• Beretta Target 87 in .22 LR
• STI International models BLS-40 and LS-40 in .40 S&W, BLS-9 and LS-9 in 9mm, Edge in 9mm, 10mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP, and the Trojan in 9mm and .45 ACP.
• SIG Sauer Mauser M2 in 9mm, .40 S&W, .357 SIG and .45 ACP.
• Taurus Tracker M971 in .22 Magnum.

Legal Update

The Third District Court of Appeal of Florida has ruled that a South Miami ordinance requiring the use of trigger locks by consumers violates the state’s firearms pre-emption law. The ordinance was adopted in 2000 with support from the state Attorney General’s office, but was challenged in court by the National Rifle Association. Miami-Dade County and several other local jurisdictions passed similar measures following South Miami’s lead. The Attorney General’s office had concluded local trigger-lock laws could be enacted as they did not interfere with gun ownership rights.

The appeals court found the ordinance in direct conflict with the state pre-emption law also passed in 2000. The state law’s intent is to provide for uniformity of firearms laws throughout the state and reserves the power of firearms regulation to the state legislature. An existing state law requires gun owners to store their firearms in a manner preventing access by unsupervised juveniles.

Firearms manufacturers were found not liable for the actions of a white supremacist who killed one and injured five others in a shooting spree at a Los Angeles Jewish Center in 1999, a federal court has ruled.

In dismissing a negligent marketing suit against Davis Industries, Glock, Norinco, Bushmaster and Brazilian manufacturer, Imbel, by relatives of the victims, U.S. District Judge Audrey B. Collins said the plaintiffs failed to show a link between the manufacturers and the shooter’s actions. “There was no way to foresee this particular individual would obtain a firearm and use it to injure these plaintiffs,” she wrote.

California consumers purchased fewer handguns in 2001 than in any previous year since the state began keeping records on such sales in 1972, according to the state Attorney General’s office.

Handgun sales dropped 23.1%, to a total of 155,203 in 2001 from the 201,865 sold in 2000. The previous record low was recorded in 1998 when just 189,481 handguns were sold. Not surprisingly, the onerous restrictions on handgun purchases imposed by state law led many consumers to opt for long guns instead. As a result, long gun sales increased 7.3% in 2001, from 184,345 in 2000, to 198,999 in 2001.

Combined long gun and handgun figures indicate 354,202 total firearms were purchased by Californians in 2001, a number 8.2% below the 386,210 combined purchase total for 2000. Were it not for the horrorific events of Sept. 11, 2001, the year 2001 figures would have been even lower. For the first six weeks after Sept. 11th, California’s firearms sales averaged 9,200 per week, compared to about 7,000 per week during the same period the year before. Prior to Sept. 11th, firearms sales averaged about 6,500 per week during 2001. Some 3,607 attempted firearm purchases were denied by the California Dept. of Justice after buyer background checks.

A 5-cent tax on every bullet sold in the state of California is planned to be proposed as a November ballot issue by long-time gun control advocate Don Perata, a Democratic state senator.

“Bullets cause injuries that are expensive to treat and generally speaking, the public is footing the bill,” Perata explained. He added the idea was intended to raise funds for California trauma centers, and predicted the Democratic-controlled state legislature would opt to put the issue before the voters.

The state is facing a $17 billion budget deficit this year. A gubernatorial contest will also be held this fall, which pits incumbent anti-gun Democrat Gray Davis against pro-gun Republican, Bill Simon, and the ‘bullet-tax’ measure could become an issue in the race for governor.

The author publishes two of the small arms industry’s most widely read trade newsletters. The International Firearms Trade covers the world firearms scene, and The New Firearms Business covers the domestic market. Visit www.FirearmsGroup.com. He may be reached at: FirearmsB@aol.com.

DPMS is proud to introduce the new Panther Lite 16. The Panther Lite 16 utilizes a number of features which distinguish it from current models and it is reminiscent of early, lightweight carbines. Standard features include: 16” 1X9 twist post ban 4140 chromoly barrel, relieved to .650 under the handguards and at the muzzle, a pinned (non-collapsible) fiberite CAR stock, hard chromed bolt carrier, carbine handguards, investment cast lower receiver, forged A-1 upper with windage adjustment, ejection port cover and brass deflector. Both upper and lower receivers of the new rifle are hardcoat anodized (per Mil-A 8625A) and Teflon coated black. Overall length of the Panther Lite 16 is 34 1/8 inches. Weight is less than 5 3/4 pounds without magazine. Suggested retail for this rifle is $699.00.

DPMS/Panther Arms is pleased to announce the acquisition of Del-Tone Gun Club in St. Cloud, MN. The new name for the gun club is Del-Tone/Luth Gun Club. Del-Tone/Luth Gun Club is a facility built and managed with the shooter in mind. It is located on 85 acres totally dedicated to shooting. Available ranges include a 200 yard rifle range, a 100 yard rifle range and a 50 yard pistol range. Some of the many facilities and services that are available include trapshooting, skeet shooting, sporting clays, archery range with 3-D targets, dog kennels, campground, and a retail facility with reloading supplies, ammunition and target sales. Del-Tone/Luth Gun Club provides a perfect partnership for DPMS/Panther Arms. This new partnership will enhance DPMS’ ability for the promotion of the shooting industry. By having a shooting range available, DPMS engineers can test and evaluate rifles in a real shooting environment. Randy Luth, owner of both DPMS and Del-Tone/Luth Gun Club is anticipating the future move of DPMS’ facilities to the Del-Tone/Luth Gun Club. By combining both a shooting range and a rifle manufacturer on the same property, the possibilities for a shooter are endless. For more information contact Luth Unlimited, LLC, Dept. SAR, 3322 12th Street SE, St. Cloud, MN 56304. Phone: 1-320-251-9873. You can also contact DPMS Inc., Dept. SAR, 13983 Industry Ave., Becker, MN 55308. Phone: 1-763-261-5600. Fax: 1-763-261-5599. Their web site is www.dpmsinc.com.

REUTERS AND PRENTICE HALL PUBLISH AFGHANISTAN: LIFTING THE VEIL

Reuters, the global information, news and technology group, and Prentice Hall have published Afghanistan: Lifting the Veil, a compelling compilation of photographs and text from Reuters award-winning journalists and photographers covering over forty years of conflict in Afghanistan. Through essays and approximately 150 photos, Afghanistan: Lifting the Veil provides a unique insight into the cultures and people of Afghanistan and their struggle to survive through decades of bloodshed and turmoil. Traveling throughout the cities and countryside of Afghanistan, over 25 experienced Reuters’ correspondents and photojournalists chart the Afghan conflict covering key moments in Afghanistan’s history including the Soviet occupation and the rule by the Taliban. It brings events right up to present day with the U.S.-led war against Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda network and the Taliban, and reviews the future of this war-torn country. The book also explores the development of this complex country through the experiences and stories of the people who live there. It considers the changing role and conditions of women, and looks at the other significant changes starting to appear in modern day Afghan society. Afghanistan: Lifting the Veil is available online and in bookstores nationwide, and is priced at $29.00. For more information visit www.reuters.com/books.

STREAMLIGHT INTRODUCES STINGER FLASHLIGHTS

Streamlight, Inc., a leading manufacturer of high-intensity flashlights for law enforcement applications, has introduced their new Stinger HP™ and Stinger XT HP™ rechargeable flashlights. Modeled after the original Stinger and Stinger XT, the new flashlights deliver increased power (almost three times more) in a design officers have long appreciated. What distinguishes the new Stinger HP and Stinger XT HP from their predecessors is the “HP”, which stands for high performance and represents the significant increase in power that they deliver. The Stinger HP and the Stinger XT HP lights deliver up to 40,000 candlepower, which is almost three times the power of the original models. In addition to the increased power, the high-performance lights offer all the features that law enforcement and corrections officers have come to depend on with the original Stingers. The Stinger HP remains equipped with a spare bulb in its tailcap. Intended for tactical use, the Stinger XT HP features a rubber tailcap switch that is easy to find in any orientation, and is designed with a non-slip rubber grip. The high-performance lights, which are fitted with xenon-halogen gas filler bi-pin bulbs, feature momentary and constant on switching to give users flexibility in operation. Nickel cadmium rechargeable batteries power the flashlights for up to one continuous hour between charges. Highly durable, the new lights are encased in virtually indestructible machined aluminum and feature unbreakable polycarbonate lens. The enhanced lights, which feature AC/DC recharging capabilities and two charger holders, are available with a steady charger, fast charger or the piggyback™ Charger. They both have a lifetime warranty on the body and switch and a one-year manufacturer’s warranty on the battery and charger. An optional Stinger UltraHead Upgrade Kit is available for current Streamlight Stinger and Stinger XT owners to convert their flashlights to the new high-performance lights. The upgrade kit, which consists of a Stinger bulb and a reflector/lens assembly that easily retrofits on to existing models, increases the lights’ candlepower from 15,000 to 40,000, and lists for just $34.95. For more information on these and all of Streamlights other high intensity lights contact, Stream light, Inc., Dept. SAR, 30 Eagleville Road, Eagleville, Pennsylvania 19403-3996. Phone: 1-610-631-0600. Fax: 1-610-631-0712. Web site: www.streamlight.com.

RIP CORD TACTICAL KNIVES FROM PHANTOM KNIVES

Phantom Knives has recently launched an innovative line of knives called Rip Cord. These new knives are described as “the fastest deployable knives in the world”. They provide users with a legal, one-handed, instant opening mechanism. The knives’ high-tech blade has excellent cutting action and glides through tough fabric with ease. The curvature in the blade increases the cutting surface, while keeping the sharp edge out of harm’s way, and cups seatbelt webbing preventing slippage when seconds are vital. The patented TEK-LOK buckle system can be attached to a harness or web gear and can be worn vertically or horizontally. The unique mechanical design has the blade recessed in the handle and is attached to a “key”. As the handle is withdrawn, using one hand only, the blade simultaneously deploys and locks positively in the open position, When putting the blade away, the “key” disables the lock and allows the blade to retract smoothly into the handle and stays secure until it is needed again. Phantom Knives has several models available including the RESCUE geared toward fire, police and emergency response people, the TACTICAL and the MEDALLION which can be worn around the neck on a stainless steel beaded chain. For more information on these and other innovative knives contact Phantom Knives, Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 127, Three Rivers, MA 01080. Phone: 1-877-400-8641. Fax: 1-413-289-2372. Web Site: www.halperntitanium.com.

By Robert M. Hausman

What once began as a small retail gun store, is now the world’s largest supplier of firearms parts and accessories. Numrich Gun Parts Corporation originated in 1947, when George Numrich opened a gun store in Mamaroneck, New York, under the name of Numrich Arms. At the end of World War II, he began doing a considerable amount of business buying and selling surplus gun parts. There were thousands of former servicemen returning home who were experts with firearms and interested in “sporterizing” the types of rifles they had relied on during the war. A great surplus of military rifles were coming onto the market at that time, and Mr. Numrich saw the opportunity to supply parts for those rifles and create a niche for his young company.

Numrich’s surplus activities soon outpaced the retail gun business as he focused on acquiring military surplus and commercial gun parts. Several years later, he moved the business to West Hurley, New York, and began publishing a catalog of gun parts and surplus items. Over the years, the business has grown to the point where the firm is now the acknowledged industry leader for firearms parts and accessories.

The West Hurley location contains five warehouses, a main shipping facility, a woodshop, a machine shop, and a 100-meter shooting range. “When parts for rare guns become unavailable,” notes Gregory Jenks, the firm’s president, “we have replacement parts manufactured. A large reference collection of firearms is maintained, and the parts from which are used for patterns to make new parts when originals are unobtainable on the open market. The reference arms and the on-premises range, also come in handy for testing the function of newly made parts.”

Tommy Gun Fame

In 1951, Numrich Arms Corporation purchased Auto-Ordnance, the manufacturer of the Thompson machine gun, for its large inventory of parts. Years later, Numrich began manufacturing frames and receivers utilizing the large supply of original parts to build complete Tommy Guns. In March 1975, the firm received ATF approval to begin producing a new line of semi-auto Thompson guns. The M1927A1 went into production, followed shortly by a .22 rimfire version. Manufacturing these guns helped put Numrich on the map as far as many shooters and collectors were concerned. Auto-Ordnance was sold to Kahr Arms in 1998.

Catalog

The company’s 1,152 page reference catalog provides the largest selection of firearm parts for sale on the market today. The catalog features hard-to-find, obsolete, antique, and new firearm parts for hundreds of manufacturers. Their expansive inventory also offers machine gun accessories, ammunition, books, manuals and videos, cleaning accessories, pistol grips, gunsmithing tools and supplies, knives and bayonets, and leather and canvas goods. They also carry reloading tools, magazines and clips, target and range equipment, and all other firearms related products.

Numrich specializes in military and machine gun parts and accessories, such as firing pins, barrels, bolt parts, feed mechanisms, and barrel jackets. Some of the military manufacturers and models that can be found in the catalog are: Action Arms Galil and UZI; AK47 and SKS; Armalite AR18 and AR180; Auto-Ordnance; Boyes Anti-Tank Rifle; Bren SMG; Cobray: G-43 and K-43 semi-auto rifles; Hotchkiss Light Machine Gun; Ingram; Lewis MG; M1 Carbine; M1 Garand; M14 Rifle; M16, M16A1 Rifle; M3, M3A1 Grease Gun; Madsen Model 50 SMG; Piat Anti-Tank Gun; Reising, Sten and the Vickers MG. There are also parts for machine guns such as the U.S. military 1917A1, 1919A4, A5 and A6, M2 and M3 .50 caliber, M60, M73, M73A1, M85, M219, and others.

There are loads of parts for semi-auto rifles, shotguns, and handguns from manufacturers such as Colt, CZ, Erma, Fabrique Nationale, Glock, FIE, Sig Sauer, Taurus, and many more. There is also a large selection of parts for High Standard, including the famous Models 10A and 10B bullpup police shotguns. Among the more interesting accessories listed is a .22 caliber conversion unit for the Heckler & Koch Model G3, 91 and 51 rifles.

The catalog provides over 400 schematics and exploded parts diagrams that illustrate the relationship of the working parts that complete a firearm. Students of firearms design will find hours of enjoyable reading and will want to make the book a permanent part of their reference collection. Accompanying text identifies various parts, and provides detail on model variations, often including historical information on the firearm’s development and use.

For example, the Browning parts section begins with this description: “John Moses Browning, a self-taught firearm inventor, is probably the most influential name in the development of American and foreign firearms in the world.

The success of Browning’s military weapons may well have been one of the most important contributions to the defeat of many American adversaries. These feelings were verbalized in a eulogy delivered at his passing by the Secretary of War in 1926.

‘It is a fact to be recorded that no design of Mr. Browning’s has ever proved a failure, nor has any model been discontinued. The War Department, through its agency, the Ordnance Department of the Army, will be greatly handicapped in its future development work on automatic firearms as a result of the loss of Mr. Browning’s services. It is not thought that any other individual has contributed so much to the national security of this country as Mr. Browning in the development of our machine guns and our automatic weapons to a state or military efficiency surpassing that of all nations.’

Another example is illustrated for the Danish Madsen Model 50 SMG. The text explains that this weapon features “an unusual design compared to most submachine guns. The receiver was stamped as two separate sides, hinged at the folding stock and closed shut by a locking nut, which also retained the barrel. By removing this nut, the whole gun opened like a book to replace the barrel, facilitate cleaning, etc. Almost all internal parts were either stampings or screw machine parts allowing it to be mass produced at a very low cost.”

The back of the catalog contains an index and an interesting “store brand to manufacturer cross-reference list”. It references the different brand names and model numbers that many firearms were sold under, such as J.C. Higgins, Montgomery Ward, Sears, etc., and links them to the firearm’s original manufacturer and original model designation. For example, a Montgomery Ward Westernfield Model 550A would have originally been manufactured as the Mossberg Model 500A Pump Shotgun. These features assist the customer in quickly finding the proper section within the catalog for their particular gun.

“While parts are our company’s main business, we do not offer gun repair services, nor do we offer instruction on how to install the parts. It is strongly recommended that a competent gunsmith perform all parts installations and repairs,” Jenks cautions.

Despite the huge inventory, employees have been carefully trained to access the inventory correctly and 90% of orders are shipped within one day of receipt.

Sell Your Parts To Numrich

In addition to selling parts, Numrich also buys parts from individuals in order to help maintain its vast inventory. If you have any unwanted guns or gun parts, Numrich pays competitive prices for guns and parts of every description. They will buy new, used, military, commercial, foreign, domestic, and even .50 caliber and larger machine gun parts. Broken rifles, shotguns and handguns are also of value because of the company’s ability to salvage useful parts.

U.S. residents are asked to send in their parts or guns and the company will evaluate the goods and make an offer. If you have a large amount of material to sell, it is best to send a list prior to shipping and you will be sent a written response with an estimated value. If the amount offered is not satisfactory, you return the company’s check and your parts will be returned to you. Additionally, you will be reimbursed your original shipping costs at the UPS Ground or Parcel Post postage rates. Shipments containing handguns, frames, or receivers require prior approval and special shipping instructions. Without proper documentation, the company would be required by state law to surrender improperly documented handguns, frames, and receivers at the customer’s loss and without compensation. Customers outside the U.S. should write first with a list of what you have to sell and you will be apprised of shipping instructions.

In addition to the printed catalog, some 180,00 different items can be found on the company’s web site at www.e-GunParts.com.

“The majority of the company’s sales are made to consumers, while the balance is comprised of retail firearms dealers and wholesalers,” Jenks discloses. Bonafide gunsmiths and retailers are offered a 10% discount from catalog prices, with greater discounts available for volume buying.

The firm’s industry involvement includes membership on the board of directors of the F.A.I.R. Trade Group (an organization looking after the business interests of firearms importers and their customers), and participation with several programs for the NRA, Ducks Unlimited, NSSF, and NASGW.

If you are in the area and would like to visit, Numrich Gun Parts Corporation is located 4.8 miles from the New York State Thruway at Exit 19 (Kingston, NY) which is about halfway between Albany and New York City. The parts department is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information:

Numrich Gun Parts Corporation, 226 Williams Lane, P.O. Box 299, West Hurley, NY 12491 Telephone Orders: 845-679-2417, Customer Service: 845-679-4867, FAX: 877- GUN PART (877-486-7278) or Online: www.e-GunParts.com.

Just a short while later the Germans simplified their original design of the MP38, by utilizing sheet-metal stampings, welded and pressed together. The result was a weapon that could be produced very inexpensively, but more importantly during a major war, manufactured in a short period of time. The new sheet-metal machinegun was called the MP40 maschinenpistole. Despite the fact that the weapon was made of inexpensive materials and methods it was just as reliable as the weapons that were produced from more traditional techniques. While fighting the Germans in North Africa in 1942, the American Army captured a number of MP40 weapons. These were promptly shipped to the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland for evaluation and testing. The Ordnance personnel at Aberdeen were quite impressed with the methods and materials used to make the rugged German submachine gun.

The standard United States submachine gun issued during most of World War Two was the Thompson. The first model of the famous “Tommy Gun” that was procured by the U.S. Army was the 1928 model. The 1928 Thompson was of a design conceived over twenty years earlier. Although extremely reliable and rugged, the Thompson was very labor intensive to produce, heavy and expensive. The M1 and M1A1 Thompson was introduced in 1942, although simplified for ease of manufacture, they were still far too time consuming to produce in the numbers needed to supply the United States and her allies. The U.S. Marines were forced to adopt and procure 80,000 .45 caliber Reising submachine guns in 1942, due to the shortage of Thompsons.

The U.S. Ordnance department had started to test both domestic and foreign submachine guns as early as 1939, even as their first orders for the Thompson were being placed. The testing failed to find a suitable replacement for the Thompson. The Ordnance Department decided to develop their own weapon, the T-20.

The United States Army Ordnance Department recruited the General Motors Corporation to assist with the design and development of the T-20. The GM Inland Division’s Chief engineer Fredrick Sampson was assigned to head up the project. After the successful and thorough testing of the T20 prototypes, the T20 was officially adopted as the U.S. Submachine Gun, Caliber .45, M3. The M3 -T20 prototype had an overall score of 95 out of a possible 100 in the standard Aberdeen small arms test, higher than any previous weapon tested.

On 29 January 1943 the Guide Lamp Division of the General Motors Corporation, and the U.S. Ordnance Department completed negotiations of a contract to manufacture the M3 submachine guns. The initial cost was $17.93 per unit, minus the bolt assembly. This cost would be amended several times during the life of the GM Guide Lamp contract. The contract to manufacture the bolts for the M3 was awarded to the Buffalo Arms Company of New York at a cost of $2.58 per piece. Ordnance contracts W-294-ORD-2107 and W-33-ORD-825 for the initial 300,000 units were awarded to Guide from the Cincinnati Ordnance District. The Guide Lamp factory was located in Anderson, Indiana. Guide Lamp was also manufacturing the .45 caliber sheet metal Liberator pistols, and Browning machine gun barrels. At the peak of production Guide was turning out a new M3 submachine gun every 2.4 minutes. A total of 605,694 M3 models would be accepted by the Ordnance Department from 1943 until early in 1944. The simplified M3A1 model was only produced in 1945, 82,281 were built before production ceased at the end of July.

The US .45 caliber M3 submachine gun, was an air-cooled, automatic only, weapon that fired from an open bolt. The weapon’s rate of fire was a somewhat slow 350- 400 rounds per minute. Semi automatic fire could be quite easily achieved by careful manipulation of the trigger. The U.S. troops that were issued the M3 were not immediately impressed by the new weapon, mostly because of its slow cyclic rate. They perceived that the effectiveness of any given weapon was directly related to the amount of rounds it could expend in a short period of time.

Although the cyclic rate was slow and the appearance unorthodox, the M3 was quite a reliable and effective weapon within its design limits. Its toy-like appearance generated several nicknames for the weapon, some not very flattering. The one that stuck was the grease gun, for its similarity in appearance to an auto mechanics tool. The M3 was easily manufactured from two die-stamped halves of sheet metal that were welded together. At first problems were encountered from the heat of the welding process warping the sheet metal receiver, but the problem was soon solved. The barrels were rifled by using the time saving cold swaging method. The bolt assembly was basically the only part requiring any extensive machining. The double feed, single stack magazine capacity was 30 rounds of .45 ACP ball ammunition. A magazine loader was issued to aid in loading the magazines.

After the M3 was in service for a period of time, the Ordnance Department felt that most of the problems with the weapon’s design had surfaced, and they set requirements for improving the initial design. One of the biggest problem areas with the M3 was with the cocking handle and its related parts. This troublesome assembly would be completely eliminated in the improved M3A1 design. A new bolt was designed that was cocked by the finger of the operator. An enlarged ejection port was also needed to incorporate the new style bolt. The design also allowed for much easier field stripping by eliminating the need to remove the ejector housing in order to remove the bolt assembly from the receiver. The new model was standardized as the M3A1 December 1944. The M3 was then classified as Substitute Standard. The M3 and M3A1 were destined to completely replace the Thompson as the standard U.S. submachine gun, but by the time World War Two ended in 1945, not enough had been produced. Production was abruptly terminated in July of 1945 as the war was in its final days.

During the Korean Conflict of 1950 to 1953 the Thompsons and the M3 and M3A1 submachine guns were pulled from storage and sent to fight another war. By the time hostilities in Korea had ended, the U.S. was facing a shortage of submachine guns according to the peacetime requirements. The United States had provided an enormous amount of WWII weapons to South Korea as military aid during the war. In 1955 the Ithaca Gun Company of Ithaca, New York was awarded contract number DA-19-058-ORD-7854 by the Rochester Ordnance District to manufacture 70,000 M3A1 submachine guns. Production was halted after only 33,227 were produced. In the interim the United States had been searching for a new modern service rifle to replace the M1 Garand rifle. As a result of years of testing and evaluation the Ordnance Department adopted the M14 as the standard U.S. Service Rifle of the U.S. Army. The new M14 was to replace the M1 Rifle, M1 Carbine and the .45 caliber submachine gun. Due to a number of problems the first M14 rifles were not issued until 1959.

When the United States sent advisory personnel into Vietnam in the early 1960s, the troops were armed with many weapons from WWII. As the war endured, U.S. personnel were eventually issued M14, M16 and M16A1 rifles. On 11 December 1961, the United States began to supply an enormous amount of military aid to the South Vietnamese Government. Included in the aid were many World War Two small arms including 1919A4 – 1919A6 machine guns, BARs, M1 rifles, M1 – M2 carbines, and M3 – M3A1 submachine guns.

In order to keep the M3 and M3A1 weapons in serviceable condition during the Vietnam War, the production of spare parts was resumed. The Vietnam era parts will be stamped with only the Ordnance drawing number of the part. The letter codes GL indicating Guide Lamp, and the ITG code representing the Ithaca Company are absent. There was one insignificant change introduced during the Vietnam era, and that was the introduction of the chromium-lined barrel. The corrosion resistant chromium bore was implemented because of periods of extreme humidity and rainfall in the country. These barrels are easily recognized by the dull silver appearance of their bores and chambers.

Suppressed or “silencer” equipped versions of the M3 and M3A1 weapons were used by U.S. sniper teams in Vietnam to quietly dispatch any enemy personnel that might compromise their positions. These weapons were fitted with suppressors manufactured by the SIONICS corporation. A few suppressor-equipped grease guns were also used by the enemy in Vietnam. The enemy weapons used a suppressor that was very similar in construction to those made by Bell Laboratories for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during WWII. Since the OSS grease gun suppressors had no identifying markings on them, it wasn’t known for certain if the enemy suppressors were refurbished U.S. issue or Chinese copies. There was one internal difference noted. The enemy suppressors used oil soaked felt, original U.S. produced versions ones did not.

(Dan’s Note: There were a number of Special Operations personnel and others who have described taking an M3A1 Greasegun, and replacing the recoil springs with cut down M2HB springs- this increased the cyclic rate to around 800rpm, but was destructive to the rear end of the receiver).

A number of U.S. M3-M3A1 submachine guns were also captured and used against the United States forces and their South Vietnamese allies. The Viet Cong Guerrillas especially favored the compact and easily concealed “grease gun”. Communist China had supplied the Viet Cong and NVA troops with a substantial number of their own indigenously produced version of the M3A1. The Chinese copies of the M3A1 submachine gun were designated as the M36 when chambered for the .45 caliber cartridge and the M37 chambered for 9mm rounds. These two weapons were direct copies of “grease guns” that the United States had supplied to a desperate China during WWII. The weapons were very similar to the U.S. manufactured M3A1model except for the Chinese markings on the magazine housings.

The M3 and M3A1 grease guns are the only U.S. weapons adopted during WWII that continue to serve even today. Some weapons like the famous Thompson Submachine Gun endear, while others like the utilitarian M3-M3A1 grease guns simply endure.

This article was excerpted from the book The M3 and M3A1 Grease Gun. The book is available from Moose Lake Publishing 207-683-2959

With the State of Hawaii being a major stop off and R&R hub for most of our U.S. Military heading “In Country”, and for those fortunate ones rotating back to the World, many captured War trophies found a permanent home right here in the Sandwich Isles. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to look over many legitimate, legally papered weapons and several not so legal. With the passage of time and our local humid environment, much of the original paperwork has been lost or simply disintegrated. Recently, I have seen a proliferation of fake captured paperwork being offered with period weapons, for sale on the Internet. I have been blessed with an old friend and decorated war hero who has his original paperwork with the weapon and he was willing to share it with the readers of SAR. He still possesses a crisp memory regarding the circumstances of its capture.

On August 27, 1972 SP4 Warren Baybado of 18th AVN Corps. Can Tho, RVN was engaged in aerial flight in connection with military operations against a hostile force. His Huey UH-1D was involved in the emergency resupply of a friendly outpost in Chuong Thien Province. Known enemy locations were plotted on three sides of the outpost. On the first entry into the LZ, the aircraft began to receive enemy fire. Because of the close proximity of friendly villagers the crew was directed not to return fire unless they could pin-point the position of the enemy fire. Specialist Baybado kept the aircraft Commander advised of general enemy location and returned fire while keeping his aircraft clear of obstacles along their low level route of flight. As the aircraft neared the outpost for the third time, it began to receive many hits from enemy fire. Controlled fire was returned causing a hasty retreat. After the area was reconned, specialist Baybado was presented with a captured Chicom Carbine Type 56, serial number 10147058. This is a Chinese copy of the Soviet Simonov SKS rifle with a folding spike bayonet in place of the normal sword bayonet.

This incredibly robust semi-automatic ten shot carbine, firing the 7.62X39MM Soviet M1943 cartridge, was used with deadly effect against our troops in Vietnam. In production since 1946, it is estimated that perhaps 15 million have been made. After securing the War Trophy Registrations/authorization DD form 603-1 and the Transportation of Firearms Form 9 required by the Chief of Vietnamese Customs, the only thing keeping this trophy from the land of the big PX was his DEROS date. On November 30, 1972 the proud owner and his captured trophy were on a commercial flight back to the world. Before boarding Warren disassembled the carbine, slipping the bolt in his pocket knowing the weapon would be locked in the cockpit with the pilots. After seemingly endless hours in the air the jet finally touched down at Honolulu International Airport. Patiently waiting at the gate for his beloved SKS to be turned over, he was stunned to see the aircraft taxing down the runway and take off into the wild blue yonder. After a tense phone call to the airport on the island of Kauai, the plane’s final destination, the pilot realized the mistake and dropped off the rifle on his return flight. Warren and his prize reside with his family in the old whaling town of Lahaina, on the Valley Isle, Maui.

By Julio A. Montes

The 10th biannual International Air & Space Fair (FIDAE)—held at the Chilean Air Base of Los Cerrillos-gave us the excuse to visit this beautiful South American nation. Los Cerrillos Air Base is an operational installation of the Chilean Air Force (FACh) housing the Air Academy and the Aeronautical Museum. The fair presented us with an opportunity to inspect the growing military industrial base being developed in that South American nation. It was also an opportunity to visit old friends and to inspect the small arms of the Chilean military. For those of us coming in to Chile with Australian, Canadian or US passports there is a “reciprocating tax” of $45! Nevertheless, I soon found the Chilean hospitality extremely warm-that is, after my initial $45 shock.

The Chilean military rates as the best in Latin American, and it possesses one of the most prosperous military industries in the continent. Fabricas Militares y Maestranza del Ejercito (FAMAE) has expanded its manufacturing capabilities from small arms to armored vehicles. The Empresa Nacional Aeronautica (ENAER) manufactures trainers and has assisted in the upgrade of the FACh combat fleet. The Astilleros Maritimos (ASMAR) is now engaged in the implementation of the TRIDENT program, consisting in the building between 6 to 8 MEKO-200 class frigates for the Chilean Navy. However, during our last trip (FIDAE 2002), it was announced that the TRIDENT program has been shelved for the moment.

THE CHILEAN MILITARY

The military faces great challenges. The territory extends from the freezing areas of the South Pole to the arid deserts in the North. Specialized units are required to fight in the steep and rocky ground of the Andes, and elite strategic Special Forces must prepare to fight in any terrain. There is a 4000-mile Pacific coast; therefore, the Chilean Marine Corps must be ready to land and to fight anywhere and in anyway possible. The country has an overall length of about 2,600 miles-with areas with only a width of 100 miles—and the country is divided in XII Regions. There are five distinct geographic regions: the hot desert, south from the Peruvian border to Copiapo; the semi-desert region, from Copiapo to Illapel; the fertile region between Illapel and Concepcion; the heavily-wooded region between Concepcion and Puerto Montt; and the cold southern region, extending southwards to Cape Horn.

The Army deploys its units according to a 12 Regional Division of the country. There is one Army Corps (1 Division + 1 SpecOps Bde.), and 6 Divisions deployed as follow:

The I ARMY CORPS, based at Tarapacia, Iquique, has responsibility over Region I. Its garrisons are distributed at Arica, Putre, Iquique, and Pozo Almonte. I Army Corps controls 6th Logistic Battalion (Pisagua), and the elite 5th Brigade “Curampangue,” based at Baquedano. 5th Brigade was recently established by combining the 5th Infantry Regiment, 6th Commando Regiment, and 13th Brigade. A more recent reorganization has left 5th Bde. with the “Coronel Jeronimo Valenzuela” 25th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, the “Pampa Germania” Armored Cavalry Group, and the 1st Commando Company. The I ARMY CORPS has also control over the VI Division.

I DIVISION is based at Antofagasta, and is responsible for II & III Regions. This division deploys 7th Infantry Regiment (at Esmeralda), 15th Inf. Reg. (at Calama), and 23rd Inf. Reg. (at Copiapo). Support comes from 5th Artillery Regiment (at Antofagasta), 8th Exploradores Armored Cavalry Regiment (at Antofagasta), 1st Engineer Battalion (at Atacama), 1st Telecommunications Battalion (El Loa), and the 1st Logistic Battalion (at Tacopilla).

II DIVISION, housed at Santiago, is responsible for IV, V, VI and the Metropolitan (Capital) Regions. This division fields the 1st Infantry Regiment (at Buin), 2nd Inf. Reg. (at Maipo), 3rd Inf. Reg. (at Yungay), 18th Inf. Reg. (Guardia Vieja), 19th Inf. Reg. (at Colchagua), 21st Inf. Reg. (at Arica), and 22nd Inf. Reg. (at Lantara). Support is provided by 1st Artillery Regiment (at Tacna), 10th Libertadores Armored Cavalry Regiment (at Santiago), and 1st (at Puente Alto) and 7th (at Aconcagua) Engineer Battalions.

III DIVISION from Concepcion, is responsible for VII & VIII Regions. This division counts 6th Infantry Regiment (at Chacabuco), 9th Inf. Reg. (at Chillan), 16th Inf. Reg. (at Talca), and 17th Inf. Reg. (at Los Angeles). Support arms is provided by 7th Artillery Regiment (at Silva Renard), 7th Guia Armored Cavalry Regiment (at Concepcion), 3rd Telecommunications Battalion (at Curico), and the 3rd Logistic Battalion (at Concepcion).

IV DIVISION is based at Valdivia, and is responsible for IX & X Regions. This division deploys the 8th Infantry Regiment (at Tucapel), and the 12th Inf. Reg. (at Sangra). The 2nd Arty. Regiment (at Matura) provides artillery support; armored support comes from Armored Cavalry Regiments 2nd Cazadores, 3rd Cazadores and 4th Coraceros (all at Valdivia). Other support comes from the 4th Engineer Battalion (at Aranco), 4th Telecommunications Battalion (at Membrillar), and the 4th Logistic Battalion (at Valdivia).

V DIVISION is based at Punta Arenas, and is responsible for XII Region. This division deploys the 10th Infantry Regiment (at Pudeto), and the 11th Inf. Reg. (at Caupolican). Support comes from 7th Artillery Regiment (at Chorrillos), 5th Lanceros and 6th Dragones Armored Cavalry Regiments (both at Punta Arenas), 5th Engineer Battalion (at Punta Arenas), 5th Telecommunications Battalion (at Patagonia), and the 5th Logistic Battalion (at Magallanes).

VI DIVISION is based at Arica, and it is in fact part of I Army Corps, with responsibilities over Arica and Parinacota. This division comprises 4th Infantry Regiment (at Rancagua), and the 24th Inf. Reg. (at Huamachuco). Support comes from 6th Artillery Regiment (at Dolores), 9th Vencedores Armored Cavalry Regiment (at Arica), 6th Engineer Battalion (at Azapa), and Battalion-Workshop (Batallon-Maestranza de Mantenimiento at Arica).

VII DIVISION is based at Coyhaique, and is responsible for XI Region. This division deploys the 14th Infantry Regiment (at Aysen), and 26th Inf. Reg. (at Bulnes). Support comes from 8th Artillery Regiment (at San Carlos de Ancud), 8th Engineer Battalion (at Chiloe), and 8th Telecommunications Battalion (at Coyhaique). Each Infantry Regiment counts with two riflemen battalions.

INFANTRY WEAPONS

During our visit, I spent considerable time checking Ceska Zbrojovka and the line of CZ pistols and rifles on display during my trip. I was so impressed with the examples presented that I added a CZ-75 Compact to my full-size CZ-5B upon my return to the United States. The CZ-75-along the Beretta M9—is the standard side arm issued to officers and other personnel. The Czech pistols are considerably lower in price to other pistols of similar quality. Having said this, we add that the CZ-75 slide and frame are made of precision casting. The pistol is carefully machined and extremely well finished. The CZ-75 is recoil-operated using the Browning dropping barrel system. It takes a high-capacity 15-round magazine. The Compact model takes 10 and 13 round magazines. The military also uses Rossi & Taurus revolvers.

The locally-made FAMAE SAF 9mm submachine gun is now standard for the armed forces. It has also been exported to several countries, including the Salvadorian National Civilian Police and the elite Halcones of Argentina. The SAF fires from a closed bolt and is similar in many respects to the SIG-540 rifle. It uses the same SIG floating firing pin and hammer firing mechanism, but it operates with a blowback system and an unlocked bolt. The weapon uses a transparent magazine that allows quickly checking for ammunition status, and each magazine is provided with studs and slots to clamp other magazines for quick reloads. The SAF has been produced in three variants: standard (fixed stock), standard with side folding butt, and silenced. All the models weight a little more than 6 lbs. The Mini-SAF is also available, and it is equipped with a forward grip for better handling.

Prior to the SAF, the standard SMG was-and still widely distributed—the 9mm UZI, made in Israel. The UZI is well known and it is based on the Czech 23 series. The Chileans use the three UZI series: standard model, Mini-UZI, and Micro-UZI.

For a time, the Ingram MAC 11 in 9mm was the trademark of the Chilean Special Forces. The ever present MP5 is also a favorite, particularly for SpecOps units. The British SAS made the MP5 SMG famous. The British Special Forces came across the MP5 during the German GSG-9 action in Mogadishu in 1977. The MP5 remains one of the finest submachine guns ever designed.

Along with the UZI, the Chileans purchased quantities of the compact Taurus MP-12 SMGs. These are Beretta Model 12 SMGs, and are still used in numbers.

The Chileans have a long history of small arms production. Chile actually built and supplied most of the 7mm Mausers M1904 encountered in Central America in the early 1900s. The M1904 is still in service with honor guards and presentation units.

Most of the infantry has been equipped with FN-FALs, G-3s or SIG SG-510 rifles. The SG510 is basically the Swiss Sturmgewehr Stgw57 rifle in 7.62mm. This uses a delayed blowback system and weighs some 12 lbs. Units operating along the desert prefer the SG510-1 (Stgw57) model.

Many units are now equipped with the locally-produced FAMAE 5.56mm SG-540-1. This rifle is based on the SG-530 model, but it makes use of stampings and castings to make it cheaper and easier to produce. The SG-5440-1 uses a breech mechanism, with the bolt carrier and rotating bolt system. The rifle weighs 6.3 lbs. Its bigger brother, the FAMAE SG-542-1, is a larger scale SG540 firing the 7.62mm round, and weighting 7.13 lbs. Officers prefer the SG-543-1, which is the short carbine with folding stock of the SG-540.

The Chilean Marines use either the US M16 or the German HK-33, both in 5.56mm. The HK-33E with retractable stock, and smaller HK-53KE carbine are the Marine’s favorites. The rifle operates in the usual roller-locked delayed blowback system of Heckler & Koch rifles.

Off course, elite forces use anything available in the arsenal. For a time, these forces made great use of AKM rifles. SpecOps have access to M16A1 and M16A2 models. Special operators were happy to show us their Galils, both in 5.56mm and 7.62mm. The 7.62mm Galil Sniper-like any Galil-resembles the Kalashnikov. It has a weight of 14.1 lbs, and a range of 600 mts. It carries a standard 6×40 telescope sight.

Snipers from regular platoons grab either the 5.56mm HK-33 SG/1 or the 7.62mm G-3 SG/1 precision rifles; these are selected rifles taken from the production line equipped with a special adjustable trigger set. What they prefer is the 7.62mm PSG-1 model. This operates with the same roller-locked delayed blowback system found in the G3 rifle, but the PSG-1 is made to closer tolerances. It sports an adjustable trigger pull, and a heavy barrel, which tilt the weight to some 18 lbs.

For long range precision work, the Chilean SpecOps also relied on the Barrett 12.7mm M82A1rifles. Other weapons that are making their way to the Chileans hands include the SPAS-15 combat shotguns. They are excellent clearing and close quarter weapons. The impressive looking Franchi SPAS is a semi-automatic or pump action mode selectable combat shotgun. Can be operated with one hand by using a special elbow hook of a folding stock. It has a 7 round magazine, and weighs 9.4 lbs.

The Striker MGL-6 grenade launcher was designed by South African ARMSCOR, but it is produced and distributed under license in Israel and the United States. The weapon uses a revolver principle, providing fast firing of 40mm low velocity grenades. Mexico, Colombia, and Chile-between others—have adopted the MGL-6. The weapon has an 18 to 20 rounds per minute rate of fire, and there are 6 rounds ready to fire. It is equipped with “Occluded Eye Gunsight”, and a folding stock.

Although some 7.62mm M60 machine guns have been observed, the Army makes a great deal of use of the 7.62mm HK-21 and MG-3 machine guns. The HK-21 is adapted to feed from an ammunition belt instead of a box magazine. The weapon can be converted to 5.56mm. However, at 14.9 lbs, the 7.62mm HK-21 is a handy light machine gun, ideal for squad and platoon level support.

At 25 lbs, the 7.62mm MG-3 is considerably heavier, and better suited for mounting in tripods and on vehicles. The MG-3 is no other than the German WWII MG-42 converted to 7.62mm NATO caliber, with some other modernizations.

The Air Force and the Marines make use of the FN MAG-58 models. For heavier work, the services depend on the 12.7mm M2HB. FAMAE and ENAER have developed several machine gun pods for mounting in the MD-530F and UH-1H helicopters. The Army operates 32 MD-530s.

For antitank tasks, the Chilean infantry depends on the well-tried and obsolete LAW-66mm. It also counts on the German ARMBRUST 300. This is an 80mm caliber weapon designated to penetrate 300mm armored plate. It has a range of 300 mts., and consists of a preloaded, one shot disposable rocket.

The largest antitank weapon available to the infantry is the 106mm M40A1, modernized with a laser rangefinder and NVS-800 night vision sight. The weapon is normally mounted on a vehicle, either a Land Rover or M240 Storm type. The driver of the vehicle is equipped with an NVG-50. The M40A1 can be utilized as an all weather antitank weapon.

The Heckler & Koch system in particular could have presented great benefits to the Chilean military. It has an array of weapons—from 9mm sub machineguns to 7.62mm machine guns-that allow for easy logistics and training. However, the Chilean military is compromised to the production and distribution of FAMAE products. Fortunately, the excellent SIG line of small arms has been selected for production and for the modernization of the armed services. It is hoped that the FAMAE SAF will eventually replace all the sub guns, and the FAMAE SG540 series will replace the HK33/G3, SG510, M16 and FN FAL rifles. It is a matter of time before FAMAE completes the small arms line with a 5.56mm light squad automatic machinegun and a 7.62mm General-Purpose model.

Brief History

So called “Sniper” rifles have of course been around for a long time, in fact since rifles have been used in combat they have been used for sniping when necessary or when the opportunity presents itself.

Scope sighted rifles didn’t really come to the fore until WWI though they had been used as early as the Civil War. World War II saw the use of 1903A1 and 1903A4 Springfield rifles as well as Ml Garands as sniper rifles. These fine rifles served well in the Korean conflict and even into Vietnam but the Marines saw the need for a standard issue Sniper rifle of new design rather than just modifying existing service rifles which while effective were becoming obsolete.

During the early years of the Vietnam War the Marines had been using scope sighted Winchester Model 70 rifles that had been in supply for hunting and competition purposes for some time. However, the Corps wanted a new rifle built to their specs and chambered for the newer caliber 7.62 NATO or .308 Win, which was the standard service rifle cartridge of the time, instead of the .30/06 of the M70.

Marines Choice

Therefore in 1966 after evaluating entries by several rifle and scope makers the Marines signed a contract with the Remington Arms Co. to supply 700 Model 700 rifles with the Redfield 3x-9x Rangefinder scope.

Designated the M40 by the Marines, the rifle was in simplest terms a Model 700 with sporter style non checkered walnut stock and a heavy barrel in .308 Win. Where it differed from the commercial version of the ADL model was in the addition of a magazine floorplate like the BDL. The stock style though sans checkering was pure sporter, including the monte carlo comb and cheek piece popular at the time.

The barrel was 24” long and measured .830” at the muzzle thus making a fairly heavy barrel by sporter standards though no heavier than a varmit barrel.

My first bolt action hunting rifle bought in Alaska in 1968 was in fact a 700 ADL in .308 that served me well for many years.

Only a limited number of these rifles were ever made, less than a thousand total for the contract, and a number of them were damaged or destroyed in battle or modified to the newer M40A1. There are so few still in existence outside of the military that the chances of seeing one, say on the used gun market, are essentially nonexistent.

While reading the excellent and comprehensive book, The One Round War by Peter Senich, it occurred to me that one could, with the proper components and a bit of work, have one’s own M40.

Looking for a Few Good Parts

The first thing to do then would be to collect all of the necessary parts for this project. A 1960’s vintage 700 rifle would have to be found.

A Model 700 with a 5-digit serial number was found at a gun show for a reasonable price, and though the Marine contract rifles were of the 6-digit serial number range, the action is the proper style with the short bolt shroud. The gun was itself chambered in .308 Win. as well though it didn’t have to be as long, it was a short action with the proper size bolt face. Also of note, the action has the clip charger slot cut into the rear bridge, a feature that was dropped in 1964 on commercial rifles but was present on all Marine contract rifles, though it is styled a little different. But it was not my intent to build an exact duplicate to pass off as an original later on, rather to build a reasonable facsimile of a fine shooting rifle. In other words, the building of this rifle is meant to be more of a tribute to the rifle itself and its users than for any gain other than personal use and satisfaction.

Stock Work

With an acceptable action and stock in hand the work begins. The 700 stock of this era, early 60’s, had what many consider something of an abomination, machine impressed checkering. Here the diamonds are pressed into the wood rather than being against the hand like cut checkering. While the design is attractive enough, its utility as a grip enhancement is almost useless. For the M40 the “checkering” would have to be removed. This may seem a little daunting at first but requires not much more than a lot of patience and elbow grease. After stripping the finish off with a chemical stripper I began by giving the stock a thorough scrubbing with cleansers and bleach to remove oils and stains. Lots of hot water is used to rinse with and it actually helps to back out the diamonds from the grip and forearm. Then after drying out a bit, scrapers and chisels are used to scrape away the “checkering” pattern. Care is called for here so as not to put deep scratches in the wood as they can create a lot of unnecessary work. Eventually if all goes well the alleged “checkering” is gone with maybe only a trace of the old outline showing if one looks really close. But if you can see it you’re too close!

The stock is then sanded down in the normal way and either stained and oiled or maybe just oiled. I chose to stain this stock for personal preference. This is followed up with many coats of boiled linseed oil to achieve what the Marines refer to a “dull oil finish”. The rifle as acquired had the proper aluminum buttplate called for so no problem there.

The M40 has a hinged magazine floorplate for its box magazine as on a BDL but the ADL stock has no mortise for one so one will have to be let in. This is a fair bit of work and would take too much ink to describe in detail here, so suffice to say that much care must be taken or the results may be less than gratifying.

The BDL floorplate assembly was purchased new from Brownells Inc., that great supplier of gunsmithing equipment, gun parts and accessories. It comes with a paint-like matte black finish which is suitable for the purpose and is made of aluminum per spec. Also acquired from Brownells were military style 1 1/4” non-detachable sling swivels to replace the detachable studs the rifle came with.

The Barrel

The Marines called for a 24” heavy barrel with 1 in 10 twist to shoot the M118 Match ammunition, which used a 173-grain full metal jacketed bullet. To build this rifle a barrel was purchased again from Brownells that was very close to spec. As cut to 24” it is right at the proper .830” muzzle diameter.

The chrome moly barrel, made by Shilen was pre-threaded and short chambered.

At this point the gun must be handed over to the gunsmith to have its existing 20” carbine barrel removed and the new heavy barrel installed and headspaced and then off to get the proper finish, in this case parkerizing. The M40 action and barrel had a greenish color common to many U.S. service rifles seen, but the bolt assembly was given a flat black finish.

The barreled action must now be bedded to the stock. This is done in the normal way with Brownells Acraglass Gel. The M40 rifles left the factory unbedded by glass but instead were referred to as “hand bedded” by Remington. Subsequently many if not most of the rifles were glass bedded by armourers to help prevent impact shift caused by the shrinking and swelling of the stock in climate changes. Also the barrel channel had to be kept open by any means possible to keep the barrel fully free floating.

The Scope

The scope chosen by the Marines to meet their specs was the Redfield 3x-9x Accu-Range that was already in use by the public and had a good reputation and seemed to best fit the needs of the Corps.

This unique scope uses what Redfield referred to as the “special fine crosshair” reticle and the so called “tombstone” system that employs on the right hand side of the view circle a range finder marked in 50 yard increments out to 600 yards. As the power ring is increased from 3 to 9 power the “tombstone” begins to slide out of sight until only the top portion is seen. It also utilizes a 2-wire grid near the top of the view circle that represents 18”. The method being that the viewer places the two stadia wires on a man sized target and increases the power until the two lines are spaced about equal to a mans torso from chin to belt, then reads the range on the “tombstone” on the right. The viewer must then make the necessary calculations for hold, over or under, to make the shot for that range. The M40 was usually sighted in for a dead on hold at 600 yards.

Such a scope was found and purchased from a used sight and scope dealer for this project and then sent to ABO/USA for cleaning and adjustment. ABO/USA is the authorized repair facility for Redfield products since Redfield is unfortunately no longer in business. Cleaning and adjustment was done for only a shipping and handling fee. These scopes are a bit scarce also and it was a real break to find one rather easily. This specimen has the gloss black finish of the commercial model whereas the M40 scope was anodized green to match the barreled action of the gun. Some later M4Os were furnished with a scope that was finished in matte black, and were called 2nd Generation scopes.

The scope is mounted on a Redfield Jr. one piece base in one-inch split rings, all of matte finished blued steel just like the original. The base and rings have changed a little since the 60s but it’s basically the same rig

Carrying Case

M40 rifles were issued to the Scout-Sniper teams in a hard plastic carrying case made by Protecto Plastics of Pennsylvania. The case used had a center mounted two pc. handle and three evenly spaced lockable latches. The interior was lined with foam on both halves and the case measured 3.5” deep by 9” wide by 46” long, just large enough for one rifle, cleaning kit and a few accessories.

What’s most interesting about this case is that it is still available today under the Hoppes brand name, still being made by Protecto Plastics. The only difference that’s at all evident is the color of the case is now black where it was brown as issued, and the interior foam is of a different configuration.

Final Assembly

Now with all of the various components together and properly finished it’s time to assemble the rifle and scope and see what it will do.

Putting the rifle together is no trick of course but a problem was encountered when trying to mount the scope. It was found that there was a noticeable difference in the height of the front and rear rings. So to rectify this I turned to a scope lapping kit purchased from Midway/USA. After running the lapping bar through the lightly snugged rings a number of times and checking the work often the proper height was attained wherein there was no difference in height between the two rings. If this is not done it is possible to bend the scope when the rings are tightened down thereby damaging the scope.

Satisfied with that task the rest of the package is put together in the usual way.

Shooting the Marine Rifle

Original Marine Corps specs called for a minimum capability of 5 shots in 1 inch at 100 yards, or one minute of angle, with the M118 Match load. This shouldn’t be too hard to accomplish with today’s ammo and components. The M118 load was replaced in the 80s with the M852 load that uses the 168-grain bullet instead of the 173 grain original.

Since the amount of available components for .308 is almost endless the quest will be to approximate the original round, therefore it is hoped that the 175 grain Sierra Match bullet will work out well.

Before getting serious with the best components and trying to shoot for groups the barrel must be carefully broken in using the shoot and clean method. You know the method, shoot a little and clean a lot. For the first 5-10 rounds the barrel is cleaned of powder fouling between each shot and then followed up with a copper solvent to remove all traces of jacket fouling. This method is used for the first 60 rounds or so while never allowing the barrel to get very hot as this will cause problems rather quickly. Plain old Hoppes #9 is as good as any for getting out the powder residue, but to get the copper jacket fouling I turn to Sweets 7.62 solvent. This stuff removes copper as good or better than anything. Instructions must be followed, and it’s nasty smelling stuff, but it do work!

The first range session is always filled with a little apprehension with a new rifle and this was no different. I began to relax a little when the first two rounds landed on the target just 1/2-inch apart at 100 yards, and almost in target center after only a visual bore sighting. This initial shoot-in was performed by the way, with the Rem./UMC 150-grain ball load that I have a lot of on hand. The last three shots taken that first day were with a proven handload that seems to work well in almost any rifle including bolt gun and M14 style guns. That load is 42.0 grains of 1MR4895 in W/W cases lit by a Fed. 210 Match primer. Those three shots went under an inch. Not spectacular to be sure but barrels seem to get better as they go if they are treated right.

The rifle has been to the range a number of times now and does better every time if the shooter does his part. I was happy to see the Federal Match 175-grain load do well. Two groups of five were shot on the second trip to the range and both went under one inch. While it’s true that factory ammo is much better now than ever before it is still a thrill to see it shoot that well. Six rounds from the handload mentioned before went into five-eights of an inch, on the same day, not bad.

A single box of M118 Match was found at a local gun show and was soon run through the rifle. Results sad to say were not that great as groups were hard to achieve and the primers were all cratered possibly indicating slightly elevated pressures, but as it is hard to come by anyway and the gun seems to shoot so many other loads so well that it really wont matter if it doesn’t like that particular lot of ammo or not. In other words, who cares?

As is the case with my Rem. PSS.308, Hodgdons Varget powder is showing great potential. Loads with 43 and 45 grs. are grouping under an inch for five rounds at 100 yards. 1MR4064 has worked well for a couple of loads but is not as consistent as either 1MR4895 or Varget. Every gun is a law unto itself so it always pays to try various powders.

All group testing was done from the bench at 100 yards. My local range has targets up to 300 yards and I will shoot the gun at that range but there is not much point in putting it here as groups always open up at that range. If the shooter is not up to snuff that day it will definitely show on the target while not being the fault of the rifle.

The idea here was to more or less replicate what would otherwise be an unobtainable rifle, and make it shoot to the specs laid out by the Marines back in 1966. I think I have accomplished this as it shoots very well, and perhaps most fun of all is when someone at the rifle range asks what I’m shooting, I can tell them I’m shooting the Marines M40 Sniper Rifle.

Remington Model 700

Introduced in 1962 the Model 700 was an updated and modernized version of the 720 series of rifles that had been the mainstay of the Remington line for many years. It was designed to go head to head with Winchesters Model 70 but be less expensive to build.

It succeeded very well and has gone on to be one of the most successful bolt action designs ever and is still being made in many different versions and calibers today.

It is a very strong action and Remington made much of its “three rings of steel” claim. Its detractors claim that the small extractor in the head of the bolt is too small and unreliable but this writer’s opinion has never been proven to be the case. Indeed many tests were run to determine if it would be strong enough to compare favorably to other more accepted designs such as the 98 Mauser and others. It held its own with the best of them and failures are almost unheard of. Another claim that many will back up is that of excellent out of the box accuracy. If there is truth to this claim I believe it has more to do with the quality of the barrel than anything else. Every model 700 I have ever owned showed the potential to be a great shooter but not all would do so without a good bedding job. This is a common problem with just about all mass produced rifles however.

The M4Os were built using Remingtons own barrels and served well. The later M40A1 is built with a barrel from Atkinson. The Rem. 700 is of course also the base rifle for most of this country’s police department sniper teams.

Quite a legacy for a model of rifle introduced almost 40 years ago, but then if we look at the fact that the 98 Mauser action that is over 100 now and still going strong, I guess we shouldn’t be too surprised. If it’s good, it stays on.

Cartridge History

The 7.62×51 NATO that the M40 was chambered in was a development of the Army Ordnance department known early on as the T-65. It began as an attempt to get the ballistics of the 30/06 in a shorter case that would permit the use of lighter shorter and more efficient gun mechanisms.

The military did not officially adopt the T-65 until 1954, but Winchester brought out its own commercial version in 1952 and called it the .308 Winchester.

The U.S. military didn’t have any weapons for it until 1957 when it became the official service rifle cartridge for which the M14 rifle was chambered.

The .308 has been hugely successful for a good many years now and is still the one to beat in match competitions around the country, though it is not the only accurate round out there. It is still however the standard round for military sniper rifles. Besides being the M40s cartridge, the 7.62 continued on into the M40A1 and the new current M40A3. Also the Army uses the 7.62 in its own M24 Sniper rifle also based on the Remington 700.

It was recently announced that the Dept. of Defense has adopted a brand new loading for all long-range sniper shooting. This loading will feature the l75gr. Boat-Tail bullet propelled by Alliant Powders Reloder 15. It will be designated the M118 Special Ball Long Range Sniper Round. It will become the standard issue sniper round to be used by all military service branches.

This cartridge is hard to beat in many ways and looks to be with us for some time to come.

References

Inside the Crosshairs- A Snipers Vietnam – Michael Lee Manning

Dead Center – Ed Kugler

Sniper – Adrian Gilbert

The One Round War-Scout-Snipers in Vietnam – Peter Senich

U.S. Marine Corps Scout-Snipers WWII and Korea-Peter Senich

Marine Sniper – Charles Henderson

One Shot One Kill – Charles Sasser and Craig Roberts

Bolt Action Rifles – Frank de Haas, Chap. 39, Ideal Snipers Rifle Rev. Ed. 1984