We've inherited a Model 8 from my son's great grandfather with a straight grip serial # 24xxx. He was a game warden in Wyoming in the 20's and '30s. The Breach is marked .25-35 but it shoots .25 Rem, . He must have bought it used, as the SN appears to put the date of mfg around 1912. I have to say, I'd never heard of the Model 8, and pulling it out of the case for the first time it looked odd and weird. No markings on the gun except on the barrel shroud Fortunately I ended up here to learn something about it and its history. I have to say, it's simplicity and practicality and novel technology for the time have given me a new appreciation for JM Browning. Though a bit on the heavy side the barrel shroud actually gives the gun a nice balance when shooting it. It is well used and clearly was a 'carry gun', a tool of the trade and treated as such. Stock is worn and dinged with a hairline crack. Only traces of bluing remain on the receiver, none on the barrel except under the forestock. The barrel shroud is scratched and litely surface pitted all over with one shallow dent underneath and a crudely done field repair brazing the shroud to the flange where it had apparently cracked at one point. It is fully functional. Came with 5 boxes of original Rem .25, and shot half a box to watch it work. Bore is only in fair condition, no pitting but rifling is well worn -- still punches round holes where you point it, though. The original rear sight was removed and replaced with a Marbles adjustable rear peep sight on
the receiver, a common addition it seems. But sentimental value aside, it truly is a piece of uniquely American gunmaking history, and worth keeping even in this condition. Am field stripping to clean it of 100 years of dried, caked gunk.
Would like to shoot it. Came with 5 boxes of original 25 Rem (shot half a box just to see it work) but was thinking of reloading with cast bullets. What is the bullet diameter? Are dies still available? Powder charge? Thanks all. Now trying to track down some parts. Too bad you can't get replacement barrels. Thanks for making this site available. It is a tremendous resource.
