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Bootleg M40A3 rifle on a Budget

Nates4Christ

Private
Minuteman
Sep 8, 2020
33
3
Has anyone here built a rifle like the M40A3 but used parts that look like the real ones? That stock price is just crazy, about $1k. So far with the stock I'm seeing look alikes being Grayboe Renegade, Bell and carlson long range hunter stock , and manners makes one. They are all about $500. They would all need to have an adjustable cheek rest to give it that last iconic look. I see McMillian sells them seperate for $150. Would anyone mind sharing what you built on non official McMillian parts? What picatinny rail, trigger guard, and mag system did you end up using too? What base rifle did you use?
 
Trying to bootleg an M40A3, and then not using the A4 stock, seems like the ultimate fail. If anything, get the stock, as it’s the most identifiable part, and put any old Heavy barreled R700 in it. What manners are you comparing the McMillan to? Manners and McMillan prices are pretty much within pennies of one another. Their construction is virtually identical. So the obvious choice there for an M40 build is the McMillan.
 
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The M40A3 uses the A4 Mcmillan stock. Supersubes was right; start with the stock and drop a heavy Barreled Remy in it. You’re in business. Here’s mine. I need to do a black Cerekote job on the Barreled Action yet.
801DB145-DD6D-41E3-84C0-6D40F300A5BB.jpeg
 
I just picked this Mcmillan up from here. It’s a “no prefix” Action with a Benchmark 24” light Palma Barrel that came off a Police Sniper Rifle in NC. It shot the group in my avatar but it was in a HS PSS stock.
 
I really wanted an M40A3 as well, but there was no way I was going to be able to afford one with other projects.

I settled on a new old stock FN SPR A2, which I got for a killer deal in 2017. I put a Burris XTR II 3-15x on it, bedded it, and kryloned the stock green. I shopped sales, and when it was all said and done I had right at $2,500 invested.

Dare I claim that the FN is probably as robust as the M40A3, but it is certainly built tough and aside from the factory magazines I'd say that it is. The Burris is obviously nowhere near the optic that a S&B is, but is pretty stinking durable/repeatable for the price. I've not experienced any problems with it, and it's made several trips across the ranch in the Ranger.

Accuracy is not on par with a full-on custom build. I'm getting 3/4 MOA with mine with handloads, and just under the MOA guarantee with factory FGMM. That is on average, not a cherry picked group. I know that a custom would cut those groups in half, but it's not worth the extra thousands of dollars to *me.

20200425_183902.jpg
 
Nice rig!! My first custom job was a FN SPR Action, Heavy Benchmark Barrel and Mcmillan A3 Stock. Wish I had bought more of those actions when they were $350 on CDNN
 
Build the rifle you want.

Ill admit that I have a lot of clone rifles but my most enjoyable rifle is the one I built to my own spec.

It has M40 design features but is not a clone of any USMC rifle.

Building to spec means you end up with something provided by the lowest bidder, its decades old in design and the Marines abandoned it for something they found to be better....

My favorite M40 "like" rifle.....

1600092998157.png


and its shoots okay despite not following any recipe....

1600093039611.png
 
I really wanted an M40A3 as well, but there was no way I was going to be able to afford one with other projects.

I settled on a new old stock FN SPR A2, which I got for a killer deal in 2017. I put a Burris XTR II 3-15x on it, bedded it, and kryloned the stock green. I shopped sales, and when it was all said and done I had right at $2,500 invested.

Dare I claim that the FN is probably as robust as the M40A3, but it is certainly built tough and aside from the factory magazines I'd say that it is. The Burris is obviously nowhere near the optic that a S&B is, but is pretty stinking durable/repeatable for the price. I've not experienced any problems with it, and it's made several trips across the ranch in the Ranger.

Accuracy is not on par with a full-on custom build. I'm getting 3/4 MOA with mine with handloads, and just under the MOA guarantee with factory FGMM. That is on average, not a cherry picked group. I know that a custom would cut those groups in half, but it's not worth the extra thousands of dollars to *me.

View attachment 7423374
IMO this is what the M40 should have been. Win 70/SPR action in a McMillan stock.


I don't think you're going to find anyone who will oppose the notion that the SPR is just as or more robust than a model 700. The model 700 was designed to be cheap to manufacture while being good enough. The precision weapons section spends thousands of dollars fixing aspects of the action that they don't like or deem capable enough to withstand combat level abuse. To say that an M40 is a model 700 just doesn't quite capture all of the changes that a 700 action has to go through to become a M40.
 
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What scope rail are those here using? I'm assuming steal is the best route? If I don't use the Badger ordnance one, then I don't have to pay someone to lug my receiver.
 
Has anyone here built a rifle like the M40A3 but used parts that look like the real ones? That stock price is just crazy, about $1k. So far with the stock I'm seeing look alikes being Grayboe Renegade, Bell and carlson long range hunter stock , and manners makes one. They are all about $500. They would all need to have an adjustable cheek rest to give it that last iconic look. I see McMillian sells them seperate for $150. Would anyone mind sharing what you built on non official McMillian parts? What picatinny rail, trigger guard, and mag system did you end up using too? What base rifle did you use?

You can get pretty close to the A3 look with a Manners T4 in olive/green at roughly half the parts cost of a spec A4 stock.

Acquire the spec A3/A5 Schneider 6 groove 12 twist blank and run either the badger m4 or M5 bottom metal (the M5 DBM was used on the so called “transitional A3s). You can run a badger 20 MOA base with some badger USMC spec rings as they aren’t terribly expensive.

This will give you some of the correct parts if you decided to complete the full clone at some point in the future and shouldn't otherwise break the bank.
 
What scope rail are those here using? I'm assuming steal is the best route? If I don't use the Badger ordnance one, then I don't have to pay someone to lug my receiver.
Don't steal anything. That's a crime.
 
What scope rail are those here using? I'm assuming steal is the best route? If I don't use the Badger ordnance one, then I don't have to pay someone to lug my receiver.

To clarify my post above, the 20 MOA badger rail I recommended is plug and play, no milling or other modifications to the action required.
 
To clarify my post above, the 20 MOA badger rail I recommended is plug and play, no milling or other modifications to the action required.

Oh nice. Thank you. Weird the rails look different than their M40A3 one. It isn't solid bars like the other one.

What is the difference in a A3/A5 Schneider 6 groove 12 twist blank and Schneider bull match grade barrel? My local build shops wants to use a match grade barrel. I'm not all for extreme clone correctness. Just to look like the real deal. I might still get that McMillan stock. I have been hearing it is really good quality.
 
Oh nice. Thank you. Weird the rails look different than their M40A3 one. It isn't solid bars like the other one.

What is the difference in a A3/A5 Schneider 6 groove 12 twist blank and Schneider bull match grade barrel? My local build shops wants to use a match grade barrel. I'm not all for extreme clone correctness. Just to look like the real deal. I might still get that McMillan stock. I have been hearing it is really good quality.

Performance-wise id venture to guess there is no difference. I don’t know what the dimensions or twist rate is for the “Match Grade” blank he is referring to but here are the list of contours from Schneider’s web page. Perhaps he can provide more specifics about the barrel.

If you can swing it, the McMA4 with the two-knob saddle cheek piece all the way.

Of all my rifles, I shoot my M40A5 like 90% of the time, partly because the A4 is so comfortable.
 
How do you know which options to check on this?

Is it odd that it only has one screw on the cheek riser?
 
The A4 was made with both single knob and dual knob cheek risers. I don’t know if the dual knob variant is still made but a quick call to McMillan can confirm or deny. If not, they can be found second hand on the net (here, eBay, gunbroker, etc).

They can also help walk you through the different options/selections based on your build. If you tell them you want an ‘A3/A5 spec stock’ they will build you one.

Back when I was building my A5, I want to say their TAT was quoted at 6 months but it certainly could be very different now.
 
What scope rail are those here using? I'm assuming steal is the best route? If I don't use the Badger ordnance one, then I don't have to pay someone to lug my receiver.


Badger makes a look a like without the lugs........
 
How do you know which options to check on this?

Is it odd that it only has one screw on the cheek riser?

Its odd for a USMC clone...

McMillan was doing conversions to two screw but I understand it took too much work to retro fit.

Thinking you can still order two screw.
 
One thing about the 40 that surprised me is how "Musket Like" they are.

Its a long rifle, no wonder the XM-3 was a consideration.

If you need the velocity fine but a little "less weildy" length is handy.

Im willing to compromise on length as long as girth increases accordingly.
 
As cheekrests go the saddle cheek piece is a piece of shit, just sayin' so that you're prepared. The set screws will back out constantly or just straight up strip out when you go to tighten them. The best solution I found was to figure out the height that I needed, make spacers to go under the saddle to hold it up and then loctite the screws.
 
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Yep. As much as I like that stock, that cheek riser is the weakest link. Use a strap on, or put something under the saddle to brace it.
 
As cheekrests go the saddle cheek piece is a piece of shit, just sayin' so that you're prepared. The set screws will back out constantly or just straight up strip out when you go to tighten them. The best solution I found was to figure out the height that I needed, make spacers to go under the saddle to hold it up and then loctite the screws.

Everyone wants an A4, but the A3-5 and A5 are better...
 
Better how? The right stock is purely subjective based on the individual and within the context of this thread if you want to do some iteration of a M40A3/5 you're pretty much slaved to the A4.
 
Yep, stock fitment is the most subjective part of a rifle to each shooter.

Fortunately for me, I found that the A4 is the most natural fit for my firing hand...so much so that it virtually eliminates the mental checklist steps of hand placement and trigger finger placement before firing.

Liking the aesthetics of the M40A3/M40A5 is just an added bonus.
 
You can build whatever you want but don't call it a m40 anything. Because it isn't and never will be. You can say you took inspiration from one for the stock or whatever you use but don't lie to yourselves or anyone else by trying to pass it off as a USMC clone. Guys that do are the same guys that drive V6 Mustangs.
 
Better how? The right stock is purely subjective based on the individual and within the context of this thread if you want to do some iteration of a M40A3/5 you're pretty much slaved to the A4.
I was talking about the cheek rest situation. Being able to adjust cant is pretty cool, but longevity can suffer.
 
You can build whatever you want but don't call it a m40 anything. Because it isn't and never will be. You can say you took inspiration from one for the stock or whatever you use but don't lie to yourselves or anyone else by trying to pass it off as a USMC clone. Guys that do are the same guys that drive V6 Mustangs.
Every now and then an actual PWS M40 will pop up, but you will spend 2x what it will costs you to get a true-to-spec M40 from a reputable outfit.
 
You can build whatever you want but don't call it a m40 anything. Because it isn't and never will be. You can say you took inspiration from one for the stock or whatever you use but don't lie to yourselves or anyone else by trying to pass it off as a USMC clone. Guys that do are the same guys that drive V6 Mustangs.

Yep guy at my club owns a Ed Brown "M40" and says it's built exact as the Marine Corps builds them.

It's a pencil barrel attached to a Winchester receiver in a McMillan stock.

Irks me to hear him say it but other than being wrong there are no injured parties.

Only thing more irksome is the guy with the A1 clone that swears it came back with a friend/family member from Nam.
 
Does anyone know what year the cut over from this M40A3 Mod 1 stock was made to the M40A4 that the later A3 and A5 use? Could this stock be correct with a rifle that has a badger ordnance M5 mag?

 
You can build whatever you want but don't call it a m40 anything. Because it isn't and never will be. You can say you took inspiration from one for the stock or whatever you use but don't lie to yourselves or anyone else by trying to pass it off as a USMC clone. Guys that do are the same guys that drive V6 Mustangs.

Lighten up, Francis

It isn't like he's trying to sell a fake.
 
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I shot an A3 before they were put into service, just before I left active duty. I was fortunate to be among those that got to test it and provide feedback. As you can imagine, it was quite an upgrade from the A1. I never got to actually use one but I thought that one day I'd build a clone just for fun. Then Ruger came out with the Hawkeye LRT and I saw the potential. The reality is (and the point was made here already) - any clone is not the real thing. And that cheek riser is garbage.

So I bought a Hawkeye LRT in 300WM and to satisfy my liking of the A3 stock textured grips and olive drab color, I textured the grips and painted it. Now it meets the feedback I originally gave in our field test group - (300WM, better comb).
View attachment 7429150
We’re you at Quantico during the development of the a3? If so, do you remember the other variations?
 
I was at Quantico but not as an armorer. I was with CIB, working with a team to develop what would become the MCMAP. I only know it is now called this, as we had no official name for it in development. I have set issued instructor T-shirts with "CIC" on it. Funny, CIC never actually became anything. It was ultimately named Combat Instructor School instead. Our team's order was to replace the old "Line System" of unarmed combat techniques and training methods. I digress...

A few of us had backgrounds in other MOS, either as instructors or field applications and were "volunteered" to test a prototype rifle. There were also some marksmanship instructors from OCS, a couple of the senior armorers, etc - about a dozen of us. The rifles were A1's that had been rotated in from a school and fitted with the A3/A4 style stock. There were some other variations as well. The most notable was that some a had a floor plate and some had open bottoms with a mag. I also remember a few had barrels of varying length. We had an intro beforehand that gave us some background and let us know that these were tests and that none of these represented a final prototype. I can't remember the Major's name, he didn't stick around, but I'll always remember him saying,
"Don't get a fucking diamond cutter in your skivvies over these. It's a test and you're getting some target practice you can lie to each about later!"

This was my last duty and I (still kicking myself) got out before the A3 or MCMAP was actually put into service.
Appreciate the time Sir. I had a few 2112 friends down there during this transition period for the A1. By a slim chance, do you have any pictures of any of the variations? I managed to acquire a McMillan stock that was used during these trials. Dumpster diving that paid off for my buddy. The stock I have didn’t last long and the a4 stock we all love was getting some serious attention.
 
FWIW, good job on MCMAP. Sorely needed for a long time. The old “Line” program really did suck. MCMAP brought us into the modern age. Very solid training principles that applied to the real world. I worked my way up to Black Belt late in my career. Very satisfying but it about killed me.
 
Sorry, no pics. My phone at the time didn't have a camera (did any of them yet?). And even if it did, no cameras or phones were allowed on the range or really anywhere I worked. That's super cool that you have an original - truly out of a dumpster? I bet they threw away so much awesome stuff. Too many years ago I was in a military surplus store in Van Nuys, CA and saw a used A3 stock for sale behind the counter. It was pretty beat. I was just poking around and was intrigued but just not thinking about buying it. I thought, Ah hell, what would I do with that anyway? I know, I know... yet another occasion to kick myself.
Yup the dumpster, another mans garbage is another mans treasure. I got the same story about this stock. The a1 came from the school house and the barreled action was bedded into this stock. Everything is identical to a a1 minus the stock. I was told only 2 rifles were built with this particular stock.

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Thank you for the link for the bipod. Are you sure that is correct. After I posted I did some reading and I believe it is supposed to be the SBRM Harris Bipod. That one is a HBRM. I'm not sure if that is different. I think this one is right.
 
Thank you for the link for the bipod. Are you sure that is correct. After I posted I did some reading and I believe it is supposed to be the SBRM Harris Bipod. That one is a HBRM. I'm not sure if that is different. I think this one is right.
I stand corrected, yes SBRM..