My take on a vietnam M40

[brodriguez88]

I converted a remington 700 varmint SPS into my own version of a vietnam m40.
I purchased an m40 retro stock, a USMC limited edition 3-9x Redfield which i love, a timney trigger tuned to 2lb and currently running a leupold rings and base. I will soon replace the leupold base with a BA redfield base. Here are some photos:







3 shot group i was shooting my hand loads, 168 gr sierra HPBT imr 3031 41.3 gr out of a winchester brass 2.8'' OAL

I am new here ! i have other projects id love to share but this one is my favorite. I am currently running the barrel at 26'' and i am really happy, but in the back of my mind i want to cut it down to 24'' as is the USMC m40.

 

[Clay Target Guy]

Cool looking rifle and great group.
Where did you get the stock, is it a 40X stock?

 

[brodriguez88]

Cool looking rifle and great group.
Where did you get the stock, is it a 40X stock?

I got it from gunville.com, its just their take on the m40 stock. They did an amazing job but i did have to take it to my local gunsmith to get fitted properly. My gunsmith is Mr. Somarriba down in miami fl, he does a great job, he made a recoil pad for the stock as well as a glass bedding. The barrel is of course free floating

Welcome To Somarriba, Inc.

and here is a link to where i got the stock

Remington M 40 Vietnam Era Sniper Repro Stock – Gunville.com

 

[Sargesniper]

I got it from gunville.com, its just their take on the m40 stock. They did an amazing job but i did have to take it to my local gunsmith to get fitted properly. My gunsmith is Mr. Somarriba down in miami fl, he does a great job, he made a recoil pad for the stock as well as a glass bedding. The barrel is of course free floating

Welcome To Somarriba, Inc.

and here is a link to where i got the stock

Remington M 40 Vietnam Era Sniper Repro Stock – Gunville.com

Your rifle looks amazingly similar to the ones that replaced the M0d. 70 Win. in March of 1967. The Mod. M-40 had a Redfield Accu-Range on it. The scope proved not to be compatible with the heat conditions we experienced in Viet Nam. If the sunlight entered the scope from the Objective end for a short period of time the Accu-Range indicator heated up and the glue would melt. The thing would then slide down and leave it useless for ranging a target. It didn't take long for the Marine Corps to replace them. These scopes were made in Japan.
Good looking rifle you have and shoots good also, congrats. ........ LARRY

 

[brodriguez88]

Your rifle looks amazingly similar to the ones that replaced the M0d. 70 Win. in March of 1967. The Mod. M-40 had a Redfield Accu-Range on it. The scope proved not to be compatible with the heat conditions we experienced in Viet Nam. If the sunlight entered the scope from the Objective end for a short period of time the Accu-Range indicator heated up and the glue would melt. The thing would then slide down and leave it useless for ranging a target. It didn't take long for the Marine Corps to replace them. These scopes were made in Japan.
Good looking rifle you have and shoots good also, congrats. ........ LARRY

Thats a great story I didnt know that the accu range would melt right out of the reticle. Thanks for sharing. I would love to get my hands on a pre 64 mod 70 and throw an 8x lyman. Just like hathcock used in his 1st tour.

 

[Trickymissfit]

Your rifle looks amazingly similar to the ones that replaced the M0d. 70 Win. in March of 1967. The Mod. M-40 had a Redfield Accu-Range on it. The scope proved not to be compatible with the heat conditions we experienced in Viet Nam. If the sunlight entered the scope from the Objective end for a short period of time the Accu-Range indicator heated up and the glue would melt. The thing would then slide down and leave it useless for ranging a target. It didn't take long for the Marine Corps to replace them. These scopes were made in Japan.
Good looking rifle you have and shoots good also, congrats. ........ LARRY

please don't make hunt up Carlos' book! (I have an autographed copy) Going from memory, I think Carlos started out with a Unertel before they went with the Redfield. Plus somewhere in the mix they used a Weaver K series. Think his last scope was a very early Leatherwood. I never saw Hathcock in the bush, but we traveled the same A.O. so it's still possible. I did see J.T. Ward once or twice.

I think Hathcock started out using a 30-06 in a Mod.70, and later made the switch to 7.62x51. The A.O. was tough, and I've stood in the "Y" of the road from Baldy to Ross. In the book 91 confirmed kills they speak of the modified M2 machine gun. But S.F. teams had them in late 1966 out on the border. Used the biggest rifle scope I've ever seen, and was light amplified with a 6 volt battery. The tripod was completely different than the normal M2 tripod. They were making 2500+yd. one shot kills.
gary

 

[brodriguez88]

please don't make hunt up Carlos' book! (I have an autographed copy) Going from memory, I think Carlos started out with a Unertel before they went with the Redfield. Plus somewhere in the mix they used a Weaver K series. Think his last scope was a very early Leatherwood. I never saw Hathcock in the bush, but we traveled the same A.O. so it's still possible. I did see J.T. Ward once or twice.

I think Hathcock started out using a 30-06 in a Mod.70, and later made the switch to 7.62x51. The A.O. was tough, and I've stood in the "Y" of the road from Baldy to Ross. In the book 91 confirmed kills they speak of the modified M2 machine gun. But S.F. teams had them in late 1966 out on the border. Used the biggest rifle scope I've ever seen, and was light amplified with a 6 volt battery. The tripod was completely different than the normal M2 tripod. They were making 2500+yd. one shot kills.
gary

Yes carlos hathcock used a pre64 winchester model 70 heavy target barrel chambered in 30-06 with a unertl 8x on his 1st tour, his 2nd tour he used the m40.

 

[Trickymissfit]

Yes carlos hathcock used a pre64 winchester model 70 heavy target barrel chambered in 30-06 with a unertl 8x on his 1st tour, his 2nd tour he used the m40.

was going from memory
glt

 

[Sargesniper]

Thats a great story I didnt know that the accu range would melt right out of the reticle. Thanks for sharing. I would love to get my hands on a pre 64 mod 70 and throw an 8x lyman. Just like hathcock used in his 1st tour.

The rifle and scope that Carlos used was a Pre '64 Mod. 70 30/06 with, I think, an 8x Unertl, not a Lyman. I never saw a Lyman the whole time I was there but anything was possible in that time period. BTW, I have the same rifle the 3 Rd. Marine Snipers were issued. They had a 24" Target barrel and the 8x Unertl. They were sent to the RVN from special services in the States. I was fortunate enough to get my hands on one many years later and have it to this day. I could not find an 8x Unertl right away but a full year later I managed to find and purchase 2 of the same in 10x at a Gun Show in Houston. I also have 2 full Ammo Cans of 1963 Lake City Match. Yep the same ammo as was issued to me in 1966. How lucky can that be?
My rifle ( 1957 Circa ) is the same rifle used for sniping and shoots every bit as good I'm happy to say. Letting it sit for a year without firing a single round was sheer torture. I still, to this day, get chills when I pick it up. When I put that rifle to my shoulder, the clock turns back 47 years for me. A good feeling in this old Marines Heart. I hope you too will some day find yours as I did. It is a wonderful rifle and a piece of history in more ways than one.

SEMPER FI ..... LARRY

 

[brodriguez88]

The rifle and scope that Carlos used was a Pre '64 Mod. 70 30/06 with, I think, an 8x Unertl, not a Lyman. I never saw a Lyman the whole time I was there but anything was possible in that time period. BTW, I have the same rifle the 3 Rd. Marine Snipers were issued. They had a 24" Target barrel and the 8x Unertl. They were sent to the RVN from special services in the States. I was fortunate enough to get my hands on one many years later and have it to this day. I could not find an 8x Unertl right away but a full year later I managed to find and purchase 2 of the same in 10x at a Gun Show in Houston. I also have 2 full Ammo Cans of 1963 Lake City Match. Yep the same ammo as was issued to me in 1966. How lucky can that be?
My rifle ( 1957 Circa ) is the same rifle used for sniping and shoots every bit as good I'm happy to say. Letting it sit for a year without firing a single round was sheer torture. I still, to this day, get chills when I pick it up. When I put that rifle to my shoulder, the clock turns back 47 years for me. A good feeling in this old Marines Heart. I hope you too will some day find yours as I did. It is a wonderful rifle and a piece of history in more ways than one.

SEMPER FI ..... LARRY

Very Cool! check this out what do you think about leatherwoods replica?

Amazon.com : Hi-Lux Optics Malcolm Series 8x USMC Sniper Riflescope with Mounts and Spring, Matte Black : Rifle Scopes : Sports & Outdoors

Leatherwood Hi-Lux William Malcolm USMC Sniper Rifle Scope 3/4 Tube 8x


Thanks for sharing your story

 

[Sargesniper]

Very Cool! check this out what do you think about leatherwoods replica?

Amazon.com : Hi-Lux Optics Malcolm Series 8x USMC Sniper Riflescope with Mounts and Spring, Matte Black : Rifle Scopes : Sports & Outdoors

Leatherwood Hi-Lux William Malcolm USMC Sniper Rifle Scope 3/4 Tube 8x


Thanks for sharing your story

I have one of them also, NIB. Never mounted it. Unertl is much better looking. Was cheaper too.
Glad I could offer the info for you. If I knew how to post a picture I would post mine. You would not believe a rifle this old could look the way it does. Oh, it was a USMC rifle also. Pencil ground "U S Property" on receiver. A Marine Corps tradition. Later, LARRY

 

[Code4]

If your rifle is shooting that accurately don't touch it or possibly ruin it by shortening the barrel.

Build another

 

[brodriguez88]

I have one of them also, NIB. Never mounted it. Unertl is much better looking. Was cheaper too.
Glad I could offer the info for you. If I knew how to post a picture I would post mine. You would not believe a rifle this old could look the way it does. Oh, it was a USMC rifle also. Pencil ground "U S Property" on receiver. A Marine Corps tradition. Later, LARRY

I would love to see some pics of the rifle. Posting is very simple. No pressure if you dont want to do it do not bother, but, let me help you out on this issue. All you need to do is create an account with photobucket (there are many others but this is what i use). Once you make an account with them, you upload your photos that you wish to share. once you upload the photo they provide you with the code to post on forums, they provide HTML, IMG and others but here on longrangehunting they use IMG i believe. All you do is click on the IMG code string it automatically copies it to your clipboard. All you have to do is paste that code into this forum text box and it posts the photo. I hope that sounds simple enough.

 

[brodriguez88]

If your rifle is shooting that accurately don't touch it or possibly ruin it by shortening the barrel.

Build another

Yes you are totally right. This is my latest project. Rem700 VLS chambered in 260. It is a rare gem. I actually got this at a local shop for $400 out the door. How i scored this deal i do not know. But i am really excited about loading some rounds for the 260