We're very grateful to have such rad customers. Recently had a local customer of ours, Jason, come to our shop and share a family heirloom with us. His grandads Remington Model 8!
Some quick history on this cool piece of history.
They were produced starting in 1906 as the Remington Autoloading Rifle and in 1910 when Remington and Union Metallic Cartridge Company merged , they renamed their rifle to the Remington Model 8.
They were produced starting in 1906 as the Remington Autoloading Rifle and in 1910 when Remington and Union Metallic Cartridge Company merged , they renamed their rifle to the Remington Model 8.
What makes the Remington Model 8 so special is it was America's first semi-auto rifle.
Chambered in various calibers, .25 Rem, .30 Rem, .32 Rem, and .35 Rem.
It would serve hunters well throughout the early 1900s and well into today.
It would serve hunters well throughout the early 1900s and well into today.
The Model 8 saw very limited use in WWI, two of these rifles took part in the ambush on Bonnie & Clyde, and attempted to get into the hands of Theodore Roosevelt before he departed on the Smithsonian African Expedition.
Remington actually ran print ads in Scribner's Magazine, depicting a hunter armed with a Model 8 to deliver five, "one-ton knock down blows" to charging African lions.
Remington later rane their ads in LIFE magazine in late 1909 titled, "GOING TO AFRICA" leaning into the Teddy Roosevelt African Expedition.
Prior to the end of Teddy's term of presidency Remington had sent a letter to him ask if he would like to have a rifle, fully intent on giving him the rifle as we was an avid and well known outdoorsman at the time.
However, it was never confirmed whether Teddy took them up on the offer and the Remington Model 8 was never taken to Africa by Teddy or his son Kermit as their load out was documented in his book, African Game Trail.
It wouldn't be until 1913 that the rifle was taken to Africa by Barton Hepburn in pursuit of the "biggest game."
Barton's book, The Story of an Outing, is by far the best documentation of one of Remington's Model 8's in Africa. Which this rifle allegedly, never left his side.
Using the .35 Remington caliber version of this rifle, Barton, was able to successfully take the biggest and most dangerous game Africa has to offer.
Although this rifle doesn't have a direct connection to Theodore Roosevelt's Africa Expedition being used by him, Kermit, or members of his team. The advertisements, the letter written to T.R. and the attempts to get them into his hands prior is a really cool connection.