During his entire career as a sniper, Carlos Hathcock used a U. S. Marines version of a Unertl precision riflescope. I have a 53 heavy barreled action that needs the same treatment. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ , PO Box 1077 MURFREESBORO, Tennessee 37133 United States, P.O. From the 1970's, illustrating the Monte Carlo style stocks used in this era. The price is set at USD$1,750,000.00. 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. The Model 70s also drew the attention of USMC snipers and their chief sponsor - Brigadier General George Van Orden. Legendary USMC sniper Carlos Hathcock learned how to shoot on a Stevens Model 15-A. [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. It has an iconic place in American sporting culture and has been held in high regard by shooters since it was introduced in 1936, earning the moniker "The Rifleman's Rifle". The M-25 White Feather is a tribute to Carlos Hathcock who accounted for 93 confirmed enemy kills in Vietnam. This recommendation made its way up the chain of command. This was standard issue on his Winchester Model 70 sniper rifle, and he even used the same scope on the .50 cal. Thats perfect! All of the markings are crisp. [3], During the Vietnam War, Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills of People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong personnel. According to Winchester documents, these rifles were shipped to the Marine Corps on May 29, 1942. With this rifle, Carlos describes killing 7 more Viet Cong soldiers and shared the 8th VC with McAbee. This rifle has all of the characteristics of the Marine Model 70 sniper rifles issued in Vietnam c. 1966. 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. 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. 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. The Winchester Model 70 is a bolt-action, sporting rifle that can be used for hunting or shooting. Your rifle is seriously motivating me to start a new project build .metal and wood just feel so nice together. Again, I would presume the heavy profile (slightly bigger than a varmint profile) was used as a compromise between multiple-round accuracy in the heat and weight, as seen in these pictures. There are no internal adjustments to zero these old style Unertls. Carlos Hathcock, in Vietnam (left) and receiving the Silver Star (right). He only used the .50 M2 on less than a dozen shots. But I guess I was wrong. Eventually, there were likely thousands of model 70s in military service, with the exact number unknown. [38] He is buried at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Norfolk, Virginia. This shot covered a distance of 2500 yards. Snipers Hide is a community of Snipers of all kinds, focusing on long range shooting, accuracy, and ballistics. 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 . They were running about $800 for a nice one with rings a few years ago. Carlos held the record for the longest kill for 35 years. This effort was ultimately unsuccessful from a military procurement standpoint, but cemented the Model 70's place in USMC sniper history. Carlos Hathcock . RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. Pre-'64 Winchester Model 70 Specs MANUFACTURER: Winchester Repeating Arms TYPE: Bolt-action repeater CALIBER: .270 Winchester MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 5 rounds BARREL: 24 in. Known as Van Orden rifles, these model 70 sniper rifles were at last procured under the watchful eye of Brigadier General George Van Orden. 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 action has some design similarities to Mauser designs and it is a development of the earlier Winchester Model 54. The Riflemans Rifle, fitted with an 8X Unertl, was used by the military in long-range competition, then eventually by Marines in Vietnam. "It was the hunt, not the killing. I was quickly brought back to reality when shooting this system. They were intended primarily as match rifles and were not procured for use as sniper rifles. In November 1965, USMC Gy/Sgt. 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. These Marines were aware of the impact Hathcock's death would have and took it upon themselves to make themselves targets in order to confuse the counter-snipers. As noted BuffaloWinter's rifle is mostly what Gunny Hathcock wanted in a rifle. This year, H&R announced an expansion of its AR-15 lineup, bringing additional "retro" models to the market, including a 9 mm Luger-chambered Colt SMG clone, an M16A2-styled rifle and the carbine-size 723. Wiley Clapp in 1965. [31] He would have received only 50 percent of his final pay grade had he retired after 20 years. His parents separated so he grew up with his grandmother in Geyer Springs, Pulaski County. Throughout its life, the Model 70 has been offered in . OVERALL LENGTH: 44.8 in. 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. 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. Probably overthinking this but I like to use the "stops" at each end of the power range in this application. The scope adjusts with turrets integral to the rear scope mount, and the tube of the scope floats inside adjustment pins. Can't recall if they were 264 or 7mm Rem mag offhand. [45] On March 9, 2007, the rifle and pistol complex at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar was officially renamed the Carlos Hathcock Range Complex.[46]. It would be hard to find a better example of this classic Marine sniper rifle from the Vietnam War. As long as you understood the effects wind had on the projectile and understood the ballistic drop, you could do fine. I appreciate those pics, the rifle and the background. Regarding, his tools of trade, Hathcock, normally operated with the Winchester Model 70, 30-06 Caliber rifle along with an 8 power scope. [10] When Hathcock saw a glint (light reflecting off the enemy sniper's scope) in the bushes, he fired at it, shooting through the scope and killing the sniper. Nice! 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. I'm not. The slings are embossed with Hathcock's signature. The Winchester Model 70 is a bolt action sporting rifle. He lived in a rural area with his grandmother as his parents had separated. 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. 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. 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. The rifle is a Winchester M70 in 30-06. 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]. Gunny Hathcock's venerable Winchester could certainly tell a tale or two. The barrel is a "sendero" profile made by Bartlein and installed by Moon. Carlos Hathcock's sniper rifle! . It's my job. Douglas still produces the same barrel they supplied to the Marines in the early 1940s, which makes easy work of getting one key aspect of this build exactlyright. The matte black LR/T weighs 19.5 ounces and is 13.5 inches in overall length. Additionally, the simplicity of the model 70 action permitted it to be completely field stripped in a matter of minutes, and the unmatched adjustability of the model 70 triggeralso contributed to the model 70's popularity. Carlos Hathcock, the most celebrated US sniper in history, preferred the model 70 over a host of other rifles at his disposal, using it extensively in combat during the Vietnam war, and in Wimbledon matches at Camp Perry in the years that followed. Initially his preferred rifle was a pre 1964 (Winchester quality after this time declined) Model 70 Winchester M40 bolt action in 30-06 (he preferred the 30-06 over the, then, current 7.62x51 Nato . Staff Sergeant Hathcock was riding on an Assault Amphibious Vehicle which ran over and detonated an enemy anti-tank mine, disabling the vehicle which was immediately engulfed in flames. [7][8][9] After a platoon of Vietnamese snipers was sent to hunt down "White Feather", many Marines in the same area donned white feathers to deceive the enemy. This is a pretty cool thread. The scarcity of these rifles mean few of us will ever get a chance to own one. "[41][42] A sniper range named for Hathcock is at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Great project. RIAC believes that this website is accessible to the widest possible audience pursuant to the guidelines of the Americans with Disability Act. "[40] The Marine Corps League (MCL) sponsors an annual program with 12 award categories, which includes the Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock II Award presented "to an enlisted Marine who has made an outstanding contribution to the improvement of marksmanship training. Lots of posts I haven't come back to as of late. These scopes now used in Vietnam are the same scopes on newer rifles. [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. The most well known Marine sniper of the Vietnam war has become a modern legend. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock II joined the Corps in 1959 at age 17. Typically enemy soldiers were paid anywhere from $8 to $2,000 for taking down an American sniper. 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. 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.. He set up on a hill close to the treeline, 700 yards from where his target would be. His parents separated so he grew up with his grandmother in Geyer Springs, Pulaski County. 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 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. Agree sandwarrior there was a thread on old old hide many moons ago regarding this. The metal finishes were done by Ken Pederson ofPederson Arms in Arlington, WA. He only used the .50 M2 on less than a dozen shots. You can Cerakote the stainless barrela good artist can pretty much replicate any finish. Oval Winchester "W/P" proof marks are stamped on the left side of the barrel and receiver. It was advertised as missing parts. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States. This one is in 308 and came from the AMU. Interestingly, Hathcock won that prestigious trophy with a Winchester Model 70. 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 . When the need arose for more Model 70s the rifles procured by Brig. [47] Hathcock carried a Colt M1911A1 pistol as a sidearm.[17]. To avoid contributing to the prolific problem of counterfeit rare model 70s,we decline to build replica model 70s of any kind. 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. 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". Note the long rear ring with the clip-slot cut in. An unknown number of additional Model 70s were eventually purchased for military use - both standard rifles and the marksman style target rifles. It was the performance of these Snipers in Vietnam that secured the sniper concept as a permanent fixture in the United States military. That is without having to go with the points on a special reticle. A one of a kind rifle! The late Marine sniper set the record in 1967 with a M-2 .50 caliber Browning machine gun.. 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.. Van Orden had envisioned the Model 70 as the ultimate platform for a highly accurate sniper rifle, but which was light enough to be carried into battle. Wow. He also used on occasion a Remington M40, basically a Remington ADL Varmint 308 rifle that was produced specially for the USMC in 1965 or so. Any pictures I have seen, the stocks used overseas were more like hunting stocks. Before any official action was taken, the Marine Corps ordered 373 Model 70s chambered in .30-06 Sprg. If you decide that you wanted an original Unertl, they are out there and available. [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. These relatively few Model 70 rifles soon became favored for their lighter weight, refined handling, and superior accuracy compared to the Springfield rifle. The U.S. Army fielded some World War II-vintage M1903A4 bolt-actions but relied primarily on the semi-automatic M1C Garand. Hathcock himself estimated that he had killed between 300 and 400 enemy personnel during the Vietnam War. 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. [23][failed verification] This effort took four days and three nights without sleep and with constant inch-by-inch crawling. His ability as a marksman was soon recognized by the instructors on the rifle range at Camp Pendleton where he was undergoing recruit training. 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. 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. Hathcock used for much of his time in Vietnam. What type of rifle did Carlos Hathcock use? What many people don't realize is that the Unertl scope back in the day doesn't have glass amplification. Marines like Carlos Hathcock proved the rifle was quite accurate and very effective. sniper kill. The checkered panels are sharp; wear is limited to scattered visible sling hardware marks near the buttplate and upper sling swivel. Manufactured in a wide variety of configurations and calibers, it was a favorite of many hunters, shooters and gun enthusiasts. Model 70 sniper rifles were used by US Marine snipers continuously from WWII, through the Vietnam War. The Winchester Model 70 is a classic bolt action rifle and one of the most popular and well known bolt action rifles in sports shooting history. My Hathcock tribute is based on what he considered the "ideal" rifle as discussed in his authorized biography, "White Feather". Carlos Hathcock was born on May 20, 1942, in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The Winchester Model 70 is a bolt-action sporting rifle.It has an iconic place in American sporting culture and has been held in high regard by shooters since it was introduced in 1936, earning the moniker "The Rifleman's Rifle". On this occasion he used a .50 caliber Browning M2 machine gun, to which he attached his scope with a bracket he designed himself. NRA photo. Carlos used a Winchester Model 70 .30-06 match ammunition loaded with 173-grain boat-tailed bullets, also used an 8-power Unertl scope. Customer experience was, and still is, the primary focus, a key to the firms longevity and success. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock II joined the Corps in 1959 at age 17. This success led to the adoption of the .50 BMG cartridge as a viable sniper round. The rifle chosen was the Winchester Model 70. "[35], Hathcock's son, Carlos Hathcock III, later enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps;[36] he retired from the Marine Corps as a Gunnery Sergeant after following in his father's footsteps as a shooter and became a member of the Board of Governors of the Marine Corps Distinguished Shooters Association.[37]. [44] Turner Saddlery similarly honored Hathcock by producing a line of leather rifle slings based on his design. 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. On this occasion he used a .50 caliber Browning M2 machine gun, to which he attached his scope with a bracket he designed himself. The action has some design similarities to Mauser designs and it is a development of the earlier Winchester Model 54, itself based on a Mauser 98-type action. Just 55 days short of the 20 years that would have made him eligible for regular retirement pay, he received a permanent disability separation. These are some beautiful projects. In 1967, Hathcock set the record for the longest sniper kill. 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. The Winchester Model 70 is a bolt-action sporting/hunting rifle. At that point Jim told Carlos to take her down. [18][19], Hathcock only once removed the white feather from his bush hat while deployed in Vietnam. The rifle retains the original style sporter stock with checkered pistol grip and forearm and steel checkered buttplate. In 1975, Hathcock's health began to deteriorate, and he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I just passed down my Win 70 .30-'06 Featherweight to the next generation. Hathcock died on February 22, 1999, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, aged 56, from complications resulting from multiple sclerosis. Very nice rifle. 2023 Rock Island Auction Company. George Van Orden and Chief Gy/Sgt. His previous skill as a marksman had won him a variety of matches and trophies at places like Camp Perry in Ohio. You are using an out of date browser. Head to the range this week with American Rifleman staff as they discuss a trim little repeater from Savage Arms that comes chambered for the .22 WMR cartridge. 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. "White Feather" as he was called by the North Vietnamese . "The only difficulty I had with Carlos was that he'd stay out there too long. 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. Those rifles were in the Winchester Marksman stocks with their wide forends and deep grips. 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 . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. that had been originally purchased [as] across-the course bolt guns for the National Matches. 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. Hathcock was one of several individuals to utilize the M2 Browning machine gun in the sniping role. Learn more about Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock II and the Winchester Model 70s service in Vietnam in these two American Rifleman articles:The Military Model 70. However, where the USMC procurement brass failed to see the merits of the Model 70, the Marine Corpsmarksmendid not. Some of the stocks were fiberglass bedded. This rifle came to us as a standard sporter rifle, with a Douglas barrel blank. A list of modern browsers is below; simply click an icon to go to the browsers download page. 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. And they did see duty. His longest confirmed kill was 2500 yards. The medium-heavy target barrel is a post war replacement. [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. Born on May 20, 1942, in Little Rock, Arkansas, Hathcock took to the sport of shooting at a very young age. [32], Hathcock provided sniper instruction to police departments and select military units, such as SEAL Team Six. This is yet another example of the truism that a great civilian firearm does not always equate to a great military rifle. 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. Keep an eye on the CMP Auction Site. I've read that the only way to do it is to first plate the barrel with a metal that will accept bluing. 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. I think the GSgt used the 10x but the 20x looks just like it. Carlos Hathcock, in Vietnam (left) and receiving the Silver Star (right). . 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. You sir have your shit together. Hathcock's record and the extraordinary details of the missions he undertook made him a legend in the U.S. Marine Corps. The value of these rifles mean that even if we did own one, we'd probably be reluctant to shoot it. The Winchester Model 70 represented perhaps the epitome of the bolt-action sporting rifle. 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. 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".In 1999 Shooting Times magazine named the Model 70 the "Bolt-action Rifle of the Century". 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. It was the Marines who pressed the Winchester Model 70 into service as a sniper rifle in Vietnam. Rewards put on U.S. snipers by the PAVN typically ranged from $8 to $2,000. The stock is nicely figured American walnut with checkered forearm and pistol grip and has the Winchester semi-gloss varnish finish. Although suffering from severe burns to his face, trunk, and arms and legs, Staff Sergeant Hathcock assisted the injured Marines in exiting the burning vehicle and moving to a place of relative safety.