Sn # 22 has come home
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2023 4:56 pm
Howdy all,
I’m proud to say that I now own SN #22 Model 81. I’ve known about the rifle for many years as it was a dear friend’s of mine. I even got to shoot it before and I actually had the rifle with me at the Great Model 8 shoot that Jack hosted in 2016. Well sadly, my friend Bill passed away last October. He was 94. He owned a gun shop in Millstadt, Illinois for 40 years, and that’s where I met him back in the mid 90’s. He closed up in 2002 and I always maintained a friendship with him for the next 20 years. He never slowed down from collecting guns, right up till the end.
It was actually me who spawned his interest in model 81’s. I traded one in to him in 1998, a nice one in 300 Savage. It was the first time he had ever seen one but knew of them. I traded for a brand new Ruger P95 9mm. 25 years later, in retrospect, probably the worst trade I ever made!!
He acquired #22 and another 81 at an auction somewhere around 2010. I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase both of them from his estate recently. Both of them are .30 Rem’s. The other one is SN 1595, also an early example. Also got ten boxes of ammo for the 30 as well.
So now I have 3 model 81’s in 30 Rem. Why not?? I’m going to pass my 1950 Model 81 to my son. He’s a youngster (27 years old) but has his fathers eye for the old stuff!! I feel that’s the best way to keep the interest going in these fine old rifles. I’ll post some pics when I can, I’ve recently moved and my gun room is a disaster!!
Mike
I’m proud to say that I now own SN #22 Model 81. I’ve known about the rifle for many years as it was a dear friend’s of mine. I even got to shoot it before and I actually had the rifle with me at the Great Model 8 shoot that Jack hosted in 2016. Well sadly, my friend Bill passed away last October. He was 94. He owned a gun shop in Millstadt, Illinois for 40 years, and that’s where I met him back in the mid 90’s. He closed up in 2002 and I always maintained a friendship with him for the next 20 years. He never slowed down from collecting guns, right up till the end.
It was actually me who spawned his interest in model 81’s. I traded one in to him in 1998, a nice one in 300 Savage. It was the first time he had ever seen one but knew of them. I traded for a brand new Ruger P95 9mm. 25 years later, in retrospect, probably the worst trade I ever made!!
He acquired #22 and another 81 at an auction somewhere around 2010. I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase both of them from his estate recently. Both of them are .30 Rem’s. The other one is SN 1595, also an early example. Also got ten boxes of ammo for the 30 as well.
So now I have 3 model 81’s in 30 Rem. Why not?? I’m going to pass my 1950 Model 81 to my son. He’s a youngster (27 years old) but has his fathers eye for the old stuff!! I feel that’s the best way to keep the interest going in these fine old rifles. I’ll post some pics when I can, I’ve recently moved and my gun room is a disaster!!
Mike