Building my first M40 for the Vintage Sniper matches.

[TonyBen]

This is a virgin Remington 700 RR prefix stripped receiver. It has no wear marks at all and has never had a bolt installed. I pulled the barrel off this receiver for the previous owner 2 years ago. The barrel is new and un-fired. I just hand screwed it on for the picture.

This will be for Vintage Sniper matches. The stock should be an original M40 stock.

I'll need a complete bolt, M40 compliant barrel, scope mount, magazine, stock metal, maybe a new recoil lug and trigger assembly. Can I use an upgraded recoil lug in the VS matches?

Any advice will be appreciated while I comb through the M40 archives.

I will be going with a Bartlein barrel.

Would this be the proper bolt? It appears to be new, unused.

https://gunrepaircenter.com/F98079/

I have the buttplate, but no sling swivels.

Here is a picture of the brass pin in the left side of the stock.

The stock was damaged during my move in 2022. It had some serious dents.

I spent an hour or so steaming out the dents last night with a wet rag and an industrial heat gun. Here's the same spot after about an hour of steaming and sanding.

Here's another area that I'm working on. The dents were much worse but they're almost gone. After this, there will be no more dents. There were three dents in this image.

This stock is abandoned property. I was stripping this stock for a customer about 10 years ago. He was supposed to bring me the action to be bedded after the stock was done but he disappeared.

I haven't touched it in 10 years since I stripped it. It still has some stains I need to remove. I don't even remember how I stripped it. I might have used oven cleaner.

There is still some leftover bedding that needs to be removed by hand in some spots. I'm talking about the little bedding spots outside the actual intended bedding area.

I'm also thinking I should finish the action and bed the stock before I stain and finish the wood. No sense in committing all this time on a wood finish only to risk damaging the finish during the bedding process.

Realistically, I don't have the budget to go all-out on a historically accurate clone. I'll go with the Bartlein barrel and I don't mind using reproduction parts, as long as they're as good or better than the original. I just want to build a rifle that qualifies for the vintage sniper matches. I'll probably use a current production Leupold 3-9x40 hunting scope. I'd like to use the best trigger allowed, so if anyone knows what's the best performing trigger, please let me know.

Does anyone know where I can get the correct bottom metal, magazine, follower and action screws? I'm new to M40's and I couldn't tell what's right or wrong.

Are PTG bolts as good or better than the factory bolts?

Tony.

 

[deltawiskey]

I'm not sure on the rules for vintage sniper matches, but I'm pretty sure that you cannot pillar bed the rifle.
The finish on the stock would be good ole hand rubbed linseed oil, (some people use tung oil).
The bottom metal, magazine follower and action screws are just factory Remington 700.
Try and find a factory Remington 700 bolt, it's hard to find anyone with good things to say about PT&G parts.

Great project, I hope you keep us posted on your build process!
DW

 

[RIGREG]

@TonyBen

Since you’re not building a strict all out M40 clone, you may want to reconsider pillar bedding that stock for another reason. If it’s an actual USMC M40 stock, ((which it appears to be (I’m not an expert, though)) there are some who put a value on original issued items. In M14 terms, think of the difference between an issued AR-TEL scope vs a later Leatherwood commercial version. I get that it’s already been stripped, but it’s still in original configuration. Does the buttplate have some numbers stamped in it, besides the 16601? Another possible clue. Also, if those numbers on the pistol grip are original, that would be rifle Serial No. 221182, which is within the USMC M40 Ser. No. range.

It’s your stock to configure as you please. I’m just trying to add some information to your decision. No matter what, I’m sure you’ll build an amazing, accurate rifle. Best of luck.

Greg

P.S. I’ve got 2 LRB’s and new McMillan Smear stocks, waiting on the Bartlein M14 barrel run, that I hope to send your way.

 

[TonyBen]

@TonyBen

Since you’re not building a strict all out M40 clone, you may want to reconsider pillar bedding that stock for another reason. If it’s an actual USMC M40 stock, ((which it appears to be (I’m not an expert, though)) there are some who put a value on original issued items. In M14 terms, think of the difference between an issued AR-TEL scope vs a later Leatherwood commercial version. I get that it’s already been stripped, but it’s still in original configuration. Does the buttplate have some numbers stamped in it, besides the 16601? Another possible clue. Also, if those numbers on the pistol grip are original, that would be rifle Serial No. 221182, which is within the USMC M40 Ser. No. range.

It’s your stock to configure as you please. I’m just trying to add some information to your decision. No matter what, I’m sure you’ll build an amazing, accurate rifle. Best of luck.

Greg

P.S. I’ve got 2 LRB’s and new McMillan Smear stocks, waiting on the Bartlein M14 barrel run, that I hope to send your way.

Okay, Okay, I won't add pillars! This is one of those cases where I really didn't know what I have. Here are the markings on the buttplate. What's the significance of the additional markings?

I'll be happy to build your rifles when the barrels are done.

Tony.

 

[DstRflMn645]

Tony,

U. S. Marine Corps M40 Rifles. Rifles that replicate USMC M40 sniper rifles are permitted. M40 sniper rifles must comply with the following: • May have any Remington Model 700 action, regardless of the year of manufacture. Clone or custom receivers are not permitted. Actions may not have threaded bolt handles or nobs. • Must be chambered for the 7.62 NATO/.308 cartridge. • Maximum barrel length is 24 in. with a maximum muzzle diameter of .850 in. • Must have a non-adjustable, wooden stock (target style or sporter stock). The stock may be glass bedded. The stock may not have a cheek pad or riser. • Optical sights may be Redfield 3-9X Accu-Range telescopes or Leatherwood ART telescopes. Commercial equivalent 3-9X scopes with a 40mm max. objective lens diameter are permitted. Any commercial 3X9X40 scope will be accepted (No target-type adjustment knobs). • Scope mounts must be original or exact reproductions of original scope mounts.

Doesn't say you can't use pillars.

 

[TonyBen]

Well, it turns out that there is a coinciding "1" stamped on the stock, and the buttplate was parkerized after fitting. So the buttplate is original to the stock. Fits nicely too.

Tony.

 

[RIGREG]

Tony,

Check around your shop for a set of swivels that look like these. This set is Wichita 1 1/4 inch M40 style, not original Remington. Maybe you shoved them away when you stripped the stock.

The Remington wood screw rear ones show up on eBay sometimes. The machine screw fronts are unicorn hen’s teeth. I’ve gotten a few rears buying parts lots on eBay. I’ll bet you could figure out how to machine thread, or add material to thread, to a rear swivel to create a front. That’s if you wanted to go for an original style look for that build.

Either way, stay the course. I get most of my M40xx info in this forum and my M14 knowledge at M14 Forum.

Greg

 

[navynambu]

The rear wood screw swivels are easy to find. They are all off of a Remingtom 513T stock. Numrich sells those wwii era 513 stocks with all the metal for around $40. You can take off the swivel and throw tree stock away or resell it on ebay. They were so selling just the rear swivel for $10 each but I haven't looked an a couple years tosee if you can still buy the rear swivel separately.

 

[dpw4x4]

The gun repair center in Florida is ok to deal with, I'm like you building a cmp games rifle. I checked with pt&g because they showed like 14 bolts in stock so i called to verify and the lady said it's 6 to 8 weeks before they have any so don't go there. Just a heads up.