To disassemble or not?

Ask about your Model 8 & 81
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RedFlannelCap
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Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 6:27 pm

To disassemble or not?

Post by RedFlannelCap »

Being new to this forum and the Model 8, I wanted to get folks’ opinions on the wisdom of disassembling their Model 8’s for a thorough cleaning and lubrication. I’ve owned a number of older firearms and a thorough disassembly, cleaning and lube was always part of the fun of having them. But my 1940’s era 81’s, I’m not so sure! They are elegant machines to be sure, but yikes do they have a lot of parts that don’t seem to readily come apart or go back together.

A few of the videos I’ve watched are nice efforts, but the voiceover always seems to be a cautionary “don’t try this at home.” (One fellow gamely took his apart mostly with his Swiss Army knife, and had to interrupt and resume the video after he tore open his finger on a sharp edge.) The best one (by a forum member) uses the correct tools, but also uses a demo gun that he admits will easily disassemble and reassemble.

I’m inclined to think that I have a one-piece gun, at best, two pieces. As much as I’d like to give it a thorough going over, it works fine as is and I don’t want to damage it (or me). It doesn’t get used much so I’m thinking discretion is probably the better part of valor. Just enjoy shooting it occasionally, clean and lube what I can reach, and let the next guy mess with it if he wants to.

What do you all think?
Fred
Posts: 146
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:10 pm

Re: To disassemble or not?

Post by Fred »

If it looks pretty clean, and has lubrication in the bolt lug abutments and bolt cam pins, then go shoot it. If it cycles fine, then perhaps it doesn't need any TLC. Otherwise, with the right tools it should come apart fine. If you were paying attention you shouldn't have trouble with reassembly IMO.
BEVO08
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Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2020 9:41 am

Re: To disassemble or not?

Post by BEVO08 »

I just inherited a model 8 from my grandfather and I took both stocks off and the barrel, was able to clean 90% of the rifle from there without full disassembly. Cycles and functions very well with no issues. I would go that route until you feel more comfortable diving deeper.

B
BEVO08
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Re: To disassemble or not?

Post by BEVO08 »

Ok update....I took it all the way down to trigger group/housing off and bolt out. Everything is reachable from that point. There was so much residue and crud behind the bolt I have no idea how it even cycled. After seeing what I saw tonight I retract my previous statement. It needs to come apart at least to the point that the bolt is out. Leave all the guts in the upper receiver. I polished the bolt and side walls, cleaned with action cleaner, wiped everything down and then lubed everything with a light coat. There are no words for how smooth it operates.....NO WORDS AT ALL.
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RedFlannelCap
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Re: To disassemble or not?

Post by RedFlannelCap »

That’s good feedback, thanks. Kinda wish I had a beater to practice on but I’ll go slow with the limited approach you recommend. Thanks again.
BEVO08
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Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2020 9:41 am

Re: To disassemble or not?

Post by BEVO08 »

No problem glad I was able to help. There is a disassembly video that’s 45min long on YouTube. It helps to watch that a couple of times. It’s really not that bad once you get in there. Just be careful cleaning and stay away from all the springs/mechanisms in the receiver. Get a wad of QTips and you are good to go. On a scale of 1-10 difficulty it’s about a 2 or 3 to get to the point where the bolt comes out.
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Wildgoose
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Location: Nebraska

Re: To disassemble or not?

Post by Wildgoose »

I have several and over the years have had to do a few complete take downs to replace broken or badly worn parts. The only time I ever got in trouble and broke something was the time it had been quite a while from the last time I had done one. And I didn't review the tutorials first. They are complex enough that unless one is working on them often best not rely on memory.
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RedFlannelCap
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Re: To disassemble or not?

Post by RedFlannelCap »

Thanks all. Any similar thoughts on the barrel and barrel jacket assembly? Apart from the bore itself, that seems to be the tougher nut to crack. The inside of the bbl jacket has to see some residual muzzle blast with every shot- maybe some of the later 81’s only saw non-corrosive ammunition but that is a concern. Getting that assembly apart, with 70+ years of bonding and without the proper tools, does anyone have an 80% solution for that problem?
canuck
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Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 6:42 pm
Location: Alberta, Canada

Re: To disassemble or not?

Post by canuck »

IMO, the barrel/jacket are easier to take down than the rest of the gun - if you are creative and handy, a barrel nut tool can be homemade out of an old socket. I used one that I homemade for years until I purchased a reproduction spanner tool from remcrazy here on the board.

Knowing the crap I've removed from between the barrel and jacket of my accumulation of 8s/81s/1900s, I would highly recommend you try to clean them.
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Phyrbird
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Re: To disassemble or not?

Post by Phyrbird »

I agree, the lady may look fair on the outside. In the barrel jacket it's usually decades of dust & oil varnish if you're lucky. Lots of penetrating oil, soak for a week, maybe a heat gun, plus tools to remove the barrel nut & bushing. Sometimes the barrel bushing is very challenging. It took my brother & I 3 hours to break his free. A 3/4 deep well 6pt socket with a hole drilled for the right size drill bit pin is one way for the nut. A good combination square rule (not a cheap one) can be used with a crescent for the bushing. Both are spanner type parts & can be goobered easily. I have found a hard plastic hammer can help jar things loose without marring the finish. Like we said they get stuck, require uncommon tools, can be marred from trying.
One more thing, ricocheting bushing, washer, springs, spacer around the room is embarrassing. I've lost parts at times, never to be seen again. Be prepared if you actually do get them unscrewed.
Point is I agree cleaning inside is needed, but it can be a real chore if you don't prepare.
Phyrbird
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kenhwind
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Re: To disassemble or not?

Post by kenhwind »

We have taken all of the 8 & 81 Remington's we have completely apart. While the videos may be good I'd advise to get the NRA Assembly/Disassembly Book as well as the Gun Digest some good tips in both.

If you can get the barrel nut off and remove the barrel the jacket inside can be cleaned sufficiently. To get the barrel jacker bushing out lot of oil and patience.

When putting the receiver together make sure that the magazine indicator spring is in the slot in the receiver. Even tough when it is in there sometimes it slips out as the rest of the parts are put in.

I almost had a disaster with one of ours. I put the bolt lock in the bolt backwards and couldn't get the bolt back out of the receiver. Luckily I slipped a piece of spring stock in from behind and slid the bolt out.
KEN
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RedFlannelCap
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Re: To disassemble or not?

Post by RedFlannelCap »

Thanks Ken. I’ll do that research, then I just need to be patient and go slow. I have a more basic question open in another thread but it works better here; is there an alternative method to loosening the takedown screw that holds the two halves of the rifle together? I can’t get it loose with the attached lever; I can feel it wanting to bend in my hand. I don’t want to damage it with visegrips either but I would like to get the thing apart. And yes, I am turning it counter-clockwise ;)
uhjohnson
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Re: To disassemble or not?

Post by uhjohnson »

I have taken at least 10 completely apart and if you don't have the CBR tool, i agree that the machinist ruler of the correct thickness (.075-.078) and an adjustable wrench is the way to go. I do not loosen the barrel nut or the Barrel Jacket Bushing while it is attached to the receiver, instead i use a piece of suede in a vice and place the Barrel Jacket Assembly in at the rear sight/forearm nut junction with the sight notch outside the jaws to avoid bending and tighten lightly so it won't rotate out as you loosen the barrel nut and BJB. If you leave the BJA attached to the receiver you risk loosening the weakest part on the gun, the "PIN" that holds the head (yoke) to the barrel jacket. Especially with a cruded stubborn bushing that has been in the field over many decades.The rear sight is attached to the bar sight stud, located in the barrel jacket and is very sturdy with the sight screws helping to reinforce it.
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The forearm nut is attached with two sturdy studs. I have not had any problems with anything loosening except for the nut and bushing
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kenhwind
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Re: To disassemble or not?

Post by kenhwind »

I've repaired a loose barrel jacket a couple of times. What I did was get the original pin out, unscrew the barrel jacket from the receiver extension, clean, use numbered drill bits and just go up slightly in pin size.. When reassembling thread the two parts together drill a new hole. Unscrew them slightly put some Locktite inside and out, thread back in insert pin and clean. Make sure the pin is flush on the inside.Do not try to Locktite both parts and then put together we tried that, the threadlocker set and we had to take it back apart.

What ever you use to take the barrel nut off make sure the stud is not too long as in using a screw. Now I'm not sure if I did it or what happened but we had one where the barrel nut got galled. I finally just cranked it apart luckily I didn't snap off the barrel head pin. On some barrels the threads are longer then necessary for the barrel nut and I assume that something galled the threads and prevented the nut from unscrewing. Once apart I just filed down the threads and no problems after that.

Once you get these rifles apart there shouldn't be any problems ti disassemble and reassemble. But I've seen some used guns that were latterly destroyed by improper disassembly.
KEN
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