Remington Model 8
Encyclopedia
The Remington Model 8 is a centerfire, recoil-operated, semi-automatic rifle
designed by John Browning
and produced by Remington Arms
beginning in 1906.
John Browning was granted on October 16, 1900 for the rifle, which he then sold to Remington. (Outside the U.S., this rifle was made by Fabrique Nationale of Liege, Belgium, and marketed as the FN Browning Patent 1900.)
The Remington Model 8 rifle is long recoil-operated and uses a rotating bolt head. After firing, the barrel and bolt, still locked together, move rearward inside the receiver and compress two recoil springs. Then the bolt is held back while the barrel is returned forward by one of the springs permitting extraction and ejection. Once the barrel is returned, the bolt is returned forward by the second spring; in so doing it picks up a fresh round from the magazine and chambers it. The Remington Model 8 has a fixed 5-shot magazine and bolt hold-open device which engages after the magazine is empty. It is a takedown design, meaning that the barrel and receiver are easily separated with no tools, allowing for a smaller package for transport. Remington created four new calibers for the Model 8 rifle: .25 Remington
, .30 Remington
, .32 Remington
and .35 Remington
. These cartridges were rimless designs to allow reliable feeding from box magazines. The Remington Model 8 was the first truly reliable medium power semiautomatic rifle ever commercialized (1906).
The primary market for the Model 8 was sports hunting. The Model 8 was used as a police gun, modified to use detachable extended capacity magazines, among other changes. It is noted as the rifle of choice of famed Texas Ranger Frank Hamer
. Hamer's rifle was a customized .35 Remington Model 8 with a special-order 15 round magazine from Petmeckey's Sporting Goods store in Austin, Texas
. He was shipped serial number 10045, and this was just one of at least two Model 8's used in the ambush
of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker. The rifle was modified to accept a "police only" 15 round magazine obtained through the Peace Officers Equipment Company in St. Joseph, Missouri.
In 1936, Remington dropped the Model 8 and introduced the Model 81 "Woodsmaster" with improvements by C.C. Loomis. The Model 81 was offered in .300 Savage
and the .25 Remington chambering was dropped after a limited number of 81's were chambered in this round. Production of the Model 81 ceased in 1950.
Semi-automatic rifle
A semi-automatic rifle is a type of rifle that fires a single bullet each time the trigger is pulled, automatically ejects the spent cartridge, chambers a fresh cartridge from its magazine, and is immediately ready to fire another shot...
designed by John Browning
John Browning
John Moses Browning , born in Ogden, Utah, was an American firearms designer who developed many varieties of military and civilian firearms, cartridges, and gun mechanisms, many of which are still in use around the world...
and produced by Remington Arms
Remington Arms
Remington Arms Company, Inc. was founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington in Ilion, New York, as E. Remington and Sons. It is the oldest company in the United States which still makes its original product, and is the oldest continuously operating manufacturer in North America. It is the only U.S....
beginning in 1906.
John Browning was granted on October 16, 1900 for the rifle, which he then sold to Remington. (Outside the U.S., this rifle was made by Fabrique Nationale of Liege, Belgium, and marketed as the FN Browning Patent 1900.)
The Remington Model 8 rifle is long recoil-operated and uses a rotating bolt head. After firing, the barrel and bolt, still locked together, move rearward inside the receiver and compress two recoil springs. Then the bolt is held back while the barrel is returned forward by one of the springs permitting extraction and ejection. Once the barrel is returned, the bolt is returned forward by the second spring; in so doing it picks up a fresh round from the magazine and chambers it. The Remington Model 8 has a fixed 5-shot magazine and bolt hold-open device which engages after the magazine is empty. It is a takedown design, meaning that the barrel and receiver are easily separated with no tools, allowing for a smaller package for transport. Remington created four new calibers for the Model 8 rifle: .25 Remington
.25 Remington
The .25 Remington is an American rifle cartridge. A rimless, smokeless powder design, this cartridge was considered to be very accurate by period firearm experts and suitable for game up to deer and black bear....
, .30 Remington
.30 Remington
The .30 Remington cartridge was created in 1906 by Remington Arms. It was Remington's rimless answer to the popular .30-30 Winchester cartridge. Factory ammunition was produced up until the late 1980s, but now it is a prospect for handloaders...
, .32 Remington
.32 Remington
The .32 Remington is an American rifle cartridge. A rimless, smokeless powder design, this cartridge was once considered to be suitable for game larger than deer and black bear...
and .35 Remington
.35 Remington
The .35 Remington is the only remaining cartridge from Remington's lineup of medium power rimless cartridges still in commercial production. Introduced in 1906, it was originally chambered for the Remington Model 8 semi-automatic rifle in 1908.-History:...
. These cartridges were rimless designs to allow reliable feeding from box magazines. The Remington Model 8 was the first truly reliable medium power semiautomatic rifle ever commercialized (1906).
The primary market for the Model 8 was sports hunting. The Model 8 was used as a police gun, modified to use detachable extended capacity magazines, among other changes. It is noted as the rifle of choice of famed Texas Ranger Frank Hamer
Frank Hamer
Francis Augustus Hamer was a Texas Ranger, known in popular culture for his involvement in tracking down and killing the criminal duo Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow in 1934...
. Hamer's rifle was a customized .35 Remington Model 8 with a special-order 15 round magazine from Petmeckey's Sporting Goods store in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. He was shipped serial number 10045, and this was just one of at least two Model 8's used in the ambush
Ambush
An ambush is a long-established military tactic, in which the aggressors take advantage of concealment and the element of surprise to attack an unsuspecting enemy from concealed positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind hilltops...
of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker. The rifle was modified to accept a "police only" 15 round magazine obtained through the Peace Officers Equipment Company in St. Joseph, Missouri.
In 1936, Remington dropped the Model 8 and introduced the Model 81 "Woodsmaster" with improvements by C.C. Loomis. The Model 81 was offered in .300 Savage
.300 Savage
The .300 Savage cartridge is a rimless, .30 caliber rifle cartridge developed by the Savage Arms Company in 1920. It was designed to replace the less powerful .303 Savage in their popular Savage Model 99 lever-action rifle...
and the .25 Remington chambering was dropped after a limited number of 81's were chambered in this round. Production of the Model 81 ceased in 1950.