Introduced in 1936 as an improvement on the Model 54, the Model 70 soon set the standard for commercial bolt-action rifles. *A USMC sniper uses his Unertl scope to search for enemy snipers in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam, circa 1967. It is an odd scope by todays standards. I think the GSgt used the 10x but the 20x looks just like it. After returning to active duty, Hathcock helped establish the Marine Corps Scout Sniper School at the Marine base in Quantico, Virginia. Officially, Carlos Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills. With this rifle, Carlos describes killing 7 more Viet Cong soldiers and shared the 8th VC with McAbee. He did however adapt according to the conditions and once even used the M2 Browning machine gun! 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. Without them, it can be extremely tough to hold for the effects. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Includes 10 round box magazine standard plus extra 5 round magazine, and hard case. Because the M25 is a big, heavy rifle, I wanted to keep scope size and weight to a minimum while still being able to maximize the .308 round. With complete disregard for his own safety and while suffering excruciating pain from his burns, he bravely ran back through the flames and exploding ammunition to ensure that no Marines had been left behind in the burning vehicle. Leatherwood is etched glass. Which honestly looking at the barrels, I think he was probably likely telling the truth. The rifle is pillar bedded and barrel free-floated in its original stock. Carlos Hathcock was born on May 20, 1942, in North Little Rock, Arkansas. He sold quite a few, and claims they came from a USMC armorer. All it would take is an '06 reamer if one was inclined. [22] Hathcock said he was almost stepped on as he lay camouflaged with grass and vegetation in a meadow shortly after sunset. Hathcock's record and the extraordinary details of the missions he undertook made him a legend in the Marine Corps. Springfield Armory designed a highly accurized version of their M1A Supermatch rifle with a McMillan Stock and match grade barrel and dubbed it the "M-25 White Feather". Much as I described with the duplex, the mildot gives a lot of points to hold off of without ever having to change powers. If you get a chance, test it out for yourself. for his record shot. [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. The metal finishes were done by Ken Pederson ofPederson Arms in Arlington, WA. Customer experience was, and still is, the primary focus, a key to the firms longevity and success. I was quickly brought back to reality when shooting this system. 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. These marines were unwilling to leave their preferred rifle at home and carry the approved, but less accurate Springfield M1903 into battle. 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. Thanks. Hathcock's career as a sniper has been used as a basis for a variety of fictional snipers, from the "shooting through the scope incident" to the number of kills he made. [43] In 2002, this record was broken by Canadian snipers (Rob Furlong and Arron Perry) from the third battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry during the War in Afghanistan. The Winchester Model 70is abolt-actionsporting/huntingrifle. 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 . 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. 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. Carlos Hathcock, in Vietnam (left) and receiving the Silver Star (right). 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. Just under 1200 yards of room if I stretch it and hills in every direction for natures perfect back stop! Calvin Lloyd, wrote a 72-page report titled Equipment for the American Sniper, which discussed the various types of rifles and telescopic sights available at the time. The Complete History of Winchester Repeating Arms. Hathcock made a number of kills with this weapon in excess of 1,000 yards, including his record for the longest confirmed kill at 2,500 yards (since surpassed). 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 dreamed of being a Marine throughout his childhood, and so on May 20, 1959, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. who placed a bounty on him during the Vietnam War ) used primarily a Pre-64 Winchester M. Mil Dots give you an accurate unit of measurement and a way of compensating for gravity and wind drift. Answer (1 of 3): If my reading comprehension is still intact; going by memory I seem to recall reading that Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock ( I.E. In 1967, Hathcock set the record for the longest sniper kill. Nearly 30 years later, he received a Silver Star for this action. Item Number: R30701. The machine work, barrel channel and bedding were completed in our shop. In 1966, Hathcock started his deployment in the Vietnam War as a military policeman and later became a sniper after Captain Edward James Land pushed the Marines into raising snipers in every platoon. Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives. My Hathcock tribute is based on what he considered the "ideal" rifle as discussed in his authorized biography, "White Feather". While the USMC used the Model 70 to greatest advantage during this period, a limited number were also employed by Army personnel for sniping, and Model 70s with silencers mounted on them were utilized for covert operations in Southeast Asia.James O. E. Norells article A Century Of USMC Sniper Rifles (August 2007, p. 44) related some interesting information by retired USMC Maj. Edward J.Jim Land, Jr., regarding the Model 70 rifles that were used by the Marines in Vietnam circa 1966: Land first scrounged 12 Model 70 sporting rifles that had been procured by Special Services for deer hunting at Camp Pendleton. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world. The WWII U.S.M.C. There are no internal adjustments to zero these old style Unertls. His parents separated so he grew up with his grandmother in Geyer Springs, Pulaski County. [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. Hathcock held the record for the highest bounty and killed every known Vietnamese marksman who sought him to try to collect it. 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. I did all the other work. [4] In the Vietnam War, kills had to be confirmed by the sniper's spotter and a third party, who had to be an officer. Unertl 8X telescopic sight has a charcoal blue finish and is fitted with anodized aluminum Unertl target mounts on Winchester bases. Land, Jr., who served in the . 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. He only used the .50 M2 on less than a dozen shots. These later rifles only added to the popularity of the model 70 among US snipers. These two Garand sniper rifles were the mainstay of the U.S. militarys sniper rifle inventory until the early 1960s when the United States became increasingly involved in the conflict in Southeast Asia.The Springfield M1903A1 rifle fitted with an 8X Unertl scope was the only bolt-action sniping rifle to see any substantive use in the hands of U.S. Marines during the Korean War. The anodized aluminum Unertl target mounts have a blue-brown patina that is typical of these WWII production mounts. At that point Jim told Carlos to take her down. The most notable person to use the Model 70 was legendary sniper Carlos Hathcock in Vietnam, his rifle was chambered in .30-06 Sprinfield and his rifle is on display at the Quantico, Virginia Marine Corps Sniper Museum. According to Winchester documents, these rifles were shipped to the Marine Corps on May 29, 1942. 134,606 views Dec 6, 2020 Winchester Model 70 (.30-06) rifle review in Hindi. All Rights Reserved. Carlos Hathcock, used the rifle with remarkable effectiveness. Model 70 sniper rifles were used by US Marine snipers continuously from WWII, through the Vietnam War. Carlos Hathcock with his Winchester Model 70 rifle. If I was you, I might look up this guy on ebay and write him and see if he has anymore of these barrels. [17] However, scholars such as Jerry Lembcke have cast doubt on Hathcock's account and questioned the existence of "Apache". From an early age, he was fond of firearms. For those wondering why the military did not continue using the Model 70 and abandoned it in favor of the Remington Model 700, McGuire gave a cogent synopsis of the reasoning behind this decision: [For Vietnam], the Marines wanted a bolt-action rifle with a medium-heavy barrel and a sporter stock. That's the way I look at it. These rifles are not considered suitable for use as sniper rifles. Hathcock is the subject of a number of books including: Hathcock generally used the standard sniper rifle: the Winchester Model 70 chambered for .30-06 Springfield cartridges, with the standard 8-power Unertl scope. 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. When the need arose for more Model 70s the rifles procured by Brig. First rate article outlining the service of the Model 70. The U.S. Army fielded some World War II-vintage M1903A4 bolt-actions but relied primarily on the semi-automatic M1C Garand. You can Cerakote the stainless barrela good artist can pretty much replicate any finish. This is yet another example of the truism that a great civilian firearm does not always equate to a great military rifle. Regarding, his tools of trade, Hathcock, normally operated with the Winchester Model 70, 30-06 Caliber rifle along with an 8 power scope. Your rifle is seriously motivating me to start a new project build .metal and wood just feel so nice together. Snipers Hide is a community of Snipers of all kinds, focusing on long range shooting, accuracy, and ballistics. The most well known Marine sniper of the Vietnam war has become a modern legend. This effort was ultimately unsuccessful from a military procurement standpoint, but cemented the Model 70's place in USMC sniper history. However, where the USMC procurement brass failed to see the merits of the Model 70, the Marine Corpsmarksmendid not. "WINCHESTER/-TRADE MARK-" is roll stamped on the left side of the receiver rail. Thanks! [30] Hathcock and the seven marines he pulled from the vehicle were evacuated by helicopter to hospital ship USSRepose, then to a naval hospital in Tokyo, and ultimately to the burn center at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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. May also want to read this American Rifleman article: Thank you! There also isn't any internal adjustments to zero. Enjoy the photos and let us know if there's a special model 70 project we can take on for you! During the Vietnam War, Marine Corps Veteran Carlos Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills of North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong personnel. In November 1965, USMC Gy/Sgt. The Army's most accomplished Vietnam War sniper, Sgt. So if you are looking to own the first two Model 70's ever made then these are of interest to . The Winchester Model 70 is a bolt-action sporting/hunting rifle. Hathcock died on February 22, 1999, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, aged 56, from complications resulting from multiple sclerosis. You just need the time to figure out a firing solution with the changes you make. That is the pic. Their official role was for use in marksmanship training, but that's not where they would all end up. The USMC was still using the Model 70s as both target rifle for international match competition and pseudo-sniper rifle work . His primary rifle was one of the Corps Winchester Model 70 target rifles, chambered in 30-06 and topped with an 8-power Unertl target scope in an externally adjustable mount. Although never adopted for combat use by the U.S. military, some Model 70 rifles were used as sniping rifles during World War II, Korea and Vietnam.Soon after Pearl Harbor, two members of the U.S. Marine Corps Equipment Board, Capt. But if you go by the books, everything seems right on it. 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. The M40 (wood stock R700 & Redfield) was around but he was VERY familiar with the M70 target rifle as part of the USMC Rifle Team. . The Korean War was the last conflict in which the World War II-vintage bolt-action M1903A1/Unertl sniper rifle was employed. Interestingly, Hathcock won that prestigious trophy with a Winchester Model 70. "White Feather" as he was called by the North Vietnamese . The M-25 White Feather is a tribute to Carlos Hathcock who accounted for 93 confirmed enemy kills in Vietnam. In an eloquent eulogy to Hathcock inThe Washington Post, staff writer Stephen Hunter said it best. It is an odd scope by today's standards. Adelbert F. Waldron III stacked up 113 enemies using the XM21 system. The checkered panels are sharp; wear is limited to scattered visible sling hardware marks near the buttplate and upper sling swivel. The bolt body is polished bright and electro-penciled with the rifle serial number "48213". I have a correct 70 in my safe I have wanted to do something with but reluctant to go the Unertl route as I dont think its practical as a shooter but a cool conversation peice. Hathcock was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on May 20, 1942. 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. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy drew a clear line in the sand in his inaugural address. But I never did enjoy killing anybody. Hathcock remains a legend in the U.S. Marine Corps. 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 Winchester Model 70 is a bolt-action, sporting rifle that can be used for hunting or shooting. They are fragile and the external rings may or may not offer as fine adjustments for windage and elevation. 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. He used a M2 .50 Cal Browning machine gun mounting a telescopic sight at a range of 2,500 yd, taking down a single Vietcong guerrilla. For these reasons, we regularly get inquiries about building "tribute" and "replica"USMC Sniper rifles. the best known U.S. Marine Corps snipers who used the Winchester Model 70 during the Vietnam War was Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock, who used a Winchester Model 70 sniper rifle chambered in .30-06. 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. [5], The PAVN placed a bounty of US $30,000 on Hathcock's life for killing so many of its soldiers. He copied Hemingway's words on a piece of paper. Hathcock was one of several individuals to utilize the M2 Browning machine gun in the sniping role. These relatively few Model 70 rifles soon became favored for their lighter weight, refined handling, and superior accuracy compared to the Springfield rifle. The subject rifles are not considered suitable for general service use for the following reasons: (a) Not sufficiently sturdy;(b) Parts are not interchangeable with M1903 and M1 parts; (c) Replacement parts will be difficult to procure; (d) Not fitted with sling swivels. Yeah it was, it was missing the an action screw and one that held on the trigger guard. Beautiful build. Excellent. Hathcock generally used the standard sniper rifle: the Winchester Model 70 .30-06 caliber rifle with the standard 8-power Unertl scope. Van Orden would go on to author a report recommending adoption of the Model 70 for sniper use. The late Marine sniper set the record in 1967 with a M-2 .50 caliber Browning machine gun.. Before 1.02, the M70 Tundra was named the Winchester Model 70. SIGHTS: Folding rear, bead front This was standard issue on his Winchester Model 70 sniper rifle, and he even used the same scope on the .50 cal. The group started running towards Hathcock and Land. Decorations. The Model 70. His ability as a marksman was soon recognized by the instructors on the rifle range at Camp Pendleton where he was undergoing recruit training. Rewards put on U.S. snipers by the PAVN typically ranged from $8 to $2,000. And it was as a sniper rifle the Model 70 ultimately earned its stripes. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The scope adjusts with turrets integral to the rear scope mount, and the tube of the scope floats inside adjustment pins. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock II joined the Corps in 1959 at age 17. 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. After ensuring his escape route was in place, he took his shot. The Winchester Model 70 is a bolt action sporting rifle. His previous skill as a marksman had won him a variety of matches and trophies at places like Camp Perry in Ohio. His heroic actions were instrumental in saving the lives of several Marines. Steam rose from the damp jungle mulch. You will find the sale page with further details if you click here. These scopes now used in Vietnam are the same scopes on newer rifles. 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 . As long as you understood the effects wind had on the projectile and understood the ballistic drop, you could do fine. Great project. 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.