M40A1 Pictures

[m1marty]

Every time I see posts like these, I look close to see if one of my stocks is visible. Others have found theirs.
My latest build. Original plans were early model using the Accu-range Redfield and 2nd Gen mount/rings. Now I'm leaning towards a USO or Unertl and doing an early GWOT rifle as pictured.
Of note is the ground front swivel to facilitate bipod use.

 

[m1marty]

 

[pmclaine]

Every time I see posts like these, I look close to see if one of my stocks is visible. Others have found theirs.
My latest build. Original plans were early model using the Accu-range Redfield and 2nd Gen mount/rings. Now I'm leaning towards a USO or Unertl and doing an early GWOT rifle as pictured.
Of note is the ground front swivel to facilitate bipod use.
View attachment 7202293View attachment 7202294

Bought a sling stud from a man that was making them threaded to match the McMillan threading in A1 stocks.

I ran a Harris for a short time than went back to standard sling swivel and bag for better shooting.

My case involves me shooting off a bench though so that may not be a fair assessment of the bipoded A1.

I intended to take my A1 to a Sig class next year. Ill be shooting on my belly and in that application I think the Harris will be great.

 

[m1marty]

Bought a sling stud from a man that was making them threaded to match the McMillan threading in A1 stocks.

I ran a Harris for a short time than went back to standard sling swivel and bag for better shooting.

My case involves me shooting off a bench though so that may not be a fair assessment of the bipoded A1.

I intended to take my A1 to a Sig class next year. Ill be shooting on my belly and in that application I think the Harris will be great.

I plan on getting another standard swivel and tucking this one away. I don't plan on bipod use with this rifle. Ruck or modified M49 spotter tripod is about it.

 

[pmclaine]

I plan on getting another standard swivel and tucking this one away. I don't plan on bipod use with this rifle. Ruck or modified M49 spotter tripod is about it.

I just ordered a set of Wichitas this week. Super easy to deal with.

Unsure if you must order yours from McMillan to match threading or if McMillan uses oem thread.

I paid $70 for the pair - wood screw rear. machine screw with nut front for my needed application.

 

[sandwarrior]

View attachment 7199468View attachment 7199469View attachment 7199471

I liked the pic, but why on earth is the guy in the middle posing with a rifle with the bolt removed?

 

[ArmedGinger]

I liked the pic, but why on earth is the guy in the middle posing with a rifle with the bolt removed?

I noticed that too. And what is with the electricians tape around the front of the stock and barrel?

 

[sandwarrior]

I noticed that too. And what is with the electricians tape around the front of the stock and barrel?

That is for keeping shit out from between the barrel and stock as you low crawl. You don't tape the barrel down hard, just lay the tape over it. But, good catch as well. With that, I'm surprised you don't see the sling swivels taped.

 

[pmclaine]

Saw that some would field strip a length of 550 cord for cleaning the barrel channel.

The limp OD nylon covering would be staged in the barrel channel back at the lug.

It would be taped in place with the tape that ensures the mag floor plate remains closed.

If the shooter thought he had crap in the barrel channel just pull the 550 skin forward to floss it clean.

 

[JC0352]

Pretty sure this picture....

relates to the Sniper Team that was ambushed and KIA in Iraq with their weapons being captured.

That rifle was recovered from a inside MV surrounded by dead bad guys.

Same rifle.....

Here’s the article:

Former ‘Magnificent Bastards’ react to sniper rifle recovery

Call it a little bit of justice. Marine snipers from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment shot and killed an insurgent sniper and spotter preparing to shoot at passing Marines, June 16. And the

www.1stmardiv.marines.mil

 

[Random Guy]

Well, I see a couple of the old M49 Observation spotting scopes in post #54, so I'll digress for just a moment, and post a couple of pics that are not of an M40A1 being used in service, but its a 'return' or M40A1 'take-off' stock that is a little unique in that it still has its camo from when it was painted by a Scout-Sniper while it was in service. I'm posting it mainly b/c it has one interesting 'bald spot' on the forend from its prior service life...

....a former scout sniper who inspected my return stock told me the unpainted or 'bald spot' under the forend, was due to the rifle being painted while it sat in the tripod used with the old M49 Observation/spotting scope. So I pulled out my vintage M15 tripod to compare, and sure enough, the pattern matches...

...just a random observation on my M40A1 return stock. Yes, it is only a replica and this thread is for M40A1 pics while in service, but I thought I'd share as the stock still has original paint/patina from its prior service life. I have not seen this before in the other pics on this thread. (FWIW, attached is the "restored" improvised cheek piece, using some military sleeping mat material, and OD duct tape).

 

[Moose]

Some really nice pics on the m40a1 and scopes.Thanks Guys

 

[reese3303]

Cool pictures. The M40a1 is the most consistent rifle I have. Would have to try and make it shoot bad.
Always holds zero and very repeatable (just need to find a way to put a bipod on it).
Not to mention the MST100 is the easiest scope to dial out to distance quickly.

 

[m1marty]

Cool pictures. The M40a1 is the most consistent rifle I have. Would have to try and make it shoot bad.
Always holds zero and very repeatable (just need to find a way to put a bipod on it).
Not to mention the MST100 is the easiest scope to dial out to distance quickly.

Wouldn't be hard to make a bipod stud that you can swap out with the swivel (I seem to remember someone doing that here some time ago)

 

[pmclaine]

A poster on M40rifle.com made a run of them a couple years ago. They fit/work great. Maybe post over there as some may still be about.

I just bought a set of Wichita sling loops this week from Wichita. Ordered and arrived in a couple days. You could probably grind the loop center of a Wichita to make one.

 

[Random Guy]

The M40A1 obviously didn't come with bipod studs.....but I have noted one of them did acquire a bipod stud at some point. (Here's a pic of 7 real USMC M40A1s kept at Quantico, circa 2016). I call that rifle on the left "Mr Bipod Stud." (2nd one from left I call "Mr Super Grade" due to bottom metal stamping, and the 5th one from the left I call "Mr Black" due to its black buttpad. Some of these rifles show small odd-ball variances)

....that said, I think a replacing the front swivel for a bipod stud is a more elegant solution. when possible.

 

[reese3303]

Well the problem I have or (I think I have) is with my female Wichita threads.
I installed the SDwhirlwind bipod stud that has the same thread pitch as Wichita.
But when I go to tighten the bipod down its starts pulling out. I guess the threads are dilapidated?

 

[ArmedGinger]

My M40A1 clone was built with a bipod stud on it in front of the Wichita sling mount.

But after shooting it with the bipod and then off my ruck, I prefer to go old school. If I could I'd love to remove the bipod stud but I don't know how I would fill in the hole.

 

[DukeGSP]

what's a shame is when I worked in the weapons warehouse as a Lead QC for optics, I sent hundreds if not thousands of Unertl scopes to DRMO..... talk about nearly making a grown man cry...

 

[reese3303]

You can fill the hole with bedding compound.
I'd just like to have the bipod to have the ease of not lugging bags around and ability to setup quickly.
More versatile.

My M40A1 clone was built with a bipod stud on it in front of the Wichita sling mount.


But after shooting it with the bipod and then off my ruck, I prefer to go old school. If I could I'd love to remove the bipod stud but I don't know how I would fill in the hole.

 

[sandwarrior]

After packing a heavy weapon around, it's quick and easy to just throw down the legs and go for it. Ruck works, but always too much crap in it to get adjusted well.

 

[ArmedGinger]

Never seen an M40A1 with a rail before. Was this something they started doing or a one off sort of thing?

 

[Random Guy]

Was this something they started doing or a one off sort of thing?

My guess is a one-off sort of thing. The M40A3 had the first Picatinney rail.

 

[sandwarrior]

My guess is a one-off sort of thing. The M40A3 had the first Picatinney rail.

Agreed, The stock looks like an A1 and the picatinny doesn't even look like the ones used on A3's and later. They have an extension out over the front base.

 

[ArmedGinger]

 

[ArmedGinger]

 

[ArmedGinger]

 

[ArmedGinger]

 

[pmclaine]

who is the Medal of Honor winner standing next to the Ghillie-suited Marine?

Mitchell Paige?

 

[ArmedGinger]

Mitchell Paige?

That is correct

 

[gconnoyer]

Awesome thread.

If I was rich I'd have an A1 and A3 just to hang on the wall.

 

[mcm308]

Amazing pictures! Thanks to all who contributed.

 

[mcm308]

A southpaw like myself and Love the Gerber! Question, what is his scope tied to??

 

[Crosshairs6]

My graduation picture from 1st Marine Division sniper school class 3-88. Started with 27 students, graduated 6.
I have a Commemorative M40A1 done by McMillan. Number 3 of 20 and I also built a Return stock rifle the way I would have carried it. I call it the "Green Rifle" as we used to spray can the rifles back then. Return stock has a Green Obermeyer 1-10 twist barrel with a Redfield 3X9 with Tombstone reticle. That rifle is the "Omen" to me. The day I mounted the scope and bore-sighted the rifle, the 1st three shots were in a 1 inch pastie at 100 yards. Using 175 grain Sierra MK. Perfect!

Crosshairs6
Master Sergeant
USMC Retired 0369/8541

 

[deltawiskey]

My graduation picture from 1st Marine Division sniper school class 3-88. Started with 27 students, graduated 6.
I have a Commemorative M40A1 done by McMillan. Number 3 of 20 and I also built a Return stock rifle the way I would have carried it. I call it the "Green Rifle" as we used to spray can the rifles back then. Return stock has a Green Obermeyer 1-10 twist barrel with a Redfield 3X9 with Tombstone reticle. That rifle is the "Omen" to me. The day I mounted the scope and bore-sighted the rifle, the 1st three shots were in a 1 inch pastie at 100 yards. Using 175 grain Sierra MK. Perfect!

Crosshairs6
Master Sergeant
USMC Retired 0369/8541

I have McMillan number 13, its the actual rifle they used in all the ads and videos.
Great shooting rifle!
DW

 

[Crosshairs6]

The M40A1 is definitely my favorite. Built like a tank. Always accurate even after an 1800 yard grass stalk dragging behind me. I grew up in the Corps with it. Served with a lot of good men and good memories having good times.

 

[mcm308]

The M40A1 is definitely my favorite. Built like a tank. Always accurate even after an 1800 yard grass stalk dragging behind me. I grew up in the Corps with it. Served with a lot of good men and good memories having good times.

Thank you for serving! And all who are here who served as well!

 

[sandwarrior]

The M40A1 is definitely my favorite. Built like a tank. Always accurate even after an 1800 yard grass stalk dragging behind me. I grew up in the Corps with it. Served with a lot of good men and good memories having good times.

Being Army I was never directly involved with any of the M40 series of rifles. However, I went to Scuba School (SFUWO) while two of my friends went to the Marine Scout Sniper Course in Quantico VA. All three of us came back successfully with the completion of our courses.

Anyhow, my getting the SFUWO qual. led me to working in S-3 in the department that handled the scuba and sniper training (and other things). It was talks with these friends that helped me to understand the philosophy that made Marine Corps sniping so effective. About the time I went to S-3 we started ramping up our sniper training. But, we had never achieved the level of competence described to me by my two friends. Later, ('84 and '85) I was able to get a look at, and hands-on, with the M40A1. Which I had seen on the line during joint ops, but hadn't gotten to really see the difference in them and the M21 that our guys used, capabilities. M21's were also pretty much off-limits for the average Ranger to go and finger-fuck. Marine MTT's came and went and I saw more of the M401 and it's capabilities vs. the M21. I'm not knocking the M21, I just saw that the M40A1 was better as far as precision goes at more distant ranges.

Thus, while not so much a fan of the 7.62x51 NATO, I will always appreciate the M40 series of rifles.

 

[ChanceDoane]

This is a good thread

 

[ArmedGinger]

CPT Jack C. Cuddy, right, and Warrant Officer Neil Goddard, left brief GEN Robert H. Barrow, commandant of the Marine Corps, center, on the Marine Corps M-40A1 sniper rifle and scope during the general's visit to the Interservice Rifle Matches

 

[ArmedGinger]

Marine observers watch as Marines from the Scout Sniper Platoon, 23rd Marines, 5th Marine Division, participate in a cold weather training exercise

 

[njohn890]

Not a complete rifle photo, but added for the bad-assery factor.....

Colonel David J Willis, USMC. Former commander of WTB Quantico, double distinguished shooter. As commander of WTB he oversaw both the competition in arms programs and the Scout Sniper school for over ten years.

” My wife has never seen me shoot though I‘ve won virtually every competition there is. She hates sweat and violence. It’s strange” He pauses and grins as if considering the thought for the first time. “ Sweat and violence are the only things I like”

 

[pmclaine]

Not a complete rifle photo, but added for the bad-assery factor.....

Colonel David J Willis, USMC. Former commander of WTB Quantico, double distinguished shooter. As commander of WTB he oversaw both the competition in arms programs and the Scout Sniper school for over ten years.

” My wife has never seen me shoot though I‘ve won virtually every competition there is. She hates sweat and violence. It’s strange” He pauses and grins as if considering the thought for the first time. “ Sweat and violence are the only things I like”

View attachment 7418346

and a WAPO hit piece full of shit..........."We are the Enemy"?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1986/02/09/sniper-schools-credo-one-shot-one-kill/21426070-ae10-461a-a830-37578879a01b/

 

[Skunk]

Pardon the A3; she's an attention whore.

 

[njohn890]

and a WAPO hit piece full of shit..........."We are the Enemy"?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1986/02/09/sniper-schools-credo-one-shot-one-kill/21426070-ae10-461a-a830-37578879a01b/

What a crap article. Some writers frame of reference just isn’t suited for hard subjects like war. His entire exposure to violence is from television hence his stupid question about a psyche evaluation. He just can’t grasp the place sniping holds in the battlefield.

 

[bildoe308]

View attachment 7418550
Pardon the A3; she's an attention whore.

Dirty Whore

 

[Skunk]

 

[pmclaine]

View attachment 7657853

Like a Dutch Master still life......but better.

 

[Rem700ADL]

Thanks for posting. How can anyone, after looking at these photos taken through the years of service with these rifles,surely some are on their 10th rebarrel or more, bad mouth the Remington 700 action ???

 

[sandwarrior]

Thanks for posting. How can anyone, after looking at these photos taken through the years of service with these rifles,surely some are on their 10th rebarrel or more, bad mouth the Remington 700 action ???

You need to shoot F-Class and you'll see why. It's by far not the worst. But, then again, you'll see why it isn't the best...