Standard Arms Model G
Standard Arms Company · Rifle · Discontinued · 1910
Also known as: Standard Model G, Standard Arms Co. Model G
Overview
The Standard Arms Model G is an early gas-operated semi-automatic sporting rifle introduced in 1910 by the Standard Arms Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Designed around Morris F. Smith's 1906 patent for a gas-operated self-loading action, it used a long-stroke gas piston and a tilting locking block. A distinctive adjustable gas tap let the shooter close off the gas system and cycle the action manually as a slide-action (pump) rifle, making it a rare convertible semiauto/pump design. Chambered for the Remington rimless cartridges (.25, .30, .32 and .35 Remington), it was undercut by reliability problems and could not compete with the Remington Model 8.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3400 g (119.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1067 mm (42.01") |
| Barrel Length | 568 mm (22.36") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 671 m/s (2201 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2470 J (1822 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 180 m (197 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .30 Remington · primary — also known as .30 Rem
- .35 Remington — also known as .35 Rem
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Convertible Gas Pump Action, Adjustable Gas Tap, Tilting Bolt Lock, Long Stroke Gas Piston
Variants
- Standard Arms Model M — Pump Action
Service history
Operators
- Civilian sport hunters · adopted 1910
Production
Estimated total produced: 12,000 · Production years: 1910-1920
Estimated total production of the Model G is believed to be near 12,000 units before the company ceased operations.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Morris F. Smith
Discontinued: 1920
Notes
The 'G' is generally taken to stand for 'gas'. A persistent weak point was the cross pin connecting the gas piston to the bolt extensions, which tended to break and cause jams; substandard steel worsened reliability. The pump-only Model M dropped the gas system entirely.
Background
Morris F. Smith is credited as the first designer to apply gas operation to a practical self-loading rifle, predating the better-known military gas-operated autoloaders. The Model G's gas-or-pump convertibility was a novel attempt to reassure hunters wary of the new semi-automatic technology, but chronic jamming gave it a poor reputation and the firm folded before 1920.