Loading the Model 81 .300 Savage caliber

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GTopp2
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 1:37 pm

Loading the Model 81 .300 Savage caliber

Post by GTopp2 »

Good evening!
I'm frustrated! I have an almost like new Model 81 made in April of 1948 (same age as I am). I can load one or two rounds of ammo into the magazine and it's a struggle. I have tried using stripper clips (M14 strippers seem to fit). The lips of the magazine are so hard to press the cartridge through to load it I can see why the rifle has apparently been unused for 71 years! To make it worse, the rifle is a tack-driver at 50 yards (normal deer range up here in NW Wisconsin). The rifle is surgically clean. I did that myself so I know what the inside of the rifle is like. I also live in fear of getting that huge bolt closed on my thumb when I am pushing cartridges into the magazine. I had that happen with a Garand and it is no fun! I would like to use this rifle as a repeater. Any suggestions? I searched for this rifle for years in the .300 Savage and I really would like to reload for it and get some use out of it.
Thanks for any help!
GTopp
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81police
Posts: 2613
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:12 pm
Location: TEXAS

Re: Loading the Model 81 .300 Savage caliber

Post by 81police »

The magazine box in a rifle chambered in 300Sav should hold 4 cartridges without issue. This may require a disassembly to inspect the magazine box, side springs, and magazine spring.

If you do disassemble, I'd recommend watching our how-to videos and GO SLOW. As a side note, **the ends of the magazine spring must point to the rear of the magazine box. Many factory parts breakdowns of these rifles were illustrated incorrectly.
Cam Woodall
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Rifleman
Posts: 242
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2018 4:07 pm

Re: Loading the Model 81 .300 Savage caliber

Post by Rifleman »

GTopp: Right on what 81police posted. I've read here on the forum of many guys having problems with their 8/81 magazines only to find the spring was installed incorrectly at some time by a previous owner or themselves. Will work only one way. Besides the video's on the home page, an excellent video I found when I first bought a 81 and needed to disassemble was one on Utube. Type in -'Remington Model 8 semi-auto rifle-How to disassemble'. The guy who posted it 'mixup98' does an excellent tear down and assembly of a Model 8. Learned a lot on it watching it a dozen times or so, did a video on my cell phone on certain segments so as to watch at my bench. If you don't have a barrel takedown tool, a fellow forum member here 'ROBOPUMP' makes and sells an excellent barrel takedown tool. Using it you use a slightly different path vs the normal procedure, but it works very well.

I have two 81's, one a year older than yours (DOB 1946) and another a year younger (DOB 1949), both in 300 Savage, really fun shooters, both made before and after my 1948 year of birth. Can't hunt deer here in Iowa with them, but a 'Hoot' to shoot. I reload all of my ammo, use mostly Speer 150 grain round nose and spitzer soft points using mostly Varget, 3031, and both Hodgon and IMR 4898 powders. Excellent accuracy, any of them good 25-100 yard shooters. Bought some Berry's 150 grain plated lead bullets, but have yet to try them. Around a month ago I cast up some 150 grain 30 caliber bullets that are mostly used in the 30/30 Winchester that are reputed to have good accuracy and function in the Remington 8/81 rifle, need to size em up yet, then reload.

I regularly load five rounds in my 81's magazine with no problem, close the bolt and have one in chamber, four in magazine. When I disassembled my 2nd 81, the magazine itself was full of crud, weed seeds, and broken pieces of grass/leaves. It still worked, but maybe yours, if you didn't clean it has 72 years worth of nature and crud in it causing your loading problem. The inside of my 1st 81's barrel and barrel shroud assembly looked like the WW2 Russian Army used it for a garbage pit. Both all clean and like new now. I'm a M1 Garand shooter also, came close to a 'Garand Thumb' once, have a lot of respect for the 81's bolt, but it's not as intimidating as a Garand's!
GTopp2
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 1:37 pm

Re: Loading the Model 81 .300 Savage caliber

Post by GTopp2 »

Thanks for the informative reply. I've had my 81 apart for cleaning. The action screw holding the trigger guard plate in the receiver was so tight and dry it took upwards of three months soaking in penetrating oil to budge it loose, also with clamping it down and two men on the screw driver---loud click and it broke loose! No damage. Action was bone dry. Inner magazine tube was not bad also dry, sprayed with FP-10 and let it drip out. I will visually check the magazine again. It does feed from the magazine so I think it is OK, just hard to load. I will just use it and put rounds thru it, that is probably the answer. While the recoil is there, I don't feel it matches up to the "legends"! Thanks again!
GregT
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81police
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Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:12 pm
Location: TEXAS

Re: Loading the Model 81 .300 Savage caliber

Post by 81police »

An easy way to load the magazine is to put the rear end of the cartridge into the magazine box first and slide it down & backwards under the side springs. And continue that way one round at a time. That way should be quite easy.
Cam Woodall
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olskool
Posts: 175
Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:44 pm
Location: the woods of S.C.

Re: Loading the Model 81 .300 Savage caliber

Post by olskool »

yep that works foe me cam. that's how I load mine with no problems,,,,,,,,,,
I have never harvested an animal, but I have killed quite a few.............
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