POTD: Especially Rare Remington – The Remington 81 Special Police
Sam.S 02.14.24
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! The Remington Model 81 Special Police was a law enforcement variant of the Model 8 self-loading rifle, upgraded by the Peace Officer Equipment Company and later produced as a factory option by Remington in the 1930s. The key enhancement was replacing the fixed 5-round magazine with detachable box magazines holding 5, 10, or commonly 15 rounds, providing substantial firepower improvement. The Special Police also featured an extended forearm and upgraded sights. Though only a few hundred were produced, the 81 Special Police was ahead of its time as a semi-auto patrol rifle. Remington envisioned it as a “battle rifle” for police against increasingly well-armed criminals. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office became the largest purchaser, ordering 200. However, most departments continued using revolvers and shotguns, limiting the adoption of the 81 Special Police.
“Introduced in the 1930s as a collaborative effort between Remington and the Peace Officer Equipment Company, the Special Police used upgrades that Peace Officer Equipment Company manufactured for the Model 8 and made them factory standard, including the extended forearm and 15 round detachable magazine. Intended to bridge the firepower gap between the lawmen and the lawbreakers, these Model 81s presaged the concept of the modern full power semi-automatic “battle rifle”. “
Lot 403: Remington Model 81 “Special Police” Rifle with Extended Magazine. (n.d.-b). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved February 12, 2024, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/82/403/remington-model-81-special-police-rifle-with-extended-magazine.
