.35 Remington Self-loading rifle: What's the story?

[Deer Hunter]

A friend of mine were sitting around the church house, after helping out with the Vacation Bible School for the week, and talking about guns. Talking about guns at VBS, you heard right.

Now, he showed me a model 94 Winchester from around the 1930s that looks like it's never been shot. I'm jealous of him for having a gun that will only appreciate in price, and I told him not to shoot it (even though it's like a sin to not shoot a gun) and just let it appreciate.

However, he told me about a gun his Uncle has had for years. An autoloading .35 Remington rifle that's been used for years by his uncle to take all kinds of animals. I've never heard of a self-loading gun in a .35 remington loading.

What's the history? Does anyone know what these guns are like? The only thing I could get out of him was "Well, it loads from the side."

I actually thought "Oh crap, a johnson!" at first.

 

[rbernie]

http://www.remington.com/library/history/firearm_models/centerfire/model_8.asp

Doesn't load from the side, but it's the original 35 Rem autoloader....

 

[dfaugh]

Yup. The Model 8 (and later the Model 81, which is almost identical) in .35 Remington. I was just given one. Designed by J.M. Browning(he offered the design to Winchester, and they turned him down, so he went to Remington)...Kinda funny looking as the recoil spring is in a tube around the barrel (which makes the barrel look HUGE). Its also a "take down" rifle, you can remove the forearm, and unscrew the barrel. The safety is EXACTLY like an AK-47. Actually is set up to use "stripper clips" if you can find them. Cool gun (although I have no idea what I'll ever use it for). Need to do some work on it, as it won't feed the last shell from the magazine.

 

[jem375]

As soon as I find a model 81 in really good shape in 300 Savage I will own it..

 

[mete]

They were made in 25,30, 32,and 35 Rem.The only one to survive is the 35, an excellent deer and bear cartridge ,popular in the NE. Another strange looking gun for those cartridges is the Remington 14 and 141 pump action.They're very small and the magazine tube is a weird shape because it's set up to use pointed bullets safely !!

 

[browningguy]

And still good rifles, although my old eyes don't like the sights too much any more. Here's mine in .300 Savage.



They are a little on the heavy side but balance pretty well.

 

[Gewehr98]

I've got a couple of 'em, wonderful Browning design!

An early Model 8 in .32 Remington, as restored by yours truly:



I've also managed to find a lifetime supply of new .32 Remington brass, still in the boxes, so my little friend and I are well-set for a while.

 

['Card]

Personally I think the Model 81 in .300 Savage is one of the finest deer hunting rifles ever produced. I wouldn't trade mine for love nor money.

I'll admit that when 100+ yard shots are possible, I'll generally carry a .30-06 - but for in-your-face, inhaling-leaves, thicket-thrashing, brush-busting, crawling-up-and-down-rock-faces, damn-these-briars, he-man deer hunting? When any deer you see will be gone in a split-second? I'd take a Model 81 every time.

It will take a beating, mount fast, point quick, aim easy, cut brush and hit hard. Over and over again. I don't ask for much more than that.

Plus, that big-ass barrel just looks cool. Every time I pull mine out of the case my hunting buddies say "Oh, crap - this must be serious. He's breaking out the grenade launcher."

 

[grimjaw]

The Model 8 was clearly an inspiration to other notable gun designers . . .

From left, AK, SKS, Model 8. Lovely rifle. Wish mine wasn't broke.

jmm

 

[dfaugh]

Another thing I will mention....The Model 8 I've got kicks like horse!...A REALLY big horse. You'd think an autoloader wouldn't be too bad, but this ranks right of there with some of my milsurps w/ steel buttplates. If I were going to shoot it on a regular basis, I'd put a recoil pad or something on it. But I agree its a great "woods" gun....I just can't use it here, as we're limited to shotguns. Might be a good pig gun, too.