[17] However, scholars such as Jerry Lembcke have cast doubt on Hathcock's account and questioned the existence of "Apache". Maj. Land told me that early in the war members of the sniper platoon collected contributions. For this operation, Carlos selected a .30-06 Winchester Model 70 mounting a Lyman 8X telescope that McAbee had fine-tuned. The rifle retains the original style sporter stock with checkered pistol grip and forearm and steel checkered buttplate. As part of his legacy, the gun was donated to the National Museum of the . The rifle was already being used by Marines snipers in Vietnam. In some cases, Douglas barrels were fitted to the Winchester actions to attain optimum accuracy. Despite its excellence as a precision rifle, the Model 70 was never fully embraced by the U.S. military as a standardized sniper arm. 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. I am hoping to have one built myself someday. He copied Hemingway's words on a piece of paper. The Winchester Model 70is abolt-actionsporting/huntingrifle. Carlos Hathcock's sniper rifle! The scarcity of these rifles mean few of us will ever get a chance to own one. Scope used by Carlos Hathcock. 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 . RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. They were running about $800 for a nice one with rings a few years ago. Scope not included. My Hathcock tribute is based on what he considered the "ideal" rifle as discussed in his authorized biography, "White Feather". 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. [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. 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. One Marine who came from just such a rifle team environment and went to Vietnam, where he used a similar Model 70 for a time was Gunnery Sgt. 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. One of the perennially popular Winchester firearms of the 20th century is the Model 70 bolt-action rifle. He had dreamed of being a U.S. Marine his whole life and enlisted in 1959 at just 17 years old. A memo dated July 29, 1942, stated in part: Subject: Rifles, Winchester, Model 70, .30 Government 06. In the background is radio operator Jerry Dunomes. If I was you, I might look up this guy on ebay and write him and see if he has anymore of these barrels. Enjoy the photos and let us know if there's a special model 70 project we can take on for you! The sniper, known only as the "Cobra," had already killed several Marines and was believed to have been sent specifically to kill Hathcock. 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. In a book I'm reading about on Carlos Hathcock, there are some pictures of him with his rifle. Includes 10 round box magazine standard plus extra 5 round magazine, and hard case. FOLLO .more .more 2.6K Dislike Share Indian Gunner 26.3K subscribers. . Accurate in every detail, enjoyed reading this. During his entire career as a sniper, Carlos Hathcock used a U. S. Marines version of a Unertl precision riflescope. 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. Carlos N. Hathcock II, who won the Wimbledon. The rifle would of course have to be chambered in the 458 x 1.5 Barnes cartridge. Very nice work. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States. 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 . As events transpired, the Model 70s pressed into service as sniping arms, especially during the Vietnam War, were really never meant to be more than a stop-gap or interim measure until a standardized sniper rifle could be procured. The metal finishes were done by Ken Pederson ofPederson Arms in Arlington, WA. Land told Hathcock to "put another round in her." Hathcock fired again and her body convulsed. [3], During the Vietnam War, Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills of People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong personnel. These scopes now used in Vietnam are the same scopes on newer rifles. He did however adapt according to the conditions and once even used the M2 Browning machine gun! The USMC was still using the Model 70s as both target rifle for international match competition and pseudo-sniper rifle work . The second lot of rifles used by Land and his teams in Vietnam were also Winchester Model 70 target guns in .30-06 Sprg. These are some beautiful projects. The most well known Marine sniper of the Vietnam war has become a modern legend. Stretching it past 500 and reaching out to 1000, put all of us in a humbling state of mind. Hathcock was an excellent sharpshooter by then, winning the Wimbledon Cup shooting championship in . Most of the Model 70 sniper rifles issued by the Marines to snipers in the early stage of the Vietnam War were pre-war or early WWII production Model 70 .30-06 Standard Rifles purchased during WWII. IIRC, Remington did this with some of their rifles at one time. 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. He hunted at that early age with a .22-caliber J. C. Higgins single-shot rifle. This success led to the adoption of the .50 BMG cartridge as a viable sniper round. 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. Beautiful build. Those rifles were in the Winchester Marksman stocks with their wide forends and deep grips. Carlos Hathcock accepting the Wimbledon Cup after winning the NRA National Matches. Hathcock generally used the standard sniper rifle: the Winchester Model 70 .30-06 caliber rifle with the standard 8-power Unertl scope. Before any official action was taken, the Marine Corps ordered 373 Model 70s chambered in .30-06 Sprg. George Van Orden and Chief Gy/Sgt. Very nice rifle. Awesome to hear/see when someone has their shit together. The rifle is pillar bedded and barrel free-floated in its original stock. [32], Hathcock provided sniper instruction to police departments and select military units, such as SEAL Team Six. If I don't get those bastards, then they're gonna kill a lot of these kids dressed up like Marines. Leatherwood is etched glass. From an early age, he was fond of firearms. Wow. This rifle came to us as a standard sporter rifle, with a Douglas barrel blank. In 1975, Hathcock's health began to deteriorate, and he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Ultimately neither of these proposed rifles was ultimately adopted. Your browser is out of date and may not be able to properly display our website. Using this rifle, we shot at increments of 100 yards, all the way out to 1,000 to test our modern-day sniper skills. In an eloquent eulogy to Hathcock inThe Washington Post, staff writer Stephen Hunter said it best. 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. In addition to sniper rifles, model 70s were used extensively in marksmanship training and in match team shooting. [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? 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. The M-25 White Feather is a tribute to Carlos Hathcock who accounted for 93 confirmed enemy kills in Vietnam. [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. Lots of posts I haven't come back to as of late. 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. You just need the time to figure out a firing solution with the changes you make. The scope adjusts with turrets integral to the rear scope mount, and the tube of the scope floats inside adjustment pins. The rifles inherent accuracy was ideally suited as a sniping rifle. On some occasions, however, he used a different weapon: the . Hathcock remains a legend in the U.S. Marine Corps. I had always thought that long tube scopes were originally used a long time ago and were more or less obsolete. Hathcock held the record for the highest bounty and killed every known Vietnamese marksman who sought him to try to collect it. Hathcock's record and the extraordinary details of the missions he undertook made him a legend in the U.S. Marine Corps. [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]. Im sure with a lot of practice and tons of time behind the rifle, it could become almost second nature, but for the time we had it, it wasnt something to brag about. This rifle is illustrated and described on pages 66 and 67 of "The One Round War" by Peter Senich. Unofficially and by his own estimates, Hathcock believed he killed between 300 and 400. The stock were fitted with 1 1/2-inch sling swivels. The author says Carlos used a Model 70 Winchester with a long tube Unertl scope. [24][25][26][27][self-published source], After this mission, Hathcock returned to the United States in 1967. The Model 70 was largely based on the Model 54, and is today still highly regarded by shooters and is often called "The. 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. It was this . 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 . [44] Turner Saddlery similarly honored Hathcock by producing a line of leather rifle slings based on his design. Before 1.02, the M70 Tundra was named the Winchester Model 70. Snipers often did not have a third party present, making confirmation difficult, especially if the target was behind enemy lines, as was usually the case. 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.". 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. His longest confirmed kill was 2500 yards. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ He set up on a hill close to the treeline, 700 yards from where his target would be. 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. 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. 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. 134,606 views Dec 6, 2020 Winchester Model 70 (.30-06) rifle review in Hindi. Model 70 sniper rifles were used by US Marine snipers continuously from WWII, through the Vietnam War. 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. for his record shot. 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. I got this guy for $501 delivered to my door. 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. S. Jay Ratliff As long as you understood the effects wind had on the projectile and understood the ballistic drop, you could do fine. This effort was ultimately unsuccessful from a military procurement standpoint, but cemented the Model 70's place in USMC sniper history. Gunnery Sgt. This was standard issue on his Winchester Model 70 sniper rifle, and he even used the same scope on the .50 cal. This one is mine. The legendary Carlos Norman Hatchock II learned to shoot with this gun. Weaponry. 2023 Rock Island Auction Company. The bolt body is polished bright and electro-penciled with the rifle serial number "48213". But I guess I was wrong. He did win the Wimbledon Cup with it after all. With robust designs and vintage classic style, discover the heritage of military timepieces today! Carlos Hathcock passed away on 22 nd February 1999 in Virginia from the disease that had forced retirement . 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. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock II joined the Corps in 1959 at age 17. *Lighting a path to truth* Former Navy JAG Worldwide U.S. Military Defense. To avoid contributing to the prolific problem of counterfeit rare model 70s,we decline to build replica model 70s of any kind. Agree sandwarrior there was a thread on old old hide many moons ago regarding this. A list of modern browsers is below; simply click an icon to go to the browsers download page. He grew up in Wynne, Arkansas, living with his grandmother for the first 12 years of his life after his parents separated. These two historic Winchester Model 70 rifles bearing serial numbers "1" and "2" are now being offered for sale by Sportsman's Legacy. The Model 70 was originally manufactured by the . The Korean War was the last conflict in which the World War II-vintage bolt-action M1903A1/Unertl sniper rifle was employed. The Model 70, which was primarily based on the Model 54, is still regarded as one of the best cars ever made. The ranging peice was plastic and many distort over the years. We at Winchester Repeating Arms wish to take this opportunity to salute all those who have answered our nations call to serve. 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. That's the way I look at it. Estimated Price: $ 15,000 - $ 25,000 Price Realized: Details Outstanding, Rare and Well Documented Winchester Model 70 U.S.M.C. On some occasions, however, he used a different weapon: . But on several occasions, he turned to the M2 .50-caliber machine gun for longer . Note the long rear ring with the clip-slot cut in. Just under 1200 yards of room if I stretch it and hills in every direction for natures perfect back stop! What should the discerning collector look for in a potential buy? A marksman model 70 still in active use with the PA National Guard. On 10 July 1969, Carlos Hathcock and Ron McAbee were providing security for convoys along Western Route 4. sniper kill. 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. Remarkably, a few remain in service to this day. Not what he was able to get the Marine Corps to adopt. A one of a kind rifle! US Army Ordnance (Retired), Please note, comments must be approved before they are published, These rifles are not considered suitable for use as sniper rifles. Carlos Hathcock, used the rifle with remarkable effectiveness. Legendary USMC sniper Carlos Hathcock learned how to shoot on a Stevens Model 15-A. The US government eventually purchased additional model 70s andofficially sanctioned them for combat duty. The rifles were a special order spec sent from Winchester to Evaluators Limited of Triangle, VA, where they were fully accurized to meet Van Orden's detailed sniper specification. In 1967, Hathcock set the record for the longest sniper kill. Steam rose from the damp jungle mulch. My Hathcock tribute. SIGHTS: Folding rear, bead front 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. The rifle retains nearly 95% of the original blue finish with very minor handling wear. The only sound in the sweltering stillness was the buzzing of flies and gnats as. Considered a real one but again even a cheap ($450.00) modern scope I feel is better than an original 60's era scope. [18][19], Hathcock only once removed the white feather from his bush hat while deployed in Vietnam. Many of these were subsequently rebuilt between circa 1956 and 1963, primarily at the Marine Corps Match Rebuild Shop in Albany, Ga. 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. However, we are happy to build tribute rifles and were very pleased torecently completea USMC sniper tribute rifle. 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). Nice! 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 anodized aluminum Unertl target mounts have a blue-brown patina that is typical of these WWII production mounts. The metal was reblued as required. 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. I was quickly brought back to reality when shooting this system. 2023 The SOFREP Media Group. All it would take is an '06 reamer if one was inclined. Only thing I would add is I forgo the 6X as I dont think its precise. Being medically discharged, he received 100 percent disability pay. The stock is nicely figured American walnut with checkered forearm and pistol grip and has the Winchester semi-gloss varnish finish. [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. 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." The sniper system shoots the M72 match ammunition loaded with 173-grain . Nevertheless, Winchester Model 70s teamed with the Unertl scopes were superb sniping arms, certainly better than anything else in the militarys inventory at the time. 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. NRA photo. Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. Probably overthinking this but I like to use the "stops" at each end of the power range in this application. His parents separated so he grew up with his grandmother in Geyer Springs, Pulaski County. [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. [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. I have a 53 heavy barreled action that needs the same treatment. 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. 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.. Hathcock was one of several individuals to utilize the M2 Browning machine gun in the sniping role. This is an original military issue Remington M40 sniper rifle brought back from Vietnam by a Marine officer, who later had it signed by Carlos "White Feather" Hathcock in 1992 at a Former Marine Association event. It is an odd scope by todays standards. Who has the most kills in the Vietnam War? Their official role was for use in marksmanship training, but that's not where they would all end up. Carlos held the record for the longest kill for 35 years. 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.. 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. Snipers Hide is a community of Snipers of all kinds, focusing on long range shooting, accuracy, and ballistics. [5], The PAVN placed a bounty of US $30,000 on Hathcock's life for killing so many of its soldiers. After returning to active duty, Hathcock helped establish the Marine Corps Scout Sniper School at the Marine base in Quantico, Virginia.
Desert Vista Summer School,
Land Bank Of Flint Michigan,
My Safe Word Is Pineapple Juice Guy,
Debit Card Alert Text Message,
Articles C