Remington Model 30
Remington's first high-powered bolt-action sporting rifle, based on the Enfield action.
The Remington Model 30 was a sporting rifle introduced in 1921, built on the action of the P14 and M1917 Enfield military rifles that Remington had produced for the British and U.S. governments during World War I. It marked Remington’s first high-powered bolt-action sporting rifle, though the company had previously built 1,446 Remington Lee factory sporting rifles in various calibers between 1899 and 1909. Early Model 30s used surplus military parts with modifications to use up leftover stock, but later production shifted to newly manufactured components. Most early rifles were chambered in .30-06 Springfield, the same caliber as the M1917, though other chamberings were eventually offered.
The action was a modified Mauser design with dual front locking lugs and a rear safety lug where the bolt handle fit into a recess in the receiver. It was large, strong, and robust, making it suitable for powerful sporting cartridges. It used an internal box magazine and a Mauser-type claw extractor for controlled round feeding. Initial barrels matched the military profile but were polished and deep blued, and the trigger was the same two-stage military type. Remington used the same steel and heat treatment as the M1917 rifles, though with improved dimensional tolerances and finish. Actions were proof-tested to 70,000 psi breech pressure.
After World War I ended in 1918, Remington was left with two factories—the main plant at Ilion and a subsidiary at Eddystone—tooled for the M1917, plus a large inventory of spare parts. The decision was made to produce a sporting version at Ilion. The Model 30 High Power debuted in 1921 in .30-06 Springfield. Early models removed the prominent rear sight protection ears, machined the receiver bridge to the same diameter as the receiver ring, and straightened the floorplate, which reduced magazine capacity from six to five rounds. The barrel was shortened to 24 inches and kept the military profile. The barreled action was fitted into a sporter stock of plain American black walnut with a schnabel fore-end and a grooved steel buttplate. A simple receiver aperture sight was mounted on the receiver bridge via a dovetail, but this was soon replaced with a sight mounted on the barrel band. The Enfield-type cock-on-closing feature and two-stage military trigger were retained.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- United States
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Designer
- C.C. Loomis, C.H. Barnes
- Manufacturer
- Remington Arms
- Production Date
- 1921–1925 (Model 30) / 1926–1940 (Model 30 Express)
- Number
- 3,000 (Model 30) / 22,800 (Model 30 Express) / 2,427 (Model 720)
- Variants
- Model 30 / Model 30 Express / Model 720
- Cartridge
- .30-06 Springfield / .25 Remington / .30 Remington / .32 Remington / .35 Remington / 7mm Mauser / .257 Roberts / .270 Winchester (Model 720 only)
- Action
- Bolt-action
- Feed
- 5-round internal box magazine
- Sights
- Open w/ bead front, Lyman #48 receiver sight w/ bead front
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
After World War I, Remington was left with two factories tooled to make the M1917 and a large inventory of spare parts. In 1921, the company introduced the Model 30 High Power sporting rifle in caliber .30-06 Springfield at the Ilion plant. Early models used surplus military parts with modifications to consume the stock of parts, though later rifles were produced from newly manufactured parts. The action was large, strong, and robust, using the same steel and heat treatment as the M1917 rifles, with improved dimensional tolerances and finish. The barrel on initial versions was of the same shape as the original military one, except polished and deep blued, and the trigger mechanism was initially the same two-stage military type.
In 1926, the stock was refined with a higher and thicker comb, a crossbolt was added, and checkering became standard. The Model 30 Express version was introduced, available in several configurations including the basic 30A, the deluxe 30S, and the 30R carbine. In 1932–33, substantial changes were made: the action was changed to cock on opening, the trigger was altered to a short single-stage pull, and a floating barrel was introduced. By 1939 all receivers were drilled and tapped to accept a receiver sight. Production stopped in 1940 with the introduction of the Model 720.
Reader's Guide
The Remington Model 30 represents a significant transition from military to sporting use, adapting the robust P14/M1917 Enfield action for the civilian market. Its strong action, proof-tested to 70000 psi, made it ideally suited to powerful sporting cartridges under development. The Model 30 was the foundation for subsequent Remington bolt-action rifles, leading to the Model 720, which was the final improvement of the Enfield action, and later to the Model 721, 722, and eventually the widely used Model 700. The Federal Bureau of Investigation acquired some Model 30-S rifles chambered for .30-06 in response to the 1933 Kansas City Massacre. In 1934, Honduras procured a version chambered for 7×57mm known as the Model 1934. Today, the Model 30 is a prized collectible, especially in calibers other than .30-06, which command a significant premium over basic models.
Did You Know?
- Early Model 30 rifles used surplus military parts to consume the stock of World War I spare parts.
- The action was changed from cock-on-closing to cock-on-opening in 1932–33 to suit American sportsmen's preferences.
- The Model 30 was proof-tested to 70000 psi breech pressure.
- Honduras procured a version of the rifle chambered for 7×57mm in 1934, known as the Model 1934.
More in Bolt-Action Rifles, Part 5 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced