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Winning Bid US $2100 First bid $1750 Quantity 1 # of bids 5 Time left Auction has ended   Started 2025-02-11 00:00:00 Ended 2025-02-28 22:59:51

Rare & ENGRAVED Remington Custom Shop Rifle, Model 81 D or Peerless Grade, .35 Rem Cal, MFG. 1937, SN: 2517, Semi-Auto Rifle, 22'' barrel. This is a 2nd year rifle of the 2nd generation of inventor John Browning's semi auto high-power rifle. The model 81 was introduced in 1936 as a facelifted improvement to the 30 year running of the model 8. The majority of ''improvements'' were merely cosmetic, such as a heavier pistol grip stock & more robust beavertail forend. Initially offered in calibers: .30, .32, (dropped after World War II) & .35 Remington, & later in 1940 the 300 SAV was added. It was also offered in grades: the 81A Standard with a plain stock & fore-end; 81C Special (later changed to B during WWII) with checkered select wood; 81D Peerless sporting scroll engraving & fancier wood & checkering; 81E Expert with more engraving yet, better checkering & wood; & the top-of-the-line 81F Premier. This rifle is one of the special order ''D'' or Peerless grade rifled having a capped pistol grip, hand checkered 22 lines-per-inch, select grade walnut stock & forearm. This rifle is stamped on the left side of the barrel jacket with a factory repair code, ''LN3''. It is unknown when & the reason why the rifle was returned to the factory, for repair, restoration or upgrade, but upon examination, speculation can be made that some of the work likely involved the wood. The stocks on this example are excellent, with a bit nicer wavy figure to the grain than a standard grade rifle. The stock fully appears to have the correct factory finish & factory hand checkering. However, the fit of the wood at the wrist is short of the edges of the upper & lower tangs. It does not appear that this wood was sanded, refinished or recheckered outside the factory. It is hard to fully speculate, but I believe at least the stock was possibly factory replaced or the wood was factory restored during its return visit to the custom shop. There are several tiny to minor scuffs, scratches & contusions to the wood & finish, but overall appearance is excellent. There is a ''4'' stamped into the underside barrel channel of the forend just ahead of the forend screw channel, which correctly corresponds to this being a ''D'' Grade or sometimes referred to a Grade 4. The receiver side panels are covered with what Remington marketed as ''rich scroll hand engraving''. Engraving is also found on belly of magazine, safety, trigger guard, tangs & barrel jacket. The receivers of these rifles were pulled from production before roll markings were applies, hence the Model 81Ds receiver lacks any of the standard trademark, model, or serial number markings. The hand engraved SN can be found on the bottom of the receiver just ahead of the magazine box & inscribed on the bottom tang of the trigger plate. According to an article by Gene Myszkowski, published in the 4th quarter 2008 Remington Society Journal (RSA), there were 10 recorded 81Ds known in private collections. Current data as of 2022, has 16 known Model 81Ds in existence according to The Great 8 & 81 website. Remington engraver Robert ''Bob'' Runge (employed 1937-1979) worked on an assortment of Remington models & noted that it took an average of 10 hours to do the hand engraving alone on a ''D'' grade. While the original metal blue finish has full coverage, the depth of the blue rates 50% on the receiver, 70% on the barrel, with areas of thinning & loss toning gray, Bore is excellent. The receiver is fitted with a Lyman tang sight, while the barrel carries a rarer two leaf folding rear sight on the desired oval base & standard blade front sight. Stock carries a period Pachmayr ventilated red rubber recoil pad & sling provisions in both stock & forend. 4 round fixed magazine. The action of the pulling the bolt back is very smooth, almost too smooth as there is almost no resistance & does not endeavor to spring forward. It does lock back, but upon pushing the bolt release button, it does not spring forward, rather needs to be pushed forward to lock up. It does dry fire & properly not fire on safety. We do not test fire these firearms, but I suspect it would fire the first round, but not properly reload or function smoothly as a semi auto. It may have a missing, broken or miss assemble part in that are. We recommend this rifle visit a gunsmith before firing. Regardless of this possible need for repair, it is a very rare & beautifully appearing, special order & engraved 81 rifle. FFL or C&R Req. - Value: 3500 to 6000

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Price

Rare & ENGRAVED Remington Custom Shop Rifle, Model 81 D or Peer... Item # 4111 This auction is over. No new bids can be placed. Price: US $2100

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