Unertl USMC Sniper Scope SN 5001 and Introduction

[ColeSlawter]

Hi Everyone,

I have gathered a lot of information about precision shooting over the years from this site, and finally joined today. I was an enlisted US Marine from 2002-2007, and used the GI Bill to attend college. I now work in the biotech industry in Souther California, and enjoy regularly going to the range with my wife where we shoot everything from handguns and carbines to my long range rifles up to 338 Lapua (Desert Tech).

Although I was not a sniper, I always found their equipment and operations interesting, I think it was my interest in precision equipment and shooting. Every since I read Marine Sniper in middle school, I was fascinated by the Unertl scopes. I actually called Unertl Optics to see if I could buy one, this must have been late 90's and I believe it was his John Unertl's wife who said they didn't sell them to the public (not that I could have afforded one if they did). Whoever I spoke with was kind enough to mail me some catalogs which were just paper copies of their available scopes. I always thought part of the allure of the scope was the fact that you couldn't purchase them.

I've been keeping an eye on the CMP Unertl Scopes for a long time now, and had decided I wanted an original (non US Optics Modification) 50 Caliber Scope. They have not come up recently at the auctions, but when I saw SN 5001, I went for it. Besides the modified 30 Caliber to 50 Caliber conversions, I believe this would be the first scope in the series, since the 30 Cal Scopes started at 1001, can we assume 50 cal started at 5001. Can anyone confirm?

After some searching, I was able to find some information about the BDC. I found two tables for 50 cal, and two tables for the 30 Cal scopes as well. What Is really cool is that I believe if I were to zero this at 300 years, you could use the BDC and fine adjustments to be on target from 100-500 yards based on the numbers I saw and calculations I ran. I'm not sure if I will build a clone M40A1, hold off for a Barrett (416 for CA) or put it on something else, but for not I have it on our mantle.

I hope I get to know some of the members here, and can both contribute and learn from one another for years to come.

Cheers,
Matt

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Very cool bit of history! You might start by contacting USOptics in NC. They may have some background on that scope. They are not the same since moving, but I contacted them about a scope and they were Johnny on the Spot with info. They were servicing and rebuilding them for Unertl.

JBWIII formerly of USO might also know something, and some folks here are in touch with him. I no longer have his contact info.

Welcome and very, very neat scope!

Sirhr

PS... sorry about typos that I just corrected. Typing on phone before coffee makes one look like a retard.

 

[pmclaine]

Another site that may interest you, has many crossover members and is full of scope info.......

Forums - M40rifle.com

M40rifle.com is a website dedicated to the iconic Marine Corps sniper rifle, USMC Scout Snipers, and the precision shooting community.

www.m40rifle.com

There are 3-4 Unertls on the CMP page as of yesterday.

Prices are coming down.

Mine is a total USO production bought at a time when dreaming of getting an original Unertl required joining the Afghan Army.

I suffered a lot of angst wondering if I would ever get an MST for my PWS build M40A1 and when finally ordered in a special run of 100 scopes I was on pins and needles waiting the year or so for it to be built.

Fun scopes, if a bit wonky, not for stacking bullets but they will stack enemies.

 

[deltawiskey]

@Skunk knows alot about these scopes, perhaps he can provide you with some info?
DW

 

[ColeSlawter]

Very cool bit of history! You might start by contacting USOptice in NC. They may have some background on that scope. They are not the same since moving, but I contacted them about a scope and they were Johnny on the Spot with info. They were servicing and rebuilding them for amlong

JBWIII formerly of USO might also know something, and some folks here are in touch with him. I no longer have his contact info.

Welcome and very, very neat scope!

Sirhr

Thanks Sirhr, I know about US Optics, but didn’t think they would have any information about the Unertl scopes. I’ll see what they know.

Cheers,
Matt

 

[ColeSlawter]

Thanks

Another site that may interest you, has many crossover members and is full of scope info.......

Forums - M40rifle.com

M40rifle.com is a website dedicated to the iconic Marine Corps sniper rifle, USMC Scout Snipers, and the precision shooting community.

www.m40rifle.com

There are 3-4 Unertls on the CMP page as of yesterday.

Prices are coming down.

Mine is a total USO production bought at a time when dreaming of getting an original Unertl required joining the Afghan Army.

I suffered a lot of angst wondering if I would ever get an MST for my PWS build M40A1 and when finally ordered in a special run of 100 scopes I was on pins and needles waiting the year or so for it to be built.

Fun scopes, if a bit wonky, not for stacking bullets but they will stack enemies.

Thanks, I just joined m40rile to see if anyone knows more about the SN ranges. I’ve also learned a lot from that site over the years.

Cheers,
Matt

 

[pmclaine]

Thanks Sirhr, I know about US Optics, but didn’t think they would have any information about the Unertl scopes. I’ll see what they know.

Cheers,
Matt

US Optics did the rebuild contract on them after Unertl went tits up.

I think @Skunk was involved at the time.

 

[Ranchhand]

Welcome to the site Marine.
I too fell in love with the m40a1 system as a Marine. I was but a lowly PIG.
Good times...

 

[Random Guy]

Besides the modified 30 Caliber to 50 Caliber conversions, I believe this would be the first scope in the series, since the 30 Cal Scopes started at 1001, can we assume 50 cal started at 5001. Can anyone confirm?

I suspect that is correct. The USMC purchased their first 125 Barnett M82A1 rifles in 1990 for use in Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and my guess is the initial 50BMG rifles had modified 7.62 Unertl scopes, which have markings milled out and a new BDC turret installed by Unertl. Here's one example:

Civilian Marksmanship Program - Promoting firearms safety training!

USMC 10X Unertl Sniper Telescope 1337 .50 caliber USMC 10X Unertl Sniper Telescope 1337 .50 caliber US Marine Corps Issue 10x Unertl Sniper Telescope. Serial number 1337. This scope was manufactured as a standard 7.62mm scope and then converted at a later date for the Barrett M107/M82A3 .50...

cmpauction.thecmp.org

I understand that US Optics won the USMC contract in 2000 to refurbish the USMC's Unertl 10x Sniper scopes (7.62 NATO and 50 BMG calibers), and I have read that contract also specified some new 50 BMG scopes as well. (I don't know how many new scopes were part of the contract, but I read the model number was MST-150). I suspect that is where the 500X serial numbers came from, so I would speculate the serial # 5001 scope was likely made in 2000 or 2001, and may have been the first of the US Optics scopes made for Barnett M107 or M107A1 rifles. My 2cts.

 

[Travelor]

What can be used t remove the paint on these scopes that does not harm the original black finish?

 

[pmclaine]

What can be used t remove the paint on these scopes that does not harm the original black finish?

Acetone.

 

[Skunk]

Acetone will remove the paint, but it may attack the glue holding the o-ring to the main elevation knob, so be careful of that…

 

[ODCMP]

Hi Everyone,

I have gathered a lot of information about precision shooting over the years from this site, and finally joined today. I was an enlisted US Marine from 2002-2007, and used the GI Bill to attend college. I now work in the biotech industry in Souther California, and enjoy regularly going to the range with my wife where we shoot everything from handguns and carbines to my long range rifles up to 338 Lapua (Desert Tech).

Although I was not a sniper, I always found their equipment and operations interesting, I think it was my interest in precision equipment and shooting. Every since I read Marine Sniper in middle school, I was fascinated by the Unertl scopes. I actually called Unertl Optics to see if I could buy one, this must have been late 90's and I believe it was his John Unertl's wife who said they didn't sell them to the public (not that I could have afforded one if they did). Whoever I spoke with was kind enough to mail me some catalogs which were just paper copies of their available scopes. I always thought part of the allure of the scope was the fact that you couldn't purchase them.

I've been keeping an eye on the CMP Unertl Scopes for a long time now, and had decided I wanted an original (non US Optics Modification) 50 Caliber Scope. They have not come up recently at the auctions, but when I saw SN 5001, I went for it. Besides the modified 30 Caliber to 50 Caliber conversions, I believe this would be the first scope in the series, since the 30 Cal Scopes started at 1001, can we assume 50 cal started at 5001. Can anyone confirm?

View attachment 7684530
View attachment 7684533

After some searching, I was able to find some information about the BDC. I found two tables for 50 cal, and two tables for the 30 Cal scopes as well. What Is really cool is that I believe if I were to zero this at 300 years, you could use the BDC and fine adjustments to be on target from 100-500 yards based on the numbers I saw and calculations I ran. I'm not sure if I will build a clone M40A1, hold off for a Barrett (416 for CA) or put it on something else, but for not I have it on our mantle.

I hope I get to know some of the members here, and can both contribute and learn from one another for years to come.

Cheers,
Matt

Congratulations on being high bidder on that scope! I say that as the 2nd place bidder. I already had sn 5003, so didn't want to be greedy, ha! Glad to hear it went to someone who appreciates it.

Your understanding is correct, I believe that the scopes originally manufactured for .50 cal started at sn 5001 and ran through about sn 5150 (the highest number the CMP has sold). The CMP has listed 87 of those ~150 scopes to this date.

To date they have also listed 57 - .50 cal scopes that were modified from .30 cal.

I understand that first 5 - .30 cal scopes were considered prototypes, with production starting at sn 1006. The lowest the CMP has sold to date is sn 1011 and the highest .30 cal sold by the CMP to date is sn 1913.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

What can be used t remove the paint on these scopes that does not harm the original black finish?

Don’t remove the paint! It’s part of the history.

 

[ODCMP]

Don’t remove the paint! It’s part of the history.

Yes sir! That is my preference too. It looks like 5001 has been repainted black over other camo paint. A lot of these have several layers of paint.

I also have one with camo tape making a slot over the lens, I plan to leave that too.

5003 never had been painted although it has other signs of being issued. I guess wherever it was issued didn't need camo.

 

[DukeGSP]

pretty awesome to see and read about. i worked in the Weapon Storage unit for the USMC years ago. When the USMC went to the S&B/PR we had about 150-200 or so of these scopes on location that got sent to DRMO.. hurt my heart to know these were about to get destroyed when someone could've replaced a small percentage of wasted tax dollars and enjoyed one...

 

[pmclaine]

pretty awesome to see and read about. i worked in the Weapon Storage unit for the USMC years ago. When the USMC went to the S&B/PR we had about 150-200 or so of these scopes on location that got sent to DRMO.. hurt my heart to know these were about to get destroyed when someone could've replaced a small percentage of wasted tax dollars and enjoyed one...

Pains my heart also.

Stupid on the part of those spending our tax receipts.

Desperately looking for one of these and you probably saw a few of them.

Ill give Uncle Sam a good buck for one.

 

[ColeSlawter]

Wow, thanks for the compliment ODCMP. Crazy to know we were both bidding on this. I guess I’ll know who I’m bidding against if 5002 shows up, haha!

5003 is a beauty! It’s very clean.

I’ve decided that I will not be doing any kind of restoration work to this scope. I will have any work it needs done to remain serviceable, but I wont remove the paint or do anything to make it look nicer.

Cheers,
Matt

 

[Tenbears]

You can still get the 50 cal. Unertl for quite a bit cheaper than the 308.

 

[PB"]

I have been fortunate to purchase both the 50 and 30 cal Unertl 10x
I contacted the old Unertl business office and had a wonderful conversation I must say.
The 50 cal scope I mounted on my Barrett model 99. I am amazed at the accuracy of this combination. I kid you not. I made a range on my farm with a proper back stop of earth. I didn’t possess a lot of trigger time on the 50. It something I had to work into. 3 or 4 shot per session was plenty.

I am not clear on how you can use the 50 cal scopes for other calibers ie 7mm Mag , 338 lapau etc….

I see the two charts for each cal. Noted above. What does the two for each caliber represent?

I would like to start an M-40 build if perhaps I could follow some others guidance.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Pb