remington. Not real common at the shooting ranges I go to, always seem to drawl curious people asking what they are. Nothing like blue steel and walnut.
DWalt
Member
Of all my M81s, my personal favorite caliber is the .300 Savage. I usually reload lightly using lead gas-check bullets. Factory-level loadings of the .300 Savage cartridge fired in an M81 produce too much recoil for me to enjoy shooting. Even modest MVs (around 2000 ft/sec) still allow the action to function reliably.
The .300 Savage is a very underappreciated caliber today, as it has been eclipsed for some time by the .308 Win. Actually, the ballistics of the .300 Savage and the .308 Win factory loads are nearly identical, especially so in that the .300 Savage is the parent of the .308/7.62x51 NATO. One of the simplest cartridge case conversions ever is making .300 Savage cases from .308 Win brass. Just size a .308 case through a .300 Savage FL die, and cut/trim the neck to length.
The .300 Savage is a very underappreciated caliber today, as it has been eclipsed for some time by the .308 Win. Actually, the ballistics of the .300 Savage and the .308 Win factory loads are nearly identical, especially so in that the .300 Savage is the parent of the .308/7.62x51 NATO. One of the simplest cartridge case conversions ever is making .300 Savage cases from .308 Win brass. Just size a .308 case through a .300 Savage FL die, and cut/trim the neck to length.
DWalt
Member
Reed's reloading supply house in Oklahoma City once specialized in carrying reloadable brass in some offbeat calibers. I bought some .30 Rem brass (and a few other oddball calibers) from them over five years ago. Their prices were pretty good at that time. They still have it, but currently listed at $1.15/case (100 cases for $115). Same price for .25 Rem and .32 Rem brass. A little pricey when I can make my own from .30-30 brass, takes about 5 minutes each on my lathe.
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Reeds used to carry some interesting ammo for relics. I have a 6.5 Dadateau Mauser and noticed back in the day that Reed's carried loaded ammo for it.
I was lucky to find some R-P .30 Remington brass and loading dies at Graf's years ago for a decent price. I still have never loaded any ammo though.
I have an 81 in 300sav and it's a Krieger conversion to detachable mag. I knew and used 8 & 81 since I was a kid. I always wanted a police model with high cap detachable mag but didn't know much about them. I jumped on the Krieger and didn't realize that their where no hi cap mags ever made for them. Although it's a really well done conversion it just uses the factory box mag. For hunting purposes it's not a big improvement, I had stripper clips for 35Rem and never carried them hunting. Deer hunting 5 shots is plenty.
Valmet
Member
They’re cool old rifles OP- I have an heirloom Model 8 in .35 Remington. 1914 mfg and it’s finally time for a rebluing job
Thank you... as I'm sure you can tell, both have had work get to their current condition.
DWalt
Member
There's really not much purpose for having stripper clips for the 8/81 as they can be reloaded easily with individual rounds. However, any of the original 8/81 stripper clips are highly prized collectibles, usually selling for $50+ each. I once bought a fairly nice M8 mainly because it had five stripper clips and about 100 rounds of factory .30 Rem ammo with it. Those two items alone were worth more than what I paid for the rifle package.
I've been in the hunt for a Kreiger conversion Model 81, but as you know, they are rare.
Back in 2011 I was in Albuquerque and stopped in at Petersons Guns. They had several unmodified Model 81's that were going for about $500 each. A POE high capacity magazine equipped model 81 had just sold for $2000. I got to examine it and the workmanship was very good. Didn't realize at the time what a good deal $2000 was for that rifle.
I've always liked the Model 8 and 81.
Currently refitting the steel butt plate to a Model 8 in 32cal that someone must have cut the stock off just a little bit.
The stock and butt plate # to the rifle but they certainly didn't fit very well as they sat. A little window glazing compound and some thin strips of leather filled the gaps in places.
Nice rifles they are. Yes they always draw some curious looks at the range.
I have a C-Grade in 25Rem. That needs a stock toe repair. Always something.
A real creampuff to shoot though and accurate too.
If you like the Model 8/81 but don't care for any of the heavy recoiling or really loud report calibers (300Sav),,get one in 25Remington caliber.
Currently refitting the steel butt plate to a Model 8 in 32cal that someone must have cut the stock off just a little bit.
The stock and butt plate # to the rifle but they certainly didn't fit very well as they sat. A little window glazing compound and some thin strips of leather filled the gaps in places.
Nice rifles they are. Yes they always draw some curious looks at the range.
I have a C-Grade in 25Rem. That needs a stock toe repair. Always something.
A real creampuff to shoot though and accurate too.
If you like the Model 8/81 but don't care for any of the heavy recoiling or really loud report calibers (300Sav),,get one in 25Remington caliber.
AManWearingAHat
Member
Those are very unique rifles. Ive always wanted to pick one up for the sake of them being interesting curios, but the odd caliber and limited availability of components for them has always lead me to shy away. Those of you that have shot them, how are they?
Congrats on the auction win! Any way you slice it, those are very cool old rifles.
Congrats on the auction win! Any way you slice it, those are very cool old rifles.
Definitely a unique rifle with some very cool engineering. When I turned hunting age, my grandfather gave me his Model 8 in .30 Remington and a bunch of ammo. I always found it to be too muzzle heavy and poorly balanced for field use; burned a lot of powder killing rocks and beer cans, however.
Being from an Italian family, the Model 8 was always referred to as a, “———— machine gun.”
Being from an Italian family, the Model 8 was always referred to as a, “———— machine gun.”
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If you stay with a Model 8 or 81 in 35Remington or a Model 81 in 300Savage,,ammo or reloading needs aren't much of a problem.
Dies in those calibers are still inexpensive. Brass can be sometimes hard to find but it's usually not long before some becomes available.
The 25, 30 and 32 Remington cases are all essentially the same. The 30Remington is the one most often seen as a component new unprimed case. Remington makes a run every so often.
You can form the other two from the 30Remington. Or as already mentioned above, the basic case can be lathe modified from a 30-30 Winchester case.
Any of the 3 caliber die sets will be a premium price. Sometimes a deal can be had on a used set but you have to be fast to grab them up.
The shell holder from the modern 30RemingtonAR cartridge fits.
But they sell a S/H specific to the 30Rem cart family as well.
In sizing 30Rem down to 25Rem, it helps to size them down to 7mm first,,then to 25. But if you are careful, you can do it in one step.
30Rem up to 32Rem requires only a single pass into the 32Rem FL sizer.
The 32Rem uses standard 32Winchester Special bullets when reloading.
(There may be another bullet that was made for the 32Rem,,I don't know. I've always used easily available 170gr Jacketed F/N 32WinSpcl bullets .321d)
The 25Rem use any standard .257d bullet.
30Rem use a .308d bullet. (Though the 30Rem bores are known to be a bit 'tight' and will mic out at .306/.307 , I've never known or heard any problems from the use of standard .308d bullets.
30-30Winchester bullets are popular to use in the caliber.
Any caliber reloaded for these rifles will be limited in OAL by the box magazine in the rifle and what length cartridge it will accept. Check w/a dummy or loaded round (carefully!) to make sure the OAL is short enough to allow loading and feeding.
30-30 reloading data is often used in the 30Remington
25-35 Winchester data is often used in the 25 Remington
32 Winchester Special is often used in the 32Remington.
IIRC Lee Reloading data and I believe another source or two list the calibers in that way.
Some list the calibers separate.
Some manuals don't list the calibers at all anymore except the 35Rem and the 300Sav.
Older loading data should be gone over and checked against other sources and from other yrs/manuals. The data changes often and what may have been a safe load in one years manual may not be in another.
It's just the way it is in using older manuals and data. Gotta be careful.
I load 25, 30, 32 and 35 Remington for Model 8 and 81 Rifles. I don't load 300Savage.
I've used jacketed and cast bullet loads and have found that in most instances loads at the 'Starting Load' or just above that in the loading manual will operate the Model8/81 actions just fine.
I shoot paper only so I have no reason to try and magnumize my rifles. They are near 100 y/o in some instances, complicated and parts can be fragile and hard to find. Some parts are caliber specific, expensive, need to be hand fitted and in short supply.
No need to push limits is my thinking.
They are fun shooters with their Browning long recoil actions.
They'll take a WhiteTail just as well as a plastic stocked stainless steel beauty with a 3 to 9X scope on it will.
When you get your fill of the Model 8 and 81, you can start looking for an FN Model 1900 in 9mm.
That's the European version of the Model 8 rifle built at FN and marketed on that side of the world.
Euro Walnut stocks w/ graceful pistol grip butt stock, full length ribbed bbl,
Have fun....
Dies in those calibers are still inexpensive. Brass can be sometimes hard to find but it's usually not long before some becomes available.
The 25, 30 and 32 Remington cases are all essentially the same. The 30Remington is the one most often seen as a component new unprimed case. Remington makes a run every so often.
You can form the other two from the 30Remington. Or as already mentioned above, the basic case can be lathe modified from a 30-30 Winchester case.
Any of the 3 caliber die sets will be a premium price. Sometimes a deal can be had on a used set but you have to be fast to grab them up.
The shell holder from the modern 30RemingtonAR cartridge fits.
But they sell a S/H specific to the 30Rem cart family as well.
In sizing 30Rem down to 25Rem, it helps to size them down to 7mm first,,then to 25. But if you are careful, you can do it in one step.
30Rem up to 32Rem requires only a single pass into the 32Rem FL sizer.
The 32Rem uses standard 32Winchester Special bullets when reloading.
(There may be another bullet that was made for the 32Rem,,I don't know. I've always used easily available 170gr Jacketed F/N 32WinSpcl bullets .321d)
The 25Rem use any standard .257d bullet.
30Rem use a .308d bullet. (Though the 30Rem bores are known to be a bit 'tight' and will mic out at .306/.307 , I've never known or heard any problems from the use of standard .308d bullets.
30-30Winchester bullets are popular to use in the caliber.
Any caliber reloaded for these rifles will be limited in OAL by the box magazine in the rifle and what length cartridge it will accept. Check w/a dummy or loaded round (carefully!) to make sure the OAL is short enough to allow loading and feeding.
30-30 reloading data is often used in the 30Remington
25-35 Winchester data is often used in the 25 Remington
32 Winchester Special is often used in the 32Remington.
IIRC Lee Reloading data and I believe another source or two list the calibers in that way.
Some list the calibers separate.
Some manuals don't list the calibers at all anymore except the 35Rem and the 300Sav.
Older loading data should be gone over and checked against other sources and from other yrs/manuals. The data changes often and what may have been a safe load in one years manual may not be in another.
It's just the way it is in using older manuals and data. Gotta be careful.
I load 25, 30, 32 and 35 Remington for Model 8 and 81 Rifles. I don't load 300Savage.
I've used jacketed and cast bullet loads and have found that in most instances loads at the 'Starting Load' or just above that in the loading manual will operate the Model8/81 actions just fine.
I shoot paper only so I have no reason to try and magnumize my rifles. They are near 100 y/o in some instances, complicated and parts can be fragile and hard to find. Some parts are caliber specific, expensive, need to be hand fitted and in short supply.
No need to push limits is my thinking.
They are fun shooters with their Browning long recoil actions.
They'll take a WhiteTail just as well as a plastic stocked stainless steel beauty with a 3 to 9X scope on it will.
When you get your fill of the Model 8 and 81, you can start looking for an FN Model 1900 in 9mm.
That's the European version of the Model 8 rifle built at FN and marketed on that side of the world.
Euro Walnut stocks w/ graceful pistol grip butt stock, full length ribbed bbl,
Have fun....
Stripper clips for 8 /81 are about as useful as a detachable 5 round mag. for hunting purposes. The stripper clips were suppose to be for military sales Rem was hoping to make in WW1. Some were bought by France but more of the FN 1900 were sold. Not that many of either was sold to French military. Just small lots early when Europeans were hurting for rifles. They were bought for air corps.
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