hello, newbie with questions
Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 4:05 pm
Hello my name is Mike out of Washington state.
Came across this site in just the last few days after becoming a new
Remington model 8 (or is it an 81?) rifle.
More on that in a bit. A little introduction / background first.
I’m retired Navy, thirty years, 1957 – 1987. After that, had a follow up career with federal civil service. Retired the 2nd time in 2004. Military and civil service time all involved aviation maintenance in some capacity with the Navy. Been all over the world including every dry spot in the Pacific. No particular claim to fame besides saying I spent 23 years in Japan (NAF Atsugi) combined military and civilian time.
Unlike most of you, I’m not a hunter. I’m more of a “gee whiz” sort of person. I like well made machines, anything that flys (airplane wise) and well made guns. When I first got my hands on
A Remington, the thought was “gee whiz, this is neat!”
Grew up on a farm in western Pennsylvania. Learned to use a 22 rifle for varmit hunting to protect my granddads chickens, ducks,
And so forth. He also owned a 25 cal pistol which I took to school one day when I was in the 8th grade to show some fellows. We took it in down by the river during lunch to shoot. I had the gun in one pocket and a hand full of rounds in the other.
I was thinking about that the other day. In this day and age , had I been caught with a gun in school, most likely they’d have called in the FBI, the national guard and I would still be in jail years later.
Anyway, during my Navy career, gun ownership was out of the question but I had some good moments. One in particular that stands out for me. In 1969 I was serving with the “knightriders” of
Attack squadron fifty-two deployed aboard USS Coral Sea.
We pulled into Cubi Point, the Phillipines, after a long at sea period. On the base there we learned a movie company was shooting a war film called “To late the hero” directed by Robert Aldrich. He had produced the famed war film “the dirty dozen”
Several years earlier. As it turned out this new film didn’t do so well at the box office but that’s another story.
They wanted sailors and marines to play the role of soldiers and extras in various scenes they were shooting in a set that was constructed miles into the jungle.
I signed up and for the next four days I was a soldier in the British army of world war two. Among the movie stars I got to rub elbows with was Michael Cane and Henry Fonda who was there for one day. But the most interesting person I met was the guy that was contracted to handle all the weapons used by the various actors during the combat scenes. I got to fire a Japanese Nambu Machine gun, various british guns, a thirty caliber machine gun and a BAR.
This guy, ( I’ve forgotten his name) was an expert on military weapons of world war two. He was responsible for making sure the right weapons were used, and used correctly for what ever the scene was that was being shot. He owned most of the weapons outright, used in the film production. This included stuff like hand grenades, and other guns that were to be used in other parts of the film. For me it was a real “gee whiz” moment.
Over the years other weapons I’ve gotten to fire include the M-60 machine gun and the UZI.
So here I am today, an old geezer in my mid seventies. I haven’t done much shootin’ in the last twenty-five years.
I’m over visiting a retired marine friend, I’ll call him John. John was an aviation marine. In fact at one time, a door gunner on marine helos in Vietnam. He’s got Parkinsons disease today.
Real bad. With his wife gone, his son and his son’s wife look after him.
I try to get in to see him a couple times a week. I’ve known him over twenty years. Funny thing is, We never talked about guns.
But this day, about three weeks ago, he brings it up. He’s got one in the garage he wants me to have. His sons not interested.
So I take it home and start to clean it up. Sitting in the garage for who knows how long, it was dirty, dusty and had spider webs all over. After some care, the walnut stocks starts to glow and the metal surfaces begin showing some blue. The chamber is marked 35 rem. The gun has a nice heft to it and I start to get that “gee whiz” Excitement. Mounted on the rifle is a Herter’s scope.
3-9x33 are the numbers.
I go on line and Google for more information, eventually coming to this site. Lots of history. As for John, he tells me his dad owned this gun. Perhaps his grandfather too. All before “the big war”, but that’s all he’s sure off. And so that’s my issue now. The serial is 11652
Stamped above the numbers is an “S” and below a “P”.
Looking at the serials listed on the site I’m confused. It appears these numbers could be for a 1907 model 8 or a 1940 model 81
That’s why I’m not sure if I have an 8 or an 81.
I’m thinking its probably a model 8 but it seems pretty clean to be so old. Perhaps that’s just the “newbie” in me, talkin’ out loud.
Anyway, hope someone here can set me straight.
Also is there a guide on posting photo’s? or maybe I can send
Some to somebody to post for me?
Oh yeah, my plans for it? Once I’m squared away, I’m headed for the range. Already got hold of some federal 35 remington 200 grain. This gun looks like a shooter.
Anyway, glad to be on board,
Thanks for being here.
Came across this site in just the last few days after becoming a new
Remington model 8 (or is it an 81?) rifle.
More on that in a bit. A little introduction / background first.
I’m retired Navy, thirty years, 1957 – 1987. After that, had a follow up career with federal civil service. Retired the 2nd time in 2004. Military and civil service time all involved aviation maintenance in some capacity with the Navy. Been all over the world including every dry spot in the Pacific. No particular claim to fame besides saying I spent 23 years in Japan (NAF Atsugi) combined military and civilian time.
Unlike most of you, I’m not a hunter. I’m more of a “gee whiz” sort of person. I like well made machines, anything that flys (airplane wise) and well made guns. When I first got my hands on
A Remington, the thought was “gee whiz, this is neat!”
Grew up on a farm in western Pennsylvania. Learned to use a 22 rifle for varmit hunting to protect my granddads chickens, ducks,
And so forth. He also owned a 25 cal pistol which I took to school one day when I was in the 8th grade to show some fellows. We took it in down by the river during lunch to shoot. I had the gun in one pocket and a hand full of rounds in the other.
I was thinking about that the other day. In this day and age , had I been caught with a gun in school, most likely they’d have called in the FBI, the national guard and I would still be in jail years later.
Anyway, during my Navy career, gun ownership was out of the question but I had some good moments. One in particular that stands out for me. In 1969 I was serving with the “knightriders” of
Attack squadron fifty-two deployed aboard USS Coral Sea.
We pulled into Cubi Point, the Phillipines, after a long at sea period. On the base there we learned a movie company was shooting a war film called “To late the hero” directed by Robert Aldrich. He had produced the famed war film “the dirty dozen”
Several years earlier. As it turned out this new film didn’t do so well at the box office but that’s another story.
They wanted sailors and marines to play the role of soldiers and extras in various scenes they were shooting in a set that was constructed miles into the jungle.
I signed up and for the next four days I was a soldier in the British army of world war two. Among the movie stars I got to rub elbows with was Michael Cane and Henry Fonda who was there for one day. But the most interesting person I met was the guy that was contracted to handle all the weapons used by the various actors during the combat scenes. I got to fire a Japanese Nambu Machine gun, various british guns, a thirty caliber machine gun and a BAR.
This guy, ( I’ve forgotten his name) was an expert on military weapons of world war two. He was responsible for making sure the right weapons were used, and used correctly for what ever the scene was that was being shot. He owned most of the weapons outright, used in the film production. This included stuff like hand grenades, and other guns that were to be used in other parts of the film. For me it was a real “gee whiz” moment.
Over the years other weapons I’ve gotten to fire include the M-60 machine gun and the UZI.
So here I am today, an old geezer in my mid seventies. I haven’t done much shootin’ in the last twenty-five years.
I’m over visiting a retired marine friend, I’ll call him John. John was an aviation marine. In fact at one time, a door gunner on marine helos in Vietnam. He’s got Parkinsons disease today.
Real bad. With his wife gone, his son and his son’s wife look after him.
I try to get in to see him a couple times a week. I’ve known him over twenty years. Funny thing is, We never talked about guns.
But this day, about three weeks ago, he brings it up. He’s got one in the garage he wants me to have. His sons not interested.
So I take it home and start to clean it up. Sitting in the garage for who knows how long, it was dirty, dusty and had spider webs all over. After some care, the walnut stocks starts to glow and the metal surfaces begin showing some blue. The chamber is marked 35 rem. The gun has a nice heft to it and I start to get that “gee whiz” Excitement. Mounted on the rifle is a Herter’s scope.
3-9x33 are the numbers.
I go on line and Google for more information, eventually coming to this site. Lots of history. As for John, he tells me his dad owned this gun. Perhaps his grandfather too. All before “the big war”, but that’s all he’s sure off. And so that’s my issue now. The serial is 11652
Stamped above the numbers is an “S” and below a “P”.
Looking at the serials listed on the site I’m confused. It appears these numbers could be for a 1907 model 8 or a 1940 model 81
That’s why I’m not sure if I have an 8 or an 81.
I’m thinking its probably a model 8 but it seems pretty clean to be so old. Perhaps that’s just the “newbie” in me, talkin’ out loud.
Anyway, hope someone here can set me straight.
Also is there a guide on posting photo’s? or maybe I can send
Some to somebody to post for me?
Oh yeah, my plans for it? Once I’m squared away, I’m headed for the range. Already got hold of some federal 35 remington 200 grain. This gun looks like a shooter.
Anyway, glad to be on board,
Thanks for being here.
like making sure the barrel was clear and the bolt worked when I pulled the trigger (actually I did check those, more from curiosity vs. safety), plus with these critters one should push down on the barrel assembly to make sure that it will recoil completely inside the receiver. After that, I'd still say, "slip on a recoil pad, load'r up, and go shoot'n". 
Enjoy
