thegreatmodel8.remingtonsociety.com

I've found two broken "bolt carrier latch springs" in two of the guns that I've bought. Good thing that I tore them down to inspect and clean before shooting them and I was able to replace the springs, but I was wondering what would happen if you fire the gun with a broken spring?

Never fired one w/out it!

If there's no latch spring then there's no tension placed on the bolt carrier latch (which essentially controls the bolt), which also means there's no tension placed on the barrel lock. The latch needs vertical tension to engage with the bolt on rearward travel. When the barrel completes its full recoil w/ the bolt and begins travelling forward, a tab on the extension trips the barrel lock which forces the bolt carrier latch down releasing the bolt forward again under pressure from the action spring in the stock. All that to say, the rifle wouldn't function properly w/out that spring!

Thanks Cam, but does that mean that the gun wouldn't cycle or worse... would damage parts. I ask because this little spring seems to be a common fail-point (based on my 2 out of 5 rifles bought having a broken bolt carrier latch spring)... and if the spring breaks during normal firing in the future, would it seriously damage other components in the rifle?

I've owned & shot many many of these guns and have never seen one with a broken bolt carrier latch spring. Not sure what happened in the 2 cases you've had. It's unusual.

I wouldn't shoot any gun with a broken or missing part critical to the gun's safe functioning.

Agreed... I wouldn't knowingly shoot a gun with a broken part. I was just wondering what would happen if the spring broke during a firing session. That may have been the reason that these two guns were sold.... they may have been malfunctioning due to a broken spring. Anyway... I've fixed my "new" Model 81 .300 Sav and about to go shoot it for the first time tomorrow.

Good times! Let us know how it shoots!

Well.... I shot my Model 81 in .300 Savage for the first time today. It functioned perfectly. Very pleasant shooting gun.

Excellent!! I love the 300 Savage in the 81

OOPS! I made a mistake! It is not the "Bolt Carrier Latch Spring" that I was talking about. It was the "Barrel Lock Spring" (part #131). I misread the parts schematic listing. I apologize for the confusion.

If it was the barrel lock spring I'd say it wouldn't allow the barrel lock to properly trip the bolt carrier latch which controls the release of the bolt. These John Browning rifles are a mechanical marvel in their design and function. Take em apart and it is amazing how all the parts interact and are dependent with each other (as in all firearms), but these 8/81's have a special appeal. Curious, what schematic were you using. All the ones I've seen are out of the NRA manual, which is the same Numrich uses. The parts numbers only go as high as 65, with exception to the bolt which uses letters. Barrel lock spring in that is #22, #19 for Bolt Carrier Latch Spring. Where did you find the barrel lock spring? I've been looking for one and a Magazine Indicator Spring to have both 'on hand' in case either breaks in my two 81's. Have a spare latch spring.

Rifleman,
I was "trying" to use the Remington factory schematic/parts list on page 24 from "The Great Remington 8" book by Henwood, but just grabbed the wrong part name and number. I got my replacement Barrel Lock and Spring from eBay.

From what I've seen since becoming a 8/81 style Remington rifle owner/shooter, most sources I've familiar with go by the schematic drawing on page 178 of Henwoods book, also the bolt breakdown on page 181, both from the NRA assembly/disassembly manual. also used on the 'Home" schematic' for this forum. When you bought your 'barrel lock spring' replacement were you able to buy just the spring or was it with the barrel lock. I've seen that combo for sale once in a while, but never just the spring itself.

Nope... I haven't seen a Bolt Lock Spring by itself. I wish I did. The Bolt Lock is a pretty tough item, but the little flat spring.. not so much!