hey guys I'm new to this forum and recently just purchased an immaculate condition 1946 Remington model 81 in 300 savage at a gun show. I have some general questions about it. First off
1. whats the magazine capacity on these guns? I read everywhere online that it is five but I can only fit four in my gun.
2. I paid 675 for mine. Did I do good on this? I see these on gunbroker going for much more than that but I know the site is over priced 100% of the time also.
3.I have a marble adjustable rear sight on mine with a small blade up front (with no bead). I hate these sights and would like to put better ones on it with out drilling any holes and/or ruining the value of the gun. I have skinner peep sights on my henry 45-70 and I love them is there anything similar to those for this gun?
4. how do I know what front sight posts will fit into the groove on the front sight ramp?
new model 81 owner, general ?'s
-
Bandersnatch
- Posts: 480
- Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 3:48 am
- Location: Lower Alabama
Re: new model 81 owner, general ?'s
Howdy do!
I'll see if I can take a crack at some of these:
1. Mag capacity for the 300 is 4. 5 is right out.
2. Pretty fair going rate for the 300's. The 25's tend to go for more.
3. Not sure what you mean by marble adjustable rear sight. Is it mounted to the barrel or the receiver? Pics would help. (Beside, we like gun pics around here) if you look on the rear of the receiver you'll see a large plug screw. A couple of different sight companies made sights to fit this exact point.
4. I don't remember the measurements for the front sight, but if memory serves, it's a standard size and so a replacement shouldn't be hard to find. One of our members, 81police, found a green fiber optic front sight for his that works well.
I'll see if I can take a crack at some of these:
1. Mag capacity for the 300 is 4. 5 is right out.
2. Pretty fair going rate for the 300's. The 25's tend to go for more.
3. Not sure what you mean by marble adjustable rear sight. Is it mounted to the barrel or the receiver? Pics would help. (Beside, we like gun pics around here) if you look on the rear of the receiver you'll see a large plug screw. A couple of different sight companies made sights to fit this exact point.
4. I don't remember the measurements for the front sight, but if memory serves, it's a standard size and so a replacement shouldn't be hard to find. One of our members, 81police, found a green fiber optic front sight for his that works well.
I am the cat who walks by himself. And all places are alike to me.
-
hallster346
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2019 11:42 am
Re: new model 81 owner, general ?'s
Thanks alot!
3. It’s mounted on the barrel and its pretty much exactly the same sight that comes mounted on the henry rifles, its this https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1828120698 ,and unfortunately I cant post pictures because when I bought the gun it had a loose barrel jacket and its at the gun smith getting repaired at the moment.
4. ok thats good, If you could find out the exact measurements that would be great
5. One last question, I remember seeing a picture on google or a forum or somewhere of a remington model 8/81 with the rear sight base (on the barrel) replaced with a base for a red dot sight with a red dot on it, where can you get one of these?
3. It’s mounted on the barrel and its pretty much exactly the same sight that comes mounted on the henry rifles, its this https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1828120698 ,and unfortunately I cant post pictures because when I bought the gun it had a loose barrel jacket and its at the gun smith getting repaired at the moment.
4. ok thats good, If you could find out the exact measurements that would be great
5. One last question, I remember seeing a picture on google or a forum or somewhere of a remington model 8/81 with the rear sight base (on the barrel) replaced with a base for a red dot sight with a red dot on it, where can you get one of these?
-
Bandersnatch
- Posts: 480
- Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 3:48 am
- Location: Lower Alabama
Re: new model 81 owner, general ?'s
As to 5., our member, Fred, makes these. I bought one and it's the berries.
I am the cat who walks by himself. And all places are alike to me.
Re: new model 81 owner, general ?'s
Here's my 2 cents:
1) I always load five rounds in both of my post war 300 Savage 81's. Release the bolt, 1 in chamber, four in magazine. It's not recommended to slip one in chamber, load five in magazine, and try to release bolt without it stripping another round. In fact I don't think it would be possible. I read not to chamber a round in the chamber and release bolt anyway as its wearing and hard on the bolt parts. When I load five in magazine, I never have any problem with the bolt stripping a round and not chambering the round, and bolt not locking. I'm not sure what Bandersnatch meant in his first answer "5 is right out."
2) From what I've seen 81's sell both on Gun Broker, other gun selling sites, and when I do see them at gun shows, $675 isn't over priced. Seen some sell for more, some less. Depending on the condition and caliber. I paid less for mine, both off of GB, both in excellent shape except one had four tapped holes in the receiver.
3) As far as replacement sights, I'm with you in not altering anything on the rifle or drilling any mount holes to retain value. As far as replacing the existing front and rear sights, whatever you can find that will fit in the existing dovetails or alter the sights bases to fit the existing dovetails, will work. Can be done, but requires some detailed file work on the sight bases. There's a proper way to measure the dovetails on a barrel and receiver. Should be able to find online. I know Brownell's catalog used to have a detailed way to measure, or take it to a gunsmith that knows the process.
1) I always load five rounds in both of my post war 300 Savage 81's. Release the bolt, 1 in chamber, four in magazine. It's not recommended to slip one in chamber, load five in magazine, and try to release bolt without it stripping another round. In fact I don't think it would be possible. I read not to chamber a round in the chamber and release bolt anyway as its wearing and hard on the bolt parts. When I load five in magazine, I never have any problem with the bolt stripping a round and not chambering the round, and bolt not locking. I'm not sure what Bandersnatch meant in his first answer "5 is right out."
2) From what I've seen 81's sell both on Gun Broker, other gun selling sites, and when I do see them at gun shows, $675 isn't over priced. Seen some sell for more, some less. Depending on the condition and caliber. I paid less for mine, both off of GB, both in excellent shape except one had four tapped holes in the receiver.
3) As far as replacement sights, I'm with you in not altering anything on the rifle or drilling any mount holes to retain value. As far as replacing the existing front and rear sights, whatever you can find that will fit in the existing dovetails or alter the sights bases to fit the existing dovetails, will work. Can be done, but requires some detailed file work on the sight bases. There's a proper way to measure the dovetails on a barrel and receiver. Should be able to find online. I know Brownell's catalog used to have a detailed way to measure, or take it to a gunsmith that knows the process.
-
Bandersnatch
- Posts: 480
- Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 3:48 am
- Location: Lower Alabama
Re: new model 81 owner, general ?'s
It's a Monty Python joke.
I am the cat who walks by himself. And all places are alike to me.
Re: new model 81 owner, general ?'s
I sat reading that trying to figure out the significance, left, then came back and still was puzzled. LOL-Never was into Monty Python. Think I maybe only watched several short segments of any of his shows. If you have a 300 do you only load four and chamber one or load five and chamber one, resulting in one in chamber, four in magazine? I've read a lot of 300 Savage shooters who do it this way.
Re: new model 81 owner, general ?'s
Cam Woodall
Site Co-Administrator
Site Co-Administrator
-
Bandersnatch
- Posts: 480
- Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 3:48 am
- Location: Lower Alabama
Re: new model 81 owner, general ?'s
I am the cat who walks by himself. And all places are alike to me.
Re: new model 81 owner, general ?'s
Your "No. 5" is something I can help you with if you need, there's a for sale listing in the appropriate forum here. Otherwise congrats on your new rifle.hallster346 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2019 8:30 pm 5. One last question, I remember seeing <snip> a red dot [mount], where can you get one of these?
My .35 Rems are 4, +1 configuration too: bolt back, push 5 into the magazine via stipper clip, pull the bolt handle and let it go and you're ready to rock.
Don't be too concerned with "value" as condition, chamberings and features are all over the place. If you like what you purchased, could afford the price you paid and it meets your expectations then you did good.
Enjoy your new-to-you rifle!