A limited number of 3X to 9X variable power Marine Scopes of Japanese manufacture saw early use, but target mount, 8X Unertl telescopes, unchanged basically from those first adopted in 1941, were fitted to the Model 70s as were many of the original World War II Unertl contract scopes, which had survived official obsolescence and the post-Korean War surplus sell-off. Carlos Hathcock USMC Sniper Scope - Hi-Lux 8X Malcolm 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! [31] He would have received only 50 percent of his final pay grade had he retired after 20 years. 2023 Rock Island Auction Company. 1942 dated receiver, with a 56 dated WRA barrel, mismatched bolt, all the metal looks like it's been refnished, and the stock has been beat to crap and then heavily sanded. Forgotten rifle of the Vietnam War: The silent sniper | SOFREP Estimated Price: $ 15,000 - $ 25,000 Price Realized: Details Outstanding, Rare and Well Documented Winchester Model 70 U.S.M.C. These later rifles were delivered to the US military already modified to be sniper rifles, including a heavy barrel and accurized stock. . The Winchester Model 70is abolt-actionsporting/huntingrifle. Rare! Original USMC M40 Sniper Rifle signed by Carlos Hathcock (R30701) Scope used by Carlos Hathcock - CMP Forums - Civilian Marksmanship Program The rifle is in excellent condition showing only . Winchester Model 70 (.30-06) Review. Carlos Hathcock's sniper I've read that the only way to do it is to first plate the barrel with a metal that will accept bluing. The Model 70 Standard Rifles were fitted with Winchester medium-heavy target barrels in modified stocks and the Unertl telescopic sights. Vietnam sniper shot an enemy sniper through the enemy's own scope 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.. Typically enemy soldiers were paid anywhere from $8 to $2,000 for taking down an American sniper. 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. Decorations. Would you like to visit Winchester International? S. Jay Ratliff This success led to the adoption of the .50 BMG cartridge as a viable sniper round. Item Number: R30701. By his courage, aggressive leadership, and total devotion to duty in the face of extreme personal danger, Staff Sergeant Hathcock reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.[29]. After his service in Vietnam, Hathcock helped establish the USMCs Scout Sniper School at Quantico, Virginia, and he continued to pass along his hard-won knowledge to both military and law enforcement marksmen in the years that followed. [5], The PAVN placed a bounty of US $30,000 on Hathcock's life for killing so many of its soldiers. The report concluded that the best rifle/scope combination for use by U.S. Marine snipers was the Winchester Model 70 topped with an 8X target scope made by the Unertl Co. These later rifles only added to the popularity of the model 70 among US snipers. On September 16, 1969, Hathcock's career as a sniper came to a sudden end along Highway 1, north of Landing Zone Baldy, when the LVTP-5 he was riding on struck an anti-tank mine. Support Veteran Journalism , Editors note: Carlos Hathcock Born this day, May 20, 1942. I was quickly brought back to reality when shooting this system. This shot covered a distance of 2500 yards. 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 . The owner had provided us with the stock already featuring a nicely aged appearance, which we maintained in the build. Carlos Hathcock | Military Wiki | Fandom I had always thought that long tube scopes were originally used a long time ago and were more or less obsolete. The following year Hathcock deployed to South Vietnam with the 1st Marine Division, where he was soon assigned sniper duties. Carlos Hathcock with his Winchester Model 70 rifle. AFAIK, Crane only made two of these on the 721 action. Rare and Well Documented Winchester Model 70 U.S.M.C. "WINCHESTER/-TRADE MARK-" is roll stamped on the left side of the receiver rail. Hathcock used the M40 during the Vietnam War and is credited with numerous kills, including a record-setting 2,500-meter shot. The "Rifle, 7.62mm Sniper, M40," adopted April 7, 1966, was to serve as the foundation for USMC sniper rifles for the following four decades. Instead of running for the sniper, the soldiers . Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.. The barrel, receiver, bolt handle, cocking piece trigger guard, and buttplate have the Winchester charcoal blue finish. 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. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. He lived in a rural area with his grandmother as his parents had separated. For this operation, Carlos selected a .30-06 Winchester Model 70 mounting a Lyman 8X telescope that McAbee had fine-tuned. While the war in Vietnam ushered in a number of new technologies, particularly the widespread use of helicopters and night vision equipment, much of the equipment had been tried and tested on the battlefields of earlier wars. Carlos Hathcock (D. Kevin Elliott) The sun lay low in the Vietnamese sky. . Here are the features to watch out for. Some of the snipers now in Vietnam were not yet born when the telescopic sights they use were employed in a different war. Winchester Model 70 Vietnam era USMC Scout-Sniper Carlos used a Winchester Model 70 .30-06 match ammunition loaded with 173-grain boat-tailed bullets, also used an 8-power Unertl scope. It is used by not only sportsmen, but military and police snipers as well. Carlos Hathcock, in Vietnam (left) and receiving the Silver Star (right). "[41][42] A sniper range named for Hathcock is at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 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. Hathcock Model 70 Project | Sniper's Hide Forum These rifles were subsequently used for recreation and target shooting. Just under 1200 yards of room if I stretch it and hills in every direction for natures perfect back stop! Hathcock was soon a member of the USMC rifle team, and in 1965 he won the Wimbledon Cup, a 1000-yard individual match fired at the National Matches in Camp Perry, Ohio. In addition to sniper rifles, model 70s were used extensively in marksmanship training and in match team shooting. He used an M2 .50 Cal Browning machine gun mounted with a telescopic sight at a range of 2,500yd (2,286m), killing a Vietcong guerrilla. In 1975, Hathcock's health began to deteriorate, and he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. One of the perennially popular Winchester firearms of the 20th century is the Model 70 bolt-action rifle. The 1047 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 .. This is the rifle that Gy. Lacking a suitable precision rifle for issue, the Corps quickly scoured its stateside arms rooms and soon a small quantity of Model 70 target rifles were in the field in South Vietnam, taking the fight to the enemy. He was the only child of Carlos and Agnes Hathcock. On May 20th, 1959, at 17 years of age, Carlos N. Hathcock II fulfilled his childhood dream by enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. Early Vietnam Sniper Rifles - Guns and Ammo I think the GSgt used the 10x but the 20x looks just like it. Interestingly, Hathcock won that prestigious trophy with a Winchester Model 70. In 1967 Gunny Carlos Hathcock set the record for the longest. Confrontations with North Vietnamese snipers, NRA.org/NRA National Shooting Program/ NRA National Trophies/Wimbledon Cup, Navy and Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation, Marine Corps Rifle Expert Marksmanship Badge, Marine Corps Pistol Expert Marksmanship Badge, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, List of historically notable United States Marines, "Marine Corps Sets Sights on More Precise Shooting", "The Story of Legendary Sniper Carlos Hathcock", "Etica ed estetica del cecchino nella narrativa di Nicolai Lilin", "Carlos Hathcock: Famous Marine Corps Sniper", "Ultimate Marine (Hathcock vs Mawhinney)", "Valor Awards for Carlos N. Hathcock, II", "A Quiet Man Uniquely Qualified To Stalk And Kill", "Marine Corps Distinguished Shooters Association Board of Governors", "2015 Marine Corps League Enlisted Awards Announcement", "Review: Springfield Armory's M-25 Whitefeather", "Range complex named after famous Vietnam sniper", Longest confirmed combat sniper-shot kill, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carlos_Hathcock&oldid=1142492093, United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War, Military personnel from Little Rock, Arkansas, United States Marine Corps non-commissioned officers, Articles with dead external links from November 2016, Articles with permanently dead external links, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from February 2019, Articles with failed verification from February 2019, Articles with self-published sources from December 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Hathcock's duel with Cobra was mentioned in the History Channel, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 18:11. 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. Pre-'64 Winchester Model 70 Specs MANUFACTURER: Winchester Repeating Arms TYPE: Bolt-action repeater CALIBER: .270 Winchester MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 5 rounds BARREL: 24 in. . The serial number of this rifle, "48213" falls within the serial number range of Marine WWII Model 70 rifles listed on pages 49-50 of Death from Afar Volume 1" by Chandler & Chandler but is not included on the list. Yeah it was, it was missing the an action screw and one that held on the trigger guard. The rifle would of course have to be chambered in the 458 x 1.5 Barnes cartridge. Adelbert F. Waldron III stacked up 113 enemies using the XM21 system. The U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1C is sufficiently accurate for use by snipers in the Marine Corps.Despite this rebuff, the Marine Corps report went on to state that [the] Model 70 Winchester is the most accurate American made, Caliber .30 on the market.During this same period, the U.S. Army also considered procurement of a modified Model 70 for sniping use as reflected in a memo from the chief of ordnance dated Oct. 30, 1951, which states in part: Any further consideration of the Model 70 by the Army was rejected. [34] After the war, a friend showed Hathcock a passage written by Ernest Hemingway: "Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter." This listing is for a preowned Winchester 70 bolt action rifle chambered in 300 Win Mag with a 3+1 capacity and a 26" barrel in . And thus, with regard to sniper rifles, most of the US military inventory in the mid-1960s consisted of well-worn Model 1903A4 Springfields and M1C and M1D Garands, all of which dated from WWII, or perhaps the Korean War. The metal finishes were done by Ken Pederson ofPederson Arms in Arlington, WA. But I never did enjoy killing anybody. Hathcock generally used the standard sniper rifle: the Winchester Model 70 .30-06 caliber rifle with the standard 8-power Unertl scope. Some of the stocks were fiberglass bedded. SIGHTS: Folding rear, bead front On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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 10 July 1969, Carlos Hathcock and Ron McAbee were providing security for convoys along Western Route 4. The scope tube retains 95% plus of the original blue finish with sharp markings. Thanks! An unknown number of additional Model 70s were eventually purchased for military use - both standard rifles and the marksman style target rifles. However, we are happy to build tribute rifles and were very pleased torecently completea USMC sniper tribute rifle. You can pick up a replica of the Unertl Scope online for an MSRP of around $550.00. NRA photo. The sniper, known only as the "Cobra," had already killed several Marines and was believed to have been sent specifically to kill Hathcock. The author says Carlos used a Model 70 Winchester with a long tube Unertl scope. Composite stock of course. Before 1.02, the M70 Tundra was named the Winchester Model 70. You must log in or register to reply here. At the direction of Van Orden, USMC armorers began modifying some of thesporter weight rifles, fitting them with heavy Douglas target barrels and Unertl 8X scopes. Carlos Hathcock: Vietnam War's legendary marksman - Task & Purpose 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. It is a Model 70 National Match version made before 1940. Manufactured in a wide variety of configurations and calibers, it was a favorite of many hunters, shooters and gun enthusiasts. Nearly 30 years later, he received a Silver Star for this action. Officially, Carlos Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills. He was honored by having a rifle named after him: a variant of the M21 dubbed the Springfield Armory M25 White Feather, for the nickname "White Feather" given to Hathcock by the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). We should give February to Chris Kyle's favorite weapon, The Barrett M99 and Carlos Hathcock's Winchester Model 70 Sniper Rifle being as they both went on to the main rally point in February . I was out yesterday trying to test a few loads at 400 yards but the wind quickly picked up to about 30 gusting 40mph and it was quickly becoming a waste of powder. IIRC, Remington did this with some of their rifles at one time. This is debatable. The USMC was still using the Model 70s as both target rifle for international match competition and pseudo-sniper rifle work . George H. Hurt of the 3rd Marine Divisions newly formed sniper school at Da Nang, Vietnam, checked the 8X Unertl scope mounted on a Winchester Model 70. He stayed in the Marine Corps, but his health continued to decline. The bolt body is polished bright and electro-penciled with the rifle serial number "48213". From an early age, he was fond of firearms. I got this guy for $501 delivered to my door. Serial numbers were in the approximate 41,000 to 50,000 range, and the rifles had 24" sporter barrels with leaf sights, sporter-checkered stocks with steel buttplates, 1" sling swivels and leather slings.Shortly after the government acquired these rifles, Winchester reported that all .30 Government 06 Rifles are now frozen under War Production Board Limitation Orders. The company obviously wanted to sell as many of the Model 70s remaining in its inventory as possible. They were mothballed after NRA changed match rules to limit service personnel to shooting service rifles. Despite its excellence as a precision rifle, the Model 70 was never fully embraced by the U.S. military as a standardized sniper arm. Winchester Model 70 - Internet Movie Firearms Database - imfdb "White Feather" as he was called by the North Vietnamese . This rifle is illustrated and described on pages 66 and 67 of "The One Round War" by Peter Senich. Regardless, the fact that there were a number of Model 1903 Marine Corps match rifles, along with spare parts, already on-hand resulted in the idea of a standardized Model 70 sniping rifle being doomed from the start.Despite the Marine Corps firm rejection of the Model 70, some of these rifles did, in fact, serve overseas in combat, albeit on an unofficial basis. The Model 70's suitability as a sniping rifle during the Vietnam War should be unquestioned, as the most famous and revered sniper of the war, Carlos Hathcock, used the rifle with. My Daily Kona: The Military Model 70 - Blogger The scope adjusts with turrets integral to the rear scope mount, and the tube of the scope floats inside adjustment pins. You sir have your shit together. The Legendary US Marine Corps Model 70 Sniper Rifle Winchester Model 70 (.30-06) Review. Carlos Hathcock's sniper It was advertised as missing parts. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock II joined the Corps in 1959 at age 17. These scopes now used in Vietnam are the same scopes on newer rifles. The optics are clear. To this end, Winchester sent a letter to the U.S. Marine Corps Quartermaster on July 20, 1942, indicating it had 1,944 Model 70 .30 Government 06 Rifles on hand, which we can offer you subject to prior sale., Most of these rifles had 24" barrels, but there were 105 with 20" barrels. 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. Land told Hathcock to "put another round in her." Hathcock fired again and her body convulsed. Hathcock passed away in 1999 at the age of 57. This was standard issue on his Winchester Model 70 sniper rifle, and he even used the same scope on the .50 cal. However, where the USMC procurement brass failed to see the merits of the Model 70, the Marine Corpsmarksmendid not. FollowingWWII, popularity of the model 70 with Marine Corps snipers grew, eventually drawing the attention of other snipers from other branches of the military as well. The rifle excelled in USMC sniper trials and target competitions, making it the preferred rifle of most USMC snipers. "[20] Hathcock said in a book written about his career as a sniper: "I like shooting, and I love hunting. Winchester Model 70 | Military Wiki | Fandom Carlos Hathcock used a 721 Rem w/4x Weaver scope in Viet Nam. [Archive 50,690. [10], One of Hathcock's most famous accomplishments was shooting an enemy sniper through the enemy's own rifle scope, hitting him in the eye and killing him. How did Carlos Norman Hathcock die? - TeachersCollegesj Carlos Norman Hathcock II (May 20, 1942 February 22, 1999) was a United States Marine Corps (USMC) sniper with a service record of 93 confirmed kills. Without them, it can be extremely tough to hold for the effects. And they did see duty. Note the long rear ring with the clip-slot cut in. Carlos Hathcock, in Vietnam (left) and receiving the Silver Star (right). The sniper system shoots the M72 match ammunition loaded with 173-grain boat-tailed bullets (.30-06). Carlos Hathcock Method of Sighting in a Rifle | RallyPoint That's the way I look at it. Carlos Hathcock - Interesting stories about famous people, biographies Carlos Hathcock: Vietnam's Deadliest Sniper - Wideners Shooting Founded by Frank Galli in 2000, Snipers Hide has been offering informational videos, podcasts, and other support to its users in one location. Gunnery Sgt. Winchester Model 70 "standard Rifle" manufactured in 1941 with medium-heavy target barrel and "U.S.M.C.-SNIPER" Unertl telescopic sight. It was supplied with a Redfield 3x9 mounted with Redfield base/rings. During this depression, his wife Jo nearly left him but decided to stay. But on several occasions, he turned to the M2 .50-caliber machine gun for longer . Winchester requested the Marines evaluate the rifles generally for suitability of use in combat, and specifically for use as sniper rifles. This article, "The Military Model 70," appeared originally in the April 2011 issue of American Rifleman. 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. Carlos hathcocks rifle | Long Range Hunting Forum His previous skill as a marksman had won him a variety of matches and trophies at places like Camp Perry in Ohio. All of the markings are crisp. His heroic actions were instrumental in saving the lives of several Marines. Ultimately neither of these proposed rifles was ultimately adopted. The Carlos Hathcock Sniper Rifle! - The Loadout Room He hunted at that early age with a .22-caliber J. C. Higgins single-shot rifle. 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. On some occasions, however, he used a different weapon: the . According to Winchester documents, these rifles were shipped to the Marine Corps on May 29, 1942. Awesome to hear/see when someone has their shit together. During his entire career as a sniper, Carlos Hathcock used a U. S. Marines version of a Unertl precision riflescope. Gunnery Sgt. Van Orden would go on to author a report recommending adoption of the Model 70 for sniper use. Throwback Thursday: Carlos Hathcock's Stevens Model 15A Rifle The late Marine sniper set the record in 1967 with a M-2 .50 caliber Browning machine gun.. The Winchester Model 70 is a bolt-action, sporting rifle that can be used for hunting or shooting. Remarkably, a few remain in service to this day. A one of a kind rifle! Carlos held the record for the longest kill for 35 years. Hathcock's Scope? | Northwest Firearms Carlos Hathcock . 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. "The only difficulty I had with Carlos was that he'd stay out there too long. Beautiful build. A July 1967 American Rifleman article by Frank G. McGuire, SnipersSpecialists in Warfare, reported: The 8X telescopic sight was chosen in World War II when it was teamed with the 03 rifle. The success of the Model 70 on the rifle range attracted renewed interest from the U.S. Army as evidenced by a Feb. 2, 1955, memo from the Office of the Chief of Ordnance to the Chief of Army Field Forces, which stated: It is requested that this office be furnished [with] your comments and recommendations relative to procurement of cal. Stretching it past 500 and reaching out to 1000, put all of us in a humbling state of mind. 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. If you get a chance, test it out for yourself. 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. It's my job. The Marine Corps clearly believed that the existing Model 1903, tuned to match grade, was a superior sniping rifle as compared to the Model 70. An Official Journal Of The NRA | Long-Range Warriors: The USMC M40 Rifles Through the PX system in Okinawa, Lands NCOs bought mounts, rings and scopes. In 1967, Hathcock set the record for the longest sniper kill. The value of these rifles mean that even if we did own one, we'd probably be reluctant to shoot it. The Model 70s began to be replaced by Remington Model 700 rifles, which were later standardized by the Marine Corps as the M40. The Model 70s suitability as a sniping rifle during the Vietnam War should be unquestioned, as the most famous and revered sniper of the war, Carlos Hathcock, used the rifle with remarkable effectiveness. The rifle is pillar bedded and barrel free-floated in its original stock. The Winchester Model 70 is a bolt-action sporting/hunting rifle. who placed a bounty on him during the Vietnam War ) used primarily a Pre-64 Winchester M. 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. These marines were unwilling to leave their preferred rifle at home and carry the approved, but less accurate Springfield M1903 into battle. Maj. Land told me that early in the war members of the sniper platoon collected contributions. The M-25 White Feather is a tribute to Carlos Hathcock who accounted for 93 confirmed enemy kills in Vietnam. A list of modern browsers is below; simply click an icon to go to the browsers download page. As was the case during World War II, the Marine Corps considered procuring some Winchester Model 70 rifles for sniping use in Korea, but these results were the same as before. So if you are looking to own the first two Model 70's ever made then these are of interest to . Carlos Hathcock usually used a Winchester Model 70 in .30 .06. 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.