Model 81-Unique I Assume

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fletchbutt152

New member
Here are pictures of my Grandpa's, now my Dad's Remington Model 81 Woodmaster in .300 Savage. It has a standard capacity detachable mag. I'm assuming it was modified and didn't come new with the detachable mag? Any answers? This gun has seen a lot of work in her day though rarely did she fire more than one shot a year. In his later years Grandpa didn't even sight it in. She was always on. Dreaming of the day when I get to take a stroll with her.
 

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That looks like the magazine on my 81 in .300 Savage...

Hum...

On second look, no it doesn't.

Mine doesn't have that funny little latch like device.

I know that Remington did offer these guns with extended magazines, but I'm not sure about detachable magazines.
 
Mike knows...

That the Lyman #2 rear sight on that Model 81 is almost worth as much as the rifle itself.

But, as we discussed earlier Fletch, that detachable magazine is an oddity, I don't even know if the hicap police/law enforcement versions were that tricked out with the cool mag release button on the bottom of the triggerguard.

If you get more pics of the rifle, take one of the left side of the receiver. I'm curious about the scope mount, because my own Model 81 in .300 Savage uses something similar made back in the day by Stith.

81stithalaskanright.jpg

81stithalaskanleft.jpg

81stithalaskanfront.jpg
 
Back before WWII there was a big custom gunsmithing outfit in Joplin Missouri that did detachable magazine conversion to the Remington auto rifles.

One of the most popular, was a 30 round magazine conversion to the Remington model 8 and Model 81.

After being assigned the job of tracking down Bonnie and Clyde, Texas Ranger Hamer had a Remington converted by them.

Apparently, back in the pre-War days this conversion, only with shorter magazines like yours, were quite popular.
 
Phil Sharpe, in The Rifle in America (1938), says of the Model 8, "In later years, the magazine assembly was made detachable and of the box type so that the magazine could be recharged entirely separate from the gun as a safety precaution. In addition, completely charged spare magazines could be readily carried in the pocket of the hunter."

He later says of the Model 81, "The magazine is of the detachable type...and holds five rounds."

Interesting. Sharpe was a well known firearms writer and expert, and he seems to know what he is talking about. Further, he is usually pretty accurate and was writing when the Model 81 was still being made. He may have been mistaken, as many people are, and assumed the magazine was detachable, or the detachable magazine may have been an option. Anyway, my Model 81 (358xx) does not have a detachable magazine.

Jim
 
I had a Model 8A in 30 Remington, and it didn't have a detachable magazine. Always made me a bit leary of loading it. Seems like they got around that problem eventually.
 
I also had one at one time in .35 Remington. Very interesting rifle but I don't think it had a detachable magazine. It did however come with stripper clips, only three or four, though. It is the only strictly civilian firearm that I know of that used stripper clips, though there were probably others. Even so, I found it to be very difficult to load, with or without using the stripper clip.

L.L. Bean said he used a Remington autoloader in .25 Remington for deer.

Does the safety remind you of anything?
 
Right on the money but I don't think there is anything else in common between the two guns. The Remington had a surprisingly good balance, at least for me. I also like the pistol grip variety better as opposed to the straight grip.
 
"It is the only strictly civilian firearm that I know of that used stripper clips, though there were probably others."

The Model 30 Remington came with clip guides, if I'm not mistaken. It was a commercial version of the Model 1917 military rifle, though.
 
Not familiar with the Model 30 Remington. Its hard to imagine a gun maker being able to sell a gun that was only a version of a military gun at a time when surplus guns were common. I say that assuming surplus guns actually were common at the time but maybe they weren't. I know the army sold off their Krags after WWI and even Colt SAA's. I expect they hung onto everything else.

This is getting away from the subject of Remington autoloaders but you are probably familiar with the small Winchester autoloaders that must have been in production during the same period the Remingtons were, which must have been down through at least 1960. The calibers are now obsolete but I can't remember what they were. .401 Winchester Self Loading? I'll have to look that up. Whatever they were, did they use clips?
 
"Winchester auto loaders"

Model 1905 (.32 and .35 Winchester Self Loading)

1907 (.351 WSL)

1910 (.401 WSL)

"did they use clips?"

No. The rifle had a solid top; shells were ejected through a slot in the side of the receiver. I believe the last of these guns went out of production in the early 1930s, so yes, they're contemporary.

Remington's Model 30 was fairly popular for a number of years through the 1920s, most likely because returning Doughboys were familiar with the action.
 
I asked some questions.

Well, after the first couple responses, I had a chance to ask my Dad about what he remembered of the gun. It turns out Uncle Fuzzy (my Grandpa's Uncle) purchased it but we don't know if he purchased it new or not. Uncle Fuzzy lived near Naperville, Illinois and may have sent the gun to Joplin, Missouri as was suggested. From what my Dad remembers the gun was definately customized and didn't come with the detachable magazine. From the stuff I've read, I've only heard of the Police models having a detachable magazine. I've not seen a Police model. I'm heading home on 28 Sept and will be asking my family about the gun. I will also get more pictures of the gun (including the scope mount), it is quite fancy. Can remove the scope and put it back in exactly the same place everytime...well it's fancy to me anyway. I'll also get the serial number and find the production date. If I recall the .300 Savage was offered later?

Fletchbutt
 
Darn it

Well, I went home the last week of September for 2 weeks of leave and 3 days of Goose hunting...what a blast. Anyway, I took some pictures of the scope mount and serial number and magazine assembly. Then I drove to Colorado springs for 3 days to pack up my stuff. Then I went to Corpus Christi for 3 days to pick up the rest of my house and now I'm in Little Rock finishing school. The kicker is the day I left the **** hole known as Corpus Christi, my car was broken into. They took three things I know of: my wallet, the cooler full of food my late Uncle gave me as a wedding gift (quite the hunter he was), and my camera with all my pictures on it.

Those bastards.

So, I'll have to wait until Christmas to get more pictures.

Sorry,
Phil
 
Glad that helped Mike. I really like the take down option.
Pictures as promised
 

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I know it's been a while, but that survival link doesn't work.

Also I'd love to know what you know about your rifle KevvK2. Who modified the magazine and such?

Thanks,
Phil
 
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