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Safety latches

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:59 pm
by model8man
I'm a new guy so ya'all got to take it easy on me for a while and put up with lots of dumb questions.

First question I have concerns the safety latches on these deals. Most of the ones I have seen are the type that have a pin on them and are pressed in. I've seen some 81's that are have a screw holding the safety latch to the receiver. They appear to be factory to me.

My question is this. I recently came a cross a model 8 that had the safety latch screwed to the receiver. I've never an 8 like this. Could this be a factory job or is that a modification?

I love these model 8's and grew up with them in hunting camps in the Adirondack mountains of upstate New York. They remind me of my youth. I want to find out all I can about them.

What a great find this forum was!

Randy

Re: Safety latches

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 8:53 pm
by Hardrada55
The model 8s with the screwed in safety lever are factory. I don't know exactly when, but late in the production of the Model 8, they phased in the safety with the screw in the middle. I think you can find some of the old style safeties mixed in with the new style safeties. You might even be able to find early 81s with the old style safety, but I don't know for sure. It seems like the workers just grabbed in a box full of safeties and whatever type they pulled out is what they installed on any particular gun.

Re: Safety latches

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 6:26 am
by 81police
here's an example of the variations in factory safety levers. It's also posted in the section "Everything Else 8 81's"

Image