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M40 Build Thoughts / Questions

B

bc1958

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Minuteman
Sep 20, 2011
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I have the M40 bug and I am considering a build. I would appreciate any forum thoughts and insights. I have by sheer luck both a 6-digit (282xxx) and a 6.2 million BDL action... so I have a dilemma. Should I make what I'll refer to as a M40/6 or M40/6.2M also have a Gunville semi-inlet M40 stock with Al buttplate, first and second gen Redfields (both duplex unfortunately w/o Accurange), rounded JR bases and low flat screw rings. I'm reasonably set except swivels and a barrel. I'm inclined to build a M40/6.2M cloning the CMP auction weapon (also a 6.2miillion receiver) that sold for $36k.
Why?
- legitimized by the CMP auction despite relatively little discussion of that SN range. All the buzz is about 6-digits. - can rebarrel with a "7.62 NATO" barrel rather than having to locate a Remington 308 factory varmint barrel with date stamp. - can more easily replicate a second gen, black satin Redfield and look more reasonably authentic than the anodized OD-ish celery first gen scope. - can use my "rounded corner" Redfield JR base vs. the square 40x.

Questions: Why doesn't the M40/6.2M seem to enjoy the legitimacy of the M40/6? I don't see much written of them. Would a Douglas-fitted barrel replicate original battlefield accuracy? Were there any 6.2M M40a1's? How might I replicate the second gen scope w/o disassembling? I would appreciate your thoughts.
 
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Pretty sure the CMP rifle sold for $36k wasn't a USMC M40 rifle, Remington made the M700 series sniper rifles for other US agencies, this was one of them.
 
My mistake... I inadvertently dropped the first digit, a 6. My recollection is mine is approx. 19k off which would make it 6.238M. I'll change the "2.5M" references above. I feel like an idiot. I'm traveling right now and using poor memory. (Initial post above edited to reflect 6.2M SN)
 
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mjh30 said:
Pretty sure the CMP rifle sold for $36k wasn't a USMC M40 rifle, Remington made the M700 series sniper rifles for other US agencies, this was one of them.
Click to expand...

Which other US agencies?
 
The Remington M700 sniper rifle was procured by the Air Force, Army, a few Federal agencies, some State agencies, even Sionics, the suppressor firm bought some. The M40 is obviously the USMC designation for the M700 sniper rifle that they procured.
 
Thanks for the clarification, I should reference a 6.2M as a M700 not M40?
 
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Question for you all, does anyone make a repo scope base for a LA? Im wanting to do a a M40ish rifle in 300 win.
 
Lot easier to find an old square LA base, than am actual 40x. Mightn't have the right markings, but its square.
 
The 6257259 that the CMP sold was from the US Air force ABGD (Air base ground defense) school at Lackland AFB Tx it was new, unfired and matched/numbered black Gen 2 scope.

The US Navy also procured quite a number of these rifles.
 
So... I picked up a brand new Remington 700 SA w/ .308 Varmint barrel at Dicks yesterday.
I think I'm going to leave it as is now (no clip slotting or cutting the barrel back)
Plastic camo stock a throw away.
Plastic trigger guard a throw away.
Can I used the internal box magazine it came with? Also, is the follower and spring ok?
Bought the Silver Hill m40 clone stock last night on GB, so I guess I'm set there? Does that come with a butt plate?

So, maybe someone can help me here with a parts list.
Also, as many of you know, I have 3 Redfield accurang scopes, so I'm set there.
Can someone help me with a parts list, and where I can get them?
 
Ebay for your butt plate,Iron Brigade Armoury for Wichita swivels.
The Silver Hill stock is good,just needs a bit of inletting.They don't come with a brass reinforcement pin though.
Anyone have any thoughts as to this?Install one or just leave it bare?
 
Macca said:
Iron Brigade Armoury for Wichita swivels.
Click to expand...

Weren`t the original M40 swivels a Remington factory swivel and the Wichita swivels not used until the M40A1 series?
 
Yes that's right,but Wichita swivels are hard enough to get let alone the originals.
 
Macca said:
Yes that's right,but Wichita swivels are hard enough to get let alone the originals.
Click to expand...

Not that hard. They are the same as the rear swivel on a Rem 513T. In stock @ Numrich for 9.20$.

I have both originals and the ones from Numrich. Of course the new ones dont have that vintage 'patina' but believe me, they are the same.

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/83350A.htm
 
I honestly didn't know that,thanks for the heads up!
It's a tad difficult to source these sorts of parts over here & with a lot of people mentioning Wichita's as an accepted alternative I assumed that the 513T loops were like unicorn tears.
 
tokiwartooth said:
I've been through it a couple of times. What that thread doesn't do is provide info on specific part alternatives to use. What mount base is close enough? Leupold? Will it fit and provide the correct MOA cant? What vintage r700 trigger groups are acceptable replacements? Where can I get short bolt shrouds?
Click to expand...

G'day mate,
Tried sending you a pm.
 
tokiwartooth said:
I've been through it a couple of times. What that thread doesn't do is provide info on specific part alternatives to use. What mount base is close enough? Leupold? Will it fit and provide the correct MOA cant? What vintage r700 trigger groups are acceptable replacements? Where can I get short bolt shrouds?
Click to expand...

I thought maybe you hadnt read the build guide yet.

It all depends on what you want, what you can afford, whan kind of performance you want, and how long you are ready to wait to get this rifle completed. Do you want to build a real, 100% correct M40 replica? A close clone? Remember that either way, it will not be a real M40. That being said, the gates are open to a lot of alternatives.

- What mount base is close enough? Leupold?: The original base was the Redfield with 40X stamped at the back. Square corners. Can be used on pre-1973-ish receivers only, because of the rear bridge height. They are pricey, hard to find and dont fit all receivers. Alternative would be the Redfield 700SA base. Round corners. There is a few different serial numbers for those. IMO, all acceptable as it was used by the armorers to replace the 40X. Leupolds are not correct.

- What vintage r700 trigger groups are acceptable replacements?: Flat safety of course. As for the sear, early Rem 700 receivers had a split-sear configuration. The change to single sear configuration happened somewhere in 1967 (PAGE 5)

- Where can I get short bolt shrouds?: Reading that, my guess is that you dont have a early receiver. That being said, you just need something that will 'look' correct. If not, you wouldnt be looking for a short shroud. All M40s had a short shroud. You can have a long-shroud cut to correct length (PAGE 11)

Everything I posted above was found in the Build Guide. I spent hours and hours pouring through the thread. Like I said, its all in there. Take some time to read all the posts, and I mean all of them. Small but very important details are hidden in there.

I knew a lot about early Rem 700 before but not much about the M40. They look like your usual heavy-barrel 700, but in fact, its really a rifle on its own. Full of little details that makes it unique.

Whats the point of having a split-sear if you are building from a modern receiver with a serial that dont even fit the M40-era? See where I'm going?

You may have more luck asking questions in the Build Guide itself. A LOT of people have subscriptions to this thread.

But feel free to ask here. I'll follow your thread.
 
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MescaBug said:
I thought maybe you hadnt read the build guide yet.

It all depends on what you want, what you can afford, whan kind of performance you want, and how long you are ready to wait to get this rifle completed. Do you want to build a real, 100% correct M40 replica? A close clone? Remember that either way, it will not be a real M40. That being said, the gates are open to a lot of alternatives.

- What mount base is close enough? Leupold?: The original base was the Redfield with 40X stamped at the back. Square corners. Can be used on pre-1973-ish receivers only, because of the rear bridge height. They are pricey, hard to find and dont fit all receivers. Alternative would be the Redfield 700SA base. Round corners. There is a few different serial numbers for those. IMO, all acceptable as it was used by the armorers to replace the 40X. Leupolds are not correct.

- What vintage r700 trigger groups are acceptable replacements?: Flat safety of course. As for the sear, early Rem 700 receivers had a split-sear configuration. The change to single sear configuration happened somewhere in 1967 (PAGE 5)

- Where can I get short bolt shrouds?: Reading that, my guess is that you dont have a early receiver. That being said, you just need something that will 'look' correct. If not, you wouldnt be looking for a short shroud. All M40s had a short shroud. You can have a long-shroud cut to correct length (PAGE 11)

Everything I posted above was found in the Build Guide. I spent hours and hours pouring through the thread. Like I said, its all in there. Take some time to read all the posts, and I mean all of them. Small but very important details are hidden in there.

I knew a lot about early Rem 700 before but not much about the M40. They look like your usual heavy-barrel 700, but in fact, its really a rifle on its own. Full of little details that makes it unique.

Whats the point of having a split-sear if you are building from a modern receiver with a serial that dont even fit the M40-era? See where I'm going?

You may have more luck asking questions in the Build Guide itself. A LOT of people have subscriptions to this thread.

But feel free to ask here. I'll follow your thread.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I bought a new production .308 Varmint. Threw away everything but the barreled receiver, bold and trigger group. I'm going to send the shroud to the member here who can mill it down.
Bidding on a SA BDL trigger guard/plate. I will bead blast and re anodize it a matte black (assuming it's aluminum). Bought a proper buttlplate, will anodize it. Bought a stock from Silver Hill.
Don't think it's feasible to even worry about clip slotting it because it's not the proper serial # range and doesn't offer any functional advantage.

I have 1/2 dozen scopes I've anodized to choose from. 3 are Accurange, and I have PERFECTLY MATCHED the black satin finish one of the type 2 3x9. I built the reticle on that one by adding the parallel ranging lines to a crosshair reticle (Now I have to verify sizing of them, but they "visually" match) and harvested a tombstone assembly from a another parts scope.
You basically can convert any crosshair Redfield IF you have a tombstone assembly (it's affixed to it's own removable ring that screws into the objective end of the erector)
My next mission is to see if I can somehow duplicate the celluloid tombstone, so I'm trying to find a printing service that will do micro type printing onto plastic sheets.
 
There are so many 'versions' of the M40 out there, it's getting to be a generic name for all sorts of setups. It makes me wonder what the point could really be regarding duplicating 'an M40'.

I think that the M40 has been an excellent standard for use by tasked military snipers; but I also believe deeply that for other applications there are much better rifles being built.

I would want a different chambering (.260 Rem, 6.5CM, .280 Rem), would probably do fine with less massive mounts and accessories, and would prefer optics whose costs are based more in their optical performance than on their similarity to somebody else's (military) standards. An adjustable cheek rest and LOP would be my preference as well, and I like the A5's 10rd D/M feature, but would prefer the M-14 mag as my mag of choice.

For LR I prefer a 28" barrel over something shorter, and have shot in 1Kyd comp with a Varmint taper barrel in that length, 260 SAAMI chambering, 1:8" twist. I also believe a Weaver V-24 is a very good cost compromise.

Greg
 
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tokiwartooth said:
I have 1/2 dozen scopes I've anodized to choose from. 3 are Accurange, and I have PERFECTLY MATCHED the black satin finish one of the type 2 3x9. I built the reticle on that one by adding the parallel ranging lines to a crosshair reticle (Now I have to verify sizing of them, but they "visually" match) and harvested a tombstone assembly from a another parts scope.
You basically can convert any crosshair Redfield IF you have a tombstone assembly (it's affixed to it's own removable ring that screws into the objective end of the erector)
My next mission is to see if I can somehow duplicate the celluloid tombstone, so I'm trying to find a printing service that will do micro type printing onto plastic sheets.
Click to expand...

Is that true? If it is, can you use the wideview tombstone, or does it have to be from the accurange version?
 
Greg Langelius * said:
There are so many 'versions' of the M40 out there, it's getting to be a generic name for all sorts of setups. It makes me wonder what the point could really be regarding duplicating 'an M40'.
Click to expand...

Coolness? Trend? I dont know... Except for the small details, the M40 is a pretty basic rifle; wood stock, varmint barrel, hunting 3-9x scope. It was built for one thing only; kill at decent range.

So I guess people are duplicating (I dont believe we can call that 'cloning' anymore) the M40 for historical purpose. Or just for the fun of searching, gathering parts. Duplicating a M40 without the 'correct' parts, machining and whatnot is just building another rifle. I've seen people spend thousands and thousands to get a perfect clone. Even then, it will never be an authentic M40 and wont shoot any better than an off-the-shelf Rem 700 varmint.
 
MescaBug said:
So I guess people are duplicating (I dont believe we can call that 'cloning' anymore) the M40 for historical purpose. Or just for the fun of searching, gathering parts. Duplicating a M40 without the 'correct' parts, machining and whatnot is just building another rifle. I've seen people spend thousands and thousands to get a perfect clone. Even then, it will never be an authentic M40 and wont shoot any better than an off-the-shelf Rem 700 varmint.
Click to expand...

This is true. get an off-the-shelf 700P, 5r, VLS ... even an SPS Varmint, dropped in a wood stock. put a 3-9x scope on top. You've got the same thing, performance-wise.
 
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