Your cart is currently empty!
Very little documentation exists regarding the history and development of cartridges chambered in Remington’s Autoloading Rifle. Like most John Browning firearms the rifle appears to have been developed first, with cartridges adapted to suit it.
Due to the scarcity of information it can only be said for certain that John Browning had a direct hand in the development decisions of the 35 and 30 Remington. It is not known if original samples were made by Browning or if cartridge development was undertaken by third parties at his request. Currently there are no known records to indicate Browning’s direct involvement with the development of the 32, 25, or 38 Remington cartridges.
It is unclear exactly when rifle development began, likely about 1898. However, the first patent was filed in 1900. Similarly, it is unclear what cartridge or even caliber was used in the original prototypes. Initial development was done during Browning’s collaboration with Winchester. After Browning’s break with Winchester in 1902 development continued in Belgium with FN, and later with Remington in 1904.
35 Remington
The 35 Remington is unique among the autoloading cartridges, especially those attributed to John Browning, in that it does not have a direct rimmed equalivent. The orgins of this cartridge have, so far, been lost. The 30 US is a likely candidate as a parent case, and the 35 may have been an offshoot during the 30-03 development. In any case, it appears the cartridge was created by or for John Browning during his association with Winchester.
The closest ballistically comparable cartridge available before 1900 was the 38-55 Winchester/Ballard. It’s most common loading used a 255gr bullet at velocities ranging from 1300fps to 1700fps. Around the time of Browning’s break from Winchester, the 33 WCF was developed, and released in 1902. It was advertised as using a 200gr bullet at a velocity of 2200fps. Both the 38-55 and 33 WCF were limited in performance by use of flat nosed bullets intended for lever action rifles.
The earliest information on the 35 cartridge development comes from a 1903 drawing in the Winchester archives for a proposed “35 Autoloading” cartridge.
This cartridge would accompany the rifle to Belgium, where it was known as 35 (9mm) Browning Autoloading. It was the only cartridge offered in FN produced rifles. FN was slow to begin production, however, and would not release the rifle for sale until 1910.
In 1904 development of the rifle moved back to the US under Remington. Cartridge development and production would take place with UMC. By September, UMC was making cartridge samples utilizing a 200gr .358″ jacketed bullet and 30.8gr of Lightning powder. Full-scale cartridge production began in late 1905, with Remington beginning rifle sales in 1906.
Both European and American cartridges were advertised as shooting a 200gr bullet at approximately 2000fps. Typical bullets were round nose, jacketed soft-point.
Information from 1913 Remington catalogs shows two loadings of the .35 cartridge. One using a 150gr bullet at 2400fps,and the other a 200gr bullet at 2210fps. The rifle was advertised using a barrel with a bore of .349″/.356″, 7-groove rifling, and 1:16″ twist rate.
The 35 Remington was by far the preferred chambering in the Remington Autoloading Rifle. It accounted for roughly 50 percent of all models produced.
30 Remington
30 Remington was created to duplicate the performance of the 30-30 Winchester. Original advertising referred to it as 30-30 Remington, stating that ballistics were equivalent to the Winchester cartridge.
Like the 35, the origins of the 30 Remington are unclear. No records are known regarding development prior to 1904 and it is likely that all development took place with UMC. Interestingly, UMC records indicate that development began prior to work on the 35 cartridge.
Production of the 30-30 Remington would not begin until 1906, with rifles chambered for the cartridge not being offered until 1907. Due to confusion caused by the 30-30 nomenclature, the name was changed around 1910.
Throughout production the 30 Remington was offered with bullet weights from 110gr to 180gr, with 165-170gr being the most popular. Factory loading advertised a 170gr bullet with a velocity of 2020fps. Barrel dimensions advertised in Remington’s 1913 catalog specify a bore of .300″/.307″, 7-groove rifling, and a 1:12″ twist.
Despite the immense popularity of the 30-30 Winchester in lever actions, chambering for 30 Remington accounts for only 7 percent of total Remington Autoloading Rifles produced. The round was popular in later Remington rifles, however, and was not discontinued until the 1990s.
32 Remington
32 Remington, like the 30 Remington, mirrors the dimensions and ballistics of a popular Winchester cartridge, the 32 Winchester Special. The 32 and 30 Remington were released at the same time, both being advertised as equivalent to their Winchester counterparts.
Production of 32 Remington began in mid 1906 and the chambering was offered in the Remington Autoloading Rifle in 1907.
Just as the 32 Winchester Special was simply a necked-up version of the 30-30, the 32 Remington shared the same case as the 30 Remington. Again, the only noticeable ballistic advantage came from the use of round nose or pointed bullets, compared to the Winchester’s flat nose.
Throughout production loads were offered with bullet weights of 165gr to 180gr, with 170gr being the most common. Factory loading advertised a 170gr bullet with a velocity of 2220fps. Barrel dimensions advertised in Remington’s 1913 catalog specify a bore of .312″/.319″, 7-groove rifling, and a 1:14″ twist rate.
Similar to the 30 Remington, the 32 cartridge would see wider popularity in other rifles. Autoloading Rifles chambered in 32 Remington account for roughly 5 percent of total production.
25 Remington
The 25 Remington was created to duplicate the ballistics of the 25-35 Winchester, originally being advertised as the 25-35 Remington. Like the 30 Remington, the name was changed by 1910.
Development of the cartridge began in 1906, but got off to a slow start. Originally the cartridge used its own unique case but in 1907 it was changed to use the same case as the 30 and 32 cartridges.
Full-scale production began in 1908, the same year the 32 chambering was offered in the Autoloading Rifle.
Factory ammunition could be found with bullets as light as 101gr, but, by far, the most common loading used a 117gr bullet with a velocity of 2300fps. Remington’s 1913 catalog advertised barrel dimensions with a bore of .250″/.257″, 6-groove, with a 1:10″ twist rate.
25 Remington was never as popular as other offerings. In the Autoloading Rifle the chambering accounted for only 3 percent of total production.
38 Remington
Development of a 38 Remington Autoloading cartridge began in 1910, using the same case as the 35 Remington. The cartridge was announced during a 1913 District Sales Manager’s conference, but was never put into production.
Only one Autoloading rifle chambered in 38 Remington is know to exist and is part of the Remington Factory Collection. Cartridges are exceedingly rare, but several are known to be in private collections.
The Other Autoloading Cartridge
For those keeping track, 35, 32, 30, and 25 Remington make up the chambering options for approximately 65 percent of all Remington Autoloading Rifles produced. 32, 30, and 25 Remington were predominately chambered in rifles prior to 1936. In 1940 chambering of the 300 Savage cartridge was offered and proved to be immensely popular, making up the remaining 35 percent of total rifles produced. The 300 Savage cartridge was designed by the Savage Arms Company and introduced in 1920.
What’s in a Name?
When Remington first released Browning’s rifle in 1906 it was called the Remington Autoloading Rifle. In 1911 advertising in Remington’s catalog changed the name to the Model 8. In 1936, after a minor redesign resulting in changes primarily to the stock and forearm, the Model 8 was discontinued and the Model 81 “Woodsmaster” was introduced. The Model 81 was officially discontinued in 1950.