A handful of the original USMC model 70 riflessurvive to this day, and 76 years later hold enormous collector interest. The 1,047 rifles, U.S., caliber .30, M1903, Snipers Equipment on hand at this Depot are believed to be superior to the subject rifle both in accuracy and durability.. "WINCHESTER/-TRADE MARK-" is roll stamped on the left side of the receiver rail. This is a pretty cool thread. Wow. The only problem was the fact that this scope reticle did not have something that all snipers use with modern-day sniper scopes, Mil Dots. On this occasion he used a .50 caliber Browning M2 machine gun, to which he attached his scope with a bracket he designed himself. A few Model 70 sniper rifles saw service in Korea, particularly during the Chosin Reservoir campaign-under difficult winter conditions that rendered other rifles -like the M-1A carbine -ineffective or inoperable. I told a gunny, 'Bring [him] back here.' [15] Hathcock and John Roland Burke, his spotter, were stalking the enemy sniper in the jungle near Hill 55, the firebase from which Hathcock was operating, southwest of Da Nang. The scarcity of these rifles mean few of us will ever get a chance to own one. But I never did enjoy killing anybody. Throughout its life, the Model 70 has been offered in . He and other Marines who were riding on top of the vehicle were sprayed with flaming gasoline caused by the explosion. Much as I described with the duplex, the mildot gives a lot of points to hold off of without ever having to change powers. The price is set at USD$1,750,000.00. [44] Turner Saddlery similarly honored Hathcock by producing a line of leather rifle slings based on his design. What many people don't realize is that the Unertl scope back in the day doesn't have glass amplification. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy drew a clear line in the sand in his inaugural address. The following year Hathcock deployed to South Vietnam with the 1st Marine Division, where he was soon assigned sniper duties. The anodized aluminum Unertl target mounts have a blue-brown patina that is typical of these WWII production mounts. [38] He is buried at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Norfolk, Virginia. The bolt body is polished bright and electro-penciled with the rifle serial number "48213". [32], Hathcock provided sniper instruction to police departments and select military units, such as SEAL Team Six. The rifles inherent accuracy was ideally suited as a sniping rifle. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock II joined the Corps in 1959 at age 17. The rifle retains the original style sporter stock with checkered pistol grip and forearm and steel checkered buttplate. I am hoping to have one built myself someday. Without them, it can be extremely tough to hold for the effects. Considered a real one but again even a cheap ($450.00) modern scope I feel is better than an original 60's era scope. They are a little tedious to adjust but have very clear glass and a very fine cross hair recticle. From the 1970's, illustrating the Monte Carlo style stocks used in this era. This rifle is the same as the Model 70 sniper rifle used by famed Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock near Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam, in 1966. Some of the stocks were fiberglass bedded. For this operation, Carlos selected a .30-06 Winchester Model 70 mounting a Lyman 8X telescope that McAbee had fine-tuned. "It was the hunt, not the killing. *A USMC sniper uses his Unertl scope to search for enemy snipers in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam, circa 1967. I got this guy for $501 delivered to my door. Due to the extreme injuries he suffered in Vietnam, he was in nearly constant pain, but continued to dedicate himself to teaching snipers. The Model 70 Standard Rifles were fitted with Winchester medium-heavy target barrels in modified stocks and the Unertl telescopic sights. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. It has been determined that the increased accuracy of the Model 70 Winchester is insufficient to justify its introduction into an already overburdened supply system., Although adoption of the Model 70 as a sniping arm by the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army remained elusive, the rifle did enjoy some measure of quasi-military popularity throughout the mid- to late-1950s. I had a few of those hanging around. In some cases, Douglas barrels were fitted to the Winchester actions to attain optimum accuracy. Keep an eye on the CMP Auction Site. The Winchester Model 70is abolt-actionsporting/huntingrifle. You sir have your shit together. He did however adapt according to the conditions and once even used the M2 Browning machine gun! 2023 Rock Island Auction Company. [2] At one point he was nearly bitten by a bamboo viper, but had the presence of mind to avoid moving and giving up his position. He managed to achieve an astounding kill record of 93 - including an impressive shot through an enemy sniper's scope, but it was with the M2 that he was able to take out a Vietcong soldier pushing a bicycle loaded with ammunition at . . He fell into a state of depression when he was forced out of the Marines because he felt as if the service had kicked him out. Land, Jr., who served in the . It was this . During his entire career as a sniper, Carlos Hathcock used a U. S. Marines version of a Unertl precision riflescope. This was confirmed in McGuires article: The rifle team of the 3rd Marine Division had been using the Model 70 with the heavy barrel and the heavy Marksman stock. Item Number: R30701. Bolt Action Sniper Rifle with Unertl Telescopic Sight Manufacturer: Winchester Model: 70 Type: Rifle Gauge: 30-06 Barrel: 24 inch round Finish: blue Grip: Stock: walnut checkered Item Views: 13427 Wiley Clapp in 1965. It was missing a bolt part and the National Guard had designated it for "decommissioning" (a.k.a destruction). On some occasions, however, he used a different weapon: the M2 Browning machine gun, on which he mounted an 8X Unertl scope, using a bracket made by metalworkers of the SeaBees . Through the PX system in Okinawa, Lands NCOs bought mounts, rings and scopes. A Lyman micrometer sight base is mounted on the left side of the receiver. Charles Henderson, in Marine Sniper, his biography of legendary Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock, tells of a 1967 incident when Hathcock, used two shots from a Browning M2 50 caliber machine gun to dispatch a Viet Cong soldier . Although the model 70 was never officially approved for combat service during WWII, a number of Model 70s made their way into combat with USMC snipers. The Unertl telescopic sight is in excellent condition. However, where the USMC procurement brass failed to see the merits of the Model 70, the Marine Corpsmarksmendid not. [33], Hathcock once said that he survived in his work because of an ability to "get in the bubble", to put himself into a state of "utter, complete, absolute concentration", first with his equipment, then his environment, in which every breeze and every leaf meant something, and finally on his quarry. This one is in 308 and came from the AMU. In a book I'm reading about on Carlos Hathcock, there are some pictures of him with his rifle. The action has some design similarities to Mauser designs and it is a development of the earlier Winchester Model 54. The second lot of rifles used by Land and his teams in Vietnam were also Winchester Model 70 target guns in .30-06 Sprg. The stock is in very fine condition. There was no real reason to stay with Winchester because the Model 70s used by the Marines were not the latest production models anyway, and no advantage would be gained as far as standardization of equipment was concerned. By the late 1960s, the Winchester Model 70 sniper rifles were in the process of being phased out by the new Remington Model 700s. The Complete History of Winchester Repeating Arms. The left side of the barrel has the standard Winchester legend and trademark followed by: "MODEL 70-30-06 SPRG.-". "The only difficulty I had with Carlos was that he'd stay out there too long. It had a standard weight barrel as well as a clip guide milled into the receiver bridge so 5-round stripper clips could quickly and easily charge the magazine. Carlos Hathcock holds the Marine Corps record for the longest confirmed sniper kill shot. This one is mine. Being medically discharged, he received 100 percent disability pay. Clapp is, of course, an American Rifleman field editor today.To subscribe to the magazine,visit theNRA membership page here and selectAmerican Rifleman as your member magazine. In 1975, Hathcock's health began to deteriorate, and he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Moscow Should Prepare For Probable US Nuclear Aggression: Reports Russian Military Journal, Destroying American Monster Abrams: Pro-Russian Group Release A How-To Video, Dr. Mary E. 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The rifles associated with American Snipers in Vietnam are. SIGHTS: Folding rear, bead front Scope used by Carlos Hathcock. The late Marine sniper set the record in 1967 with a M-2 .50 caliber Browning machine gun.. WEIGHT, EMPTY: 9.5 lbs. 50,690. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. These later rifles were delivered to the US military already modified to be sniper rifles, including a heavy barrel and accurized stock. The Model 70 was largely based on the Model 54, and is today still highly regarded by shooters and is often called "The. These are some beautiful projects. This is an example of a very rare post-64 "U.S. PROPERTY" marked Winchester model 70 target rifle that was manufactured in 1967, that is fitted with an even rarer "USMC PROPERTY" marked Lyman Super Targetspot rifle scope. Despite its excellence as a precision rifle, the Model 70 was never fully embraced by the U.S. military as a standardized sniper arm. Gunnery Sgt. The rifle is in excellent condition showing only . JavaScript is disabled. My Navy Long Range Rifle (that I used at the Interservice Championship Long Range Match to win the 720 pictured above) started life as a Model 721 .300 H&H. It was built up by Crane in .300 Win Mag. As long as you understood the effects wind had on the projectile and understood the ballistic drop, you could do fine. He sold quite a few, and claims they came from a USMC armorer. If you decide that you wanted an original Unertl, they are out there and available. I'm not. Tribute rifles have the general appearance and build spec of the original Marine rifles, where replica rifles attempt to be correct to the original rifles in every way, including a serial number which falls into the correct date range. His ability as a marksman was soon recognized by the instructors on the rifle range at Camp Pendleton where he was undergoing recruit training. The scope has a fine crosshair reticle and is fitted with screw-on steel lens covers. Great project. [3], During the Vietnam War, Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills of People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong personnel. Nearly 30 years later, he received a Silver Star for this action. It is undesirable to inject another rifle into the supply system, and if another rifle is injected into the supply system, it is necessary to inject non-standard ammunition for this rifle into the supply system in order to exploit fully any gain in accuracy. FOLLO .more .more 2.6K Dislike Share Indian Gunner 26.3K subscribers. Carlos Norman Hathcock II (20 May 1942 - 23 February 23 1999) was a United States Marine Corps sniper with a service record of 93 confirmed kills. The Winchester Model 70 is a bolt-action sporting/hunting rifle. The Model 70 was largely based on the Model 54, and is today still highly regarded by shooters and is often called "The Rifleman's Rifle.". We want you to receive a part which looks exactly right on your vintage rifle, or is precisely what you need to complete your custom masterpiece. Editors note: Carlos Hathcock Born this day, May 20, 1942. . Carlos Hathcock typically used the Winchester Model 70 sniper rifle chambered for use with 30-06 ammunition along with an eight-power Unertl scope. They were intended primarily as match rifles and were not procured for use as sniper rifles. The only downsides are that its in the foothills just on the east side of the Rockies and the Chinook winds can get up to 100mph on bad days! . Hathcocks primary set-up was a Model 70 (pre-64), 30-06 target rifle with a heavy barrel, and Unertle 8x scope. Carlos Hathcock, used the rifle with remarkable effectiveness. Hathcock used for much of his time in Vietnam. Thanks. Very nice work. As part of his legacy, the gun was donated to the National Museum of the . Note the long rear ring with the clip-slot cut in. George Van Orden and Chief Gy/Sgt. Hathcock's first round disabled the bicycle, the second struck the enemy soldier in the chest. As I remember from reading Henderson's book many moons ago, GySgt Hathcock deployed to VietNam in the '66-69 time frame. Carlos Hathcock holds the Marine Corps record for the longest confirmed sniper kill shot. [16], Hathcock stated in interviews that he killed a female Viet Cong platoon leader called "the Apache woman," with a reputation for torturing captive U.S. Marines, around the firebase at Hill 55. While the Colt Model 601 was the first AR-15 to be mass-produced, there were several design variations that came before during the platform's development. Sniper historian Peter R. Senich reported: [A]ccording to firsthand accounts, a fair number of unauthorized telescope-equipped personal and Marine Corps property Model 70s brought the reality of war to Japanese combat personnel during the early stages of World War II in the South Pacific. The U.S. Army also procured a limited number of Model 70 rifles during World War II, but little is known about their subsequent utilization, and it appears they saw virtually no actual use.The end of World War II essentially spelled the end of the bolt-action as a front-line U.S. military service rifle, but its inherent accuracy was too important an attribute to totally abandon, and bolt guns enjoyed a new lease on life as sniping rifles. Carlos used a Winchester Model 70 .30-06 match ammunition loaded with 173-grain boat-tailed bullets, also used an 8-power Unertl scope. He was the only child of Carlos and Agnes Hathcock. Hathcock pulled seven Marines from the flame-engulfed vehicle, suffering severe burns (some third-degree) to his face, arms, and legs, before someone pulled him away and placed him in water because he was unaware of how badly he had been burnt. The US government eventually purchased additional model 70s andofficially sanctioned them for combat duty. The stock is nicely figured American walnut with checkered forearm and pistol grip and has the Winchester semi-gloss varnish finish. You must log in or register to reply here. RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. Buffalo,. While most early model 70 sniper rifles were standard rifles, modified by the Marines for sniper use, this would not be the case for subsequent Winchester rifles coming into US military service. Thus, the Model 70 remained in the militarys inventory, albeit as a match rifle, until the escalation of the war in Vietnam, which resulted in a renewed emphasis on accurate sniper rifles. In an effort to meet every model 70 owner's needs, we are pleased to offer rifle parts which span this broad spectrum of conditions. From an early age, he was fond of firearms. While the causes and conduct of that war remain a subject of great debate, an interesting aspect of the conflict is the use of the Winchester Model 70 as a precision rifle by the US forces, especially by the US Marine Corps snipers. One of the perennially popular Winchester firearms of the 20th century is the Model 70 bolt-action rifle. As a sniper of a modern era, I am truly amazed at what the guys were able to do using what they had at the time. Land later recruited Marines who had set their own records in sharpshooting; he quickly found Hathcock, who had won the Wimbledon Cup, the most prestigious prize for long-range shooting, at Camp Perry in 1965. The Model 70 was originally manufactured by the . A marksman model 70 still in active use with the PA National Guard. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. The scope tube is roll-stamped: "J. UNERTL/USMC-SNIPER" in two lines above the serial number "2232". Before 1.02, the M70 Tundra was named the Winchester Model 70. You can pick up a replica of the Unertl Scope online for an MSRP of around $550.00. In 1967, Hathcock set the record for the longest sniper kill. [20] During a volunteer mission days before the end of his first deployment, he crawled over 1,500 yards of field to shoot a PAVN general.[who? By the end of his first deployment Hathcock's life was worth $30,000 to the North Vietnamese . In addition to sniper rifles, model 70s were used extensively in marksmanship training and in match team shooting. I just passed down my Win 70 .30-'06 Featherweight to the next generation. The Winchester Model 70 is a bolt-action sporting/hunting rifle. He did win the Wimbledon Cup with it after all. In turn, the Winchester factory had submitted a sniper prototype of the Model 70 fitted with a 10-round detachable box magazine to the US Army back in the early 1950s. When I first saw the pic I assumed it was a short action. Carlos Hathcock usually used a Winchester Model 70 in .30 .06. During his second combat tour in South Vietnam Hathcock braved a wall of flaming fuel to save seven fellow Marines from a burning AMTRAC, suffering severe burns himself during the rescue. You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article. This is an excellent example of a Winchester Model 70 rifle in Vietnam Marine sniper configuration with scarce and very desirable WWII Unertl "U.S.MC.-SNIPER" telescopic sight and correct anodized aluminum target mounts. Decorations. Composite stock of course. From 100 -500 yards, things were fairly easy to compensate. Likewise, many of the 300-plus Model 70 rifles purchased by the Marine Corps during World War II remained in inventory and, except for the handful diverted for unofficial sniping use, continued to be used by Marine marksmen for match use throughout the 1950s. The letter, signed by Winchesters Edwin Pugsley, concluded: It occurs to us that the Marine Corps may be interested in an additional quantity of [these] rifles at this time and shall be glad to submit quotation if you will advise us what styles and quantities you may be interested in.About a week after this letter, the Marine Corps firmly closed the door on the acquisition of any additional Model 70 rifles. He grew up in Wynne, Arkansas, living with his grandmother for the first 12 years of his life after his parents separated. The metal was reblued as required. It was advertised as missing parts. The LR/T front focal offers an elevation range of 65-MOA and a windage range of 65-MOA. If I don't get those bastards, then they're gonna kill a lot of these kids dressed up like Marines. Built with glass-bedded actions and heavy barrels, and used for long-range target competition, the M70s were capable of great accuracy with the Unertl scopes. In two tours in the 1960s, he wandered through the big bad bush in the Republic of South Vietnam, and with a rifle made by Winchester, a heart made by God and a discipline made by the Marine Corps, he stalked and killed 93 of his countrys enemies.. After World War II, George Van Orden, who had authored the Marine Corps Equipment Board report in 1941 recommending adoption of the Model 70 as a sniper rifle, started a firearms business named Evaluators, Ltd. Van Orden (who had subsequently been promoted to colonel and, later, brigadier general), eventually concentrated on marketing the Van Orden Sniper, which was a Winchester Model 70 customized to the specifications of his customers.Van Orden was successful in selling the arms to many clients, including the U.S. Coast Guard, which purchased 10 of the rifles in June 1954. The rifle is pillar bedded and barrel free-floated in its original stock. While recovering, Hathcock received the Purple Heart. This rebuild work varied but generally consisted of replacing the original sporter barrels with heavier 24" or 26" barrels and replacing the stocks as necessary, often with new target stocks procured from Winchester. Steam rose from the damp jungle mulch. The Marine Corps utilized Winchester Model 70 rifles in this configuration in 1966 and early 1967 as the primary sniper rifle until the adoption of the Remington Model 700 sniper rifles in mid 1967. Carlos Hathcock . The machine work, barrel channel and bedding were completed in our shop. Maj. Land told me that early in the war members of the sniper platoon collected contributions.
