My records indicate that this one and the 300 m gun that sold last weekend are likely Air Force rifles, I can pretty much guarantee its not a Marine rifle. But I still want it
The "Trials" or test rifles were full blown BDL deluxe rifles, checkered, black grip cap, high gloss finish.
Sinister, where are the take off stocks from the All Army rifles???
Marty, I wish I knew where the wood stocks went -- we got them from Anniston as barreled actions with triggers.
The AMU built a number of International rifles on 40Xs, as well as a number of 30-06, 7mm, and 300 Win Mag rifles (yes, with Anschutz triggers installed with adaptors). Several CISM rifles had ten-shot box magazine wells welded to the bottom of the receivers while others built strictly for prone shooting kept solid bottoms to prevent action flex. CISM shooting has stages requiring rapid and sustained fire, including while standing, at 300 Meters.
Once upon a time in the days before M24 I had USSOCOM Joint Operational Stocks Remington 700s and M40s, both marked respectively, in glossy 700 BDL - Varmint configuration; oiled walnut; and fiberglass stocks (a veritable WTF grab-bag). They all shot well, but uniformity was out the window. Throw in McMillan rifles and you had a circus of sub-MOA rifles that had been re-barreled and bedded, then camo spray-painted by the individual shooter.
I agree that the CMP calling these M40s is if they don't include service origination documentation (other than the fact they were surplused by Uncle Sam) -- that angle is either pure brilliant marketing or a case of "Meh. Looks like an M40...it must be an M40." The DOD (Army) Small Arms Serial Number Master Registry has an abundance of detail and is updated monthly -- but I'm not sure the CMP has access to the daily .mil database.
CMP was chartered by Congress to fund its operation and the National Matches through fees and the revenue from selling surplus US military 30 and 22 caliber rifles, ammunition, and components. Sales proceeds go into the capital operating fund. What they make off GI M1s, Carbines, 22s, and any other surplused rifles will fund the National Trophy Matches.
The Army hosed you, the average tax-payer, by giving all the take-offs from the M24 to Remington instead of surplusing them off to the CMP. Years down the road the M2010s will cycle out as the Army buys the follow-on, which I'm assuming may or may not be a 338.
Eventually the Marines will cycle out their current M40AX inventory (probably about 300 years from now).