Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters The Remington Model 30S: A fine pre-war sporter in 30 Remington

Anyone have a Model 30 Remington in 30 Remington? Or another rifle in 30 Remington? If so, what loads do you like and what kind of hunting experience have you had with it?

This one here is mine, a Model 30S action in a Model 30 stock; barrel code indicates manufacture date of December, 1933. The stock has thin shims filling the inlet where the barrel doughnut on the standard Model 30 would fit. Factory fitted, and complete with tiny target aperture, Lyman 48 sight with 125 minute elevation slide. I think this is a pretty rare rifle, as both Crossman and Sharpe reported that the 30S had not been available in 30 Remington, but anything is possible and those are the only two references I have. The barrel is definitely factory, as are the caliber markings.

Remington still makes 30 Remington brass, and dies are available. I've got them on order and I'm thinking a 150gr Hornady spire point over TAC or RL-7 should be just the thing for this old gun--yup, it'll hunt at least one day this year. I'll bump a scoped rifle out of the rotation to make sure this old girl gets some field time.

Here's pics:

Nice looking rig Oregon45, from what I understand most
.30 Remingtons were rechambered to .300 Savage. I see
Remington Model 8 semi autos in .30 Rem everynow and
then, but I have never encountered an M30 Express.
I picked up an Express in .35 Rem last month, but it
is no where near as nice as your rifle.

Nice rifle.

Here are some loads for the .30 Rem.

These 15 are from Ken Water' Pet Loads.

.30 Remington Pet Loads

Warning! Notes: full-power loads were predicated on a working pressure range of 36-39,000 psi; MAXIMUM; muzzle velocities are from a 22" barrel (Handloader Issue #28)
Be Alert: Publisher cannot be responsible for errors in published load data.

Wt. Bullet Powder Manufacturer Powder Charge Velocity (FPS)
115 Gardiner O.P. IMR IMR-3031 34.0 2,567

150 Speer S.P. IMR IMR-3031 32.0 2,293

150 Speer S.P. IMR IMR-3031 33.0 2,363

150 Speer S.P. Hodgdon H-4895 34.5 2,319

150 Speer S.P. Alliant RL-11 32.5 2,413

150 Speer S.P. Alliant RL-7 30.0 2,418

165 Speer S.P. IMR IMR-3031 31.0 2,214

165 Speer S.P. Alliant RL-11 30.0 2,187

165 Speer S.P. Hodgdon H-4895 33.0 2,204

170 Norma F.N. Hodgdon H-4895 31.0 2,056

170 G.C. 311291 IMR IMR-4227 17.5 1,754

170 G.C. 311291 IMR IMR-4198 20.0 1,745

170 G.C. 311291 IMR IMR-4198 23.5 1,984

170 G.C. 311291 IMR IMR-3031 24.0 1,730

170 G.C. 311291 IMR IMR-3031 28.5 1,980


These 2 are from Winchester.

.30 Remington (Winchester Rifle Data)

Warning! Notes: case: Winchester; BBL: 24"; PR: Winchester LR; COL: 2.525"; NEVER exceed loads listed
Be Alert: Publisher cannot be responsible for errors in published load data.

Wt. Bullet Powder Manufacturer Powder Charge Velocity (FPS)
170 SP Winchester W-760 35.0 2,095
Remarks: 35,000 cup

170 SP Winchester W-748 30.0 2,000
Remarks: 34,000 cup


And these 3 are from ?

.30 Remington

Be Alert: Publisher cannot be responsible for errors in published load data.

Wt. Bullet Powder Manufacturer Powder Charge Velocity (FPS)
170 Lyman 311291 IMR IMR-4198 23.5 1,984
Remarks: cast bullet

165 Speer spitzer Hodgdon H-4895 33.0 2,204
Remarks: accuracy

150 Speer spitzer Alliant RL-7 30.0 2,418
Remarks: high velocity


Good luck this season with the old girl.

I'm going to do a chamber cast to confirm, but the chamber would not accept fired/re-sized 30-06 or 300 Savage casings when I tried them last night so I don't think it has been rechambered from 30 Remington.

Nsaqam: Thanks!

No problem Oregon.

I will put a plug in for www.loaddata.com though if you don't mind.

I had a Remington 30 Express in .257 Roberts, it had the "improved stock" designed by Col. Townsend Whelen. I wish I still had it, it was a really fine old rifle.

At the end of WW1, Remington was making P1917 rifles (30-06) for the US Army (in fact, more P1917's were issued to Army troops than M1903 Springfield�s and even Sgt. Alvin York was issued an Enfield). Remington just kept making the P1917's and modified the design slightly for the civilian market (principally by removing the dog ear sight protectors). These were high quality, great rifles. Maybe a little heavy, but still quality all the way!

The Model 30's and 30S's are real keepers.

A little more info. I found regarding the Remington 30-S. Townsend Whelen's THE HUNTING RIFLE: "After the World War, the Remington Arms Company, having the machinery for the manufacture of this rifle on hand, began to produce a sporting rifle of this type which they called the "Remington Model 30 Rifle." The first models of this rifle were rather crude, and they did not achieve much popularity. The stock had a rifle butt-plate which made the recoil very disagreeable and with which it was not possible to assume a steady firing position. The trigger-pull had had the slack removed from it, and of course as always happens with this form of trigger, when the slack was removed, a lot of creep had to be introduced to make it safe, and the pull was just impossible. Also, like its predecessors, this rifle cocked on the "push-forward" of the bolt. This in itself was not a defect but was not what we in this country were used to, and hence was not popular. Gradually the rifle was further developed and improved. A really good stock was made for it, the original Enfield trigger was replaced, and the bolt was made to cock on the upturn of the bolt handle, The improved rifle was called the "Remington Model 30-S Rifle." However, it is not now quite proper to call this weapon an "Enfield" rifle. The improvements which have been incorporated into it have really made it into a rifle of the Mauser Model 1898 type; a little differently shaped perhaps, but still decidedly a Mauser."

By the way the same book mentions the calibers furnished for the Remington Model 30 as: .25 Rem, .257 Rob., 7MM Spanish Mauser, and the .30-06 Govt. No mention of .30 Rem. That's a neat old rifle.

Sharp looking rifle.

I rolled some loads for a Stevens High Power in 30 Rem a little while back but don't have the data handy. I think I used 4895.

Nice looking rifle.

No I don't have a rifle, but I do have two original barrels. one is a 30 rem and the other is a 25 Rem. I have had them for years and they are pristene in condition, now all I need is a shot out 30 rem. or 25 Rem rifle or any 30 Rem rifle with a correct bolt face to restore..I might even be able to tig up a bolt face to make it work, not sure...

I would love to have a 25 Rem in that lovely rifle...It would make me a happy camper.

"nsaqam" offered quite a list of loads on the first page but I didn't see my "pet loads".

I tested alot of powders in my Remington pump gun with an 18" barrel (with a well worn throat). Reloader 15 was the best powder in my gun with 150 and 170 gr bullets.

150 gr RP RN
RL-15 33.3 gr
Fed 210 primer
2120 fps

170 gr Nosler Partition
RL-15 31.2 gr.
Fed 210
1940 fps.
(In my rifle, a Model 14, the 170 gr factory load gave 1965 fps).

Many sources say to use 30-30 data for the 30 Rem.
In fact I once accidentally fired a couple of rounds of 30 Rem in my Marlin 30-30 with no ill effect. It took me a moment to figure out why the extracter wasn't hanging on to the rim of the case (because the 30 Rem is rimless), but the fired case fell free of the chamber on it's own. There is just a slight difference in the shoulders of the two chamberings.

One might be tempted to load the round to higher pressures in a solid, bolt rifle, but the brass is thinner, just like 30-30 brass, and is designed for 30-30 pressures. It is what it is. If I had a 30 Rem bolt rifle, the first bullet I would try is the 150 gr Hornady SST crimped in the cannelure.

Nice rifle. Have fun.

Fine rifle, that Remington 30S. I hope you make meat with yours.

Oregon45,

I saw one at a gunshow a couple years ago that was just like yours, including chambering. How long have you had it?

Just got it this week.

This is third hand,but an old timer who worked on the movie,said Sargent York used a Springfield. Though,he was issued with an Enfield, as were most of the troops,he perfered the quicker target pick-up of the Springfield sights.Being a very good shot,they weren't such a handicap. This was a blow to me with three P-17s sporters and a P-14 semi-sporter.

Gen. Hatcher considered ,except for the ejector, the Model of 1917,the best battle-field rifle of the war.

There is a real "coolness" factor with that rifle!

Dale

Phil Sharpe in The Rifle In America, p. 311 states: "Barrels were cut from 28 inches to 22 inches, and calibers announced were the .25, .30 and .32 and .35 Remington Rimless, also the .30/06 Springfield. Later the .30/06 caliber was released with a 24-inch barrel." Also on p. 311, Sharpe states: "Various special calibers have been used in this from time to time including the 8 mm. Mauser, 7.65 mm. Mauser, 7 mm., and the .257 Roberts. At the present time {1938} both the Models 30 with the improved forearm but lacking ramps on the front sight and with the crude open sight are available in .30/06 caliber only, and the 30S types in either .30/06 or .257 Roberts only. Special Remington series of cartridges in this bolt action rifle have been discontinued."

The passage in Sharpe that you reproduced referred to the Remington 30, not the 30S as being available in the Remington series of calibers.