carlos hathcock model 70 rifle

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. 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 . The medium-heavy target barrel is a post war replacement. Carlos used a Winchester Model 70 .30-06 match ammunition loaded with 173-grain boat-tailed bullets, also used an 8-power Unertl scope. As noted BuffaloWinter's rifle is mostly what Gunny Hathcock wanted in a rifle. It may not display this or other websites correctly. They were intended primarily as match rifles and were not procured for use as sniper rifles. I got this guy for $501 delivered to my door. This rifle is the same as the Model 70 sniper rifle used by famed Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock near Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam, in 1966. It is used by not only sportsmen, but military and police snipers as well. "[41][42] A sniper range named for Hathcock is at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. But I guess I was wrong. Carlos Hathcock with his Winchester Model 70 rifle. With robust designs and vintage classic style, discover the heritage of military timepieces today! If I was you, I might look up this guy on ebay and write him and see if he has anymore of these barrels. But it's a total rebuild. [5], The PAVN placed a bounty of US $30,000 on Hathcock's life for killing so many of its soldiers. It appears that you are accessing the Winchester Website from outside North America. He purchased a Winchester Model 70 and fitted it with a Unertl 10 power telescopic sight to test his theories. This is a pretty cool thread. The rifle has no Marine or U.S. property marks on any component. Decorations. The checkered panels are sharp; wear is limited to scattered visible sling hardware marks near the buttplate and upper sling swivel. 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. Not what he was able to get the Marine Corps to adopt. With this rifle, Carlos describes killing 7 more Viet Cong soldiers and shared the 8th VC with McAbee. The rifle is in excellent condition showing only . He only used the .50 M2 on less than a dozen shots. Buffalo,. Unertl 8X telescopic sight has a charcoal blue finish and is fitted with anodized aluminum Unertl target mounts on Winchester bases. Officially, Carlos Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills. The Model 70 was largely based on theModel 54, and is today still highly regarded by shooters and is often called The Riflemans Rifle. The sniper system shoots theM72 match ammunition loaded with 173-grain boat-tailed bullets (.30-06). Hathcock pulled seven Marines from the flame-engulfed vehicle, suffering severe burns (some third-degree) to his face, arms, and legs, before someone pulled him away and placed him in water because he was unaware of how badly he had been burnt. The group started running towards Hathcock and Land. 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. On May 29, 1942, eager to do their part in the war effort, Winchester shipped 373 model 70 standard .30-06 rifles to the US Marine Corps. 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". 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". 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. 134,606 views Dec 6, 2020 Winchester Model 70 (.30-06) rifle review in Hindi. The price is set at USD$1,750,000.00. [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. Maj. Land told me that early in the war members of the sniper platoon collected contributions. However, where the USMC procurement brass failed to see the merits of the Model 70, the Marine Corpsmarksmendid not. This shot covered a distance of 2500 yards. Born in 1942, Hathcock enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on May 20, 1959the very day he turned 17. [17] However, scholars such as Jerry Lembcke have cast doubt on Hathcock's account and questioned the existence of "Apache". The rifle is a Winchester M70 in 30-06. S. Jay Ratliff If one was to follow the change of power procedures described above, it gives an incredible latitude to the scopes use. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States. When I first saw the pic I assumed it was a short action. You can pick up a replica of the Unertl Scope online for an MSRP of around $550.00. The optics are clear. The barrel, receiver, bolt handle, cocking piece trigger guard, and buttplate have the Winchester charcoal blue finish. "[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. It was the performance of these Snipers in Vietnam that secured the sniper concept as a permanent fixture in the United States military. The "U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1903," better-known as the M1903 Springfield, has become one of the most popular U.S. military small arms to collect. 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. In 1975, Hathcock's health began to deteriorate, and he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. There also isn't any internal adjustments to zero. It has been determined that the increased accuracy of the Model 70 Winchester is insufficient to justify its introduction into an already overburdened supply system., Although adoption of the Model 70 as a sniping arm by the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army remained elusive, the rifle did enjoy some measure of quasi-military popularity throughout the mid- to late-1950s. 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. In 1967, Hathcock set the record for the longest sniper kill. It is an odd scope by today's standards. Thanks! 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. Nearly 30 years later, he received a Silver Star for this action. Stretching it past 500 and reaching out to 1000, put all of us in a humbling state of mind. [15] Hathcock and John Roland Burke, his spotter, were stalking the enemy sniper in the jungle near Hill 55, the firebase from which Hathcock was operating, southwest of Da Nang. The LR/T front focal offers an elevation range of 65-MOA and a windage range of 65-MOA. From the 1970's, illustrating the Monte Carlo style stocks used in this era. In 1966, the Marines determined that the M1C and M1D Garand sniper rifles lacked the accuracy required for operations in Vietnam and modified the available Model 70 target rifles and standard rifles to sniper configuration by fitting them with the 8x Unertl "USMC-SNIPER" telescopic sights mounted on the Springfield M1903A1 sniper rifles during WWII and the Korean Conflict. . 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. Springfield Armory's M-21 and M-25 are the highest quality precision rifles built on the M-14action. The scope tube is roll-stamped: "J. UNERTL/USMC-SNIPER" in two lines above the serial number "2232". For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. [31] He would have received only 50 percent of his final pay grade had he retired after 20 years. [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 value of these rifles mean that even if we did own one, we'd probably be reluctant to shoot it. Hathcock put a round in her with his bolt-action Winchester Model 70 30.06 (7.62mm) rifle and she collapsed on the ground. These rifles were subsequently used for recreation and target shooting. 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. Hathcock generally used the standard sniper rifle: the Winchester Model 70 .30-06 caliber rifle with the standard 8-power Unertl scope. 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 . 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 . 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. Hathcock eventually picked up the hobby of shark fishing, which helped him to overcome his depression. Carlos Hathcock passed away on 22 nd February 1999 in Virginia from the disease that had forced retirement . 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. Hathcock's first round disabled the bicycle, the second struck the enemy soldier in the chest. Any pictures I have seen, the stocks used overseas were more like hunting stocks. The Complete History of Winchester Repeating Arms. A memo dated July 29, 1942, stated in part: Subject: Rifles, Winchester, Model 70, .30 Government 06. Beautiful build. Those rifles were in the Winchester Marksman stocks with their wide forends and deep grips. They were mothballed after NRA changed match rules to limit service personnel to shooting service rifles. His heroic actions were instrumental in saving the lives of several Marines. Steam rose from the damp jungle mulch. In one of his more renowned stories, Carlos Hathcock killed an enemy sniper through the enemy's own rifle scope. Carlos Hathcock receiving the Silver Star for his actions in Vietnam. I am hoping to have one built myself someday. 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. The following year Hathcock deployed to South Vietnam with the 1st Marine Division, where he was soon assigned sniper duties. Hathcock generally used the standard sniper rifle: the Winchester Model 70 .30-06 caliber rifle with the standard 8-power Unertl scope. A 1951 U.S. Marine Corps report on the subject categorically rejected the procurement of any new Model 70 sniper rifles: There is no Marine Corps requirement for a special rifle for use by snipers in the Marine Corps. Using this rifle, we shot at increments of 100 yards, all the way out to 1,000 to test our modern-day sniper skills. Carlos Hathcock was born on May 20, 1942, in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The M-25 White Feather is a tribute to Carlos Hathcock who accounted for 93 confirmed enemy kills in Vietnam. Adelbert F. Waldron III stacked up 113 enemies using the XM21 system. There are no internal adjustments to zero these old style Unertls. AFAIK, Crane only made two of these on the 721 action. 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. 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. By the end of his first deployment Hathcock's life was worth $30,000 to the North Vietnamese . sniper kill. [18][19], Hathcock only once removed the white feather from his bush hat while deployed in Vietnam. "It was the hunt, not the killing. This is yet another example of the truism that a great civilian firearm does not always equate to a great military rifle. Bolt Action Sniper Rifle with Unertl Telescopic Sight Manufacturer: Winchester Model: 70 Type: Rifle Gauge: 30-06 Barrel: 24 inch round Finish: blue Grip: Stock: walnut checkered Item Views: 13427 Carlos Hathcock, in Vietnam (left) and receiving the Silver Star (right). 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. Due to the extreme injuries he suffered in Vietnam, he was in nearly constant pain, but continued to dedicate himself to teaching snipers. I had a chance to take a trip back in time recently and shot the Winchester Model 70 .30-06 using an 8-powerUnertl scope, the same set up that the famous Carlos Hathcock used while he was in Vietnam. Receiver is engraved with likeness of Carlos Hathcock's signature, along with the White Feather logo. He stayed in the Marine Corps, but his health continued to decline. Carlos Hathcock, in Vietnam (left) and receiving the Silver Star (right). Throughout its life, the Model 70 has been offered in . 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. This effort was ultimately unsuccessful from a military procurement standpoint, but cemented the Model 70's place in USMC sniper history. 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. .30-06 Winchester Model 70 National Match Rifles equipped with a medium heavy barrel for use during the 1955 National Matches. The recipient of the memo replied on Feb. 7, 1955: The total number of weapons required for the 1955 Matches is 204. It has been confirmed that the U.S. Army purchased in excess of 200 Model 70 rifles between 1954 and 1959, mainly from Van Ordens firm. Customer experience was, and still is, the primary focus, a key to the firms longevity and success. The U.S. Army fielded some World War II-vintage M1903A4 bolt-actions but relied primarily on the semi-automatic M1C Garand. Here are the features to watch out for. You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article. [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 sniper, known only as the "Cobra," had already killed several Marines and was believed to have been sent specifically to kill Hathcock. Their official role was for use in marksmanship training, but that's not where they would all end up. Many of these were subsequently rebuilt between circa 1956 and 1963, primarily at the Marine Corps Match Rebuild Shop in Albany, Ga. I'm not. The owner had provided us with the stock already featuring a nicely aged appearance, which we maintained in the build. You are correct in that stainless cannot be blued as it is. 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. Instead of running for the sniper, the soldiers . [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." Carlos Hathcock . Carlos held the record for the longest kill for 35 years. It was long thought that Hathcock, armed with his Winchester Model 70 .30-06 caliber rifle equipped with an 8-power Unertl scope, was the deadliest sniper in Marine Corps history, but that. These are some beautiful projects. 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. He was the only child of Carlos and Agnes Hathcock. SIGHTS: Folding rear, bead front "The only difficulty I had with Carlos was that he'd stay out there too long. It might be possible it's real as it came from a Marine officer who served back then, but I don't know how you could ever prove/authenticate one unless you had a document with the serial number on it. These relatively few Model 70 rifles soon became favored for their lighter weight, refined handling, and superior accuracy compared to the Springfield rifle. Hathcock took possession of the dead sniper's rifle, hoping to bring it home as a "trophy", but after he turned it in and tagged it, it was stolen from the armory. For these reasons, we regularly get inquiries about building "tribute" and "replica"USMC Sniper rifles. 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. It was supplied with a Redfield 3x9 mounted with Redfield base/rings. The serial number, "48213" is roll-stamped on the right side of the receiver below the rear sight base. 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. [47] Hathcock carried a Colt M1911A1 pistol as a sidearm.[17]. 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. Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. Support Veteran Journalism , Editors note: Carlos Hathcock Born this day, May 20, 1942. You are using an out of date browser. 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. It was in this way the Winchester model 70 found its way into unauthorized sniper duty during the WWII, primarily in the Pacific Theater. The rifle is pillar bedded and barrel free-floated in its original stock. The precision and reliability of the model 70's controlled-round-feed action meant a cartridge could be slowly and quietly chambered with a single hand - something which was more difficult with a push-feed action. [3], During the Vietnam War, Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills of People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong personnel. A Lyman micrometer sight base is mounted on the left side of the receiver. However, we are happy to build tribute rifles and were very pleased torecently completea USMC sniper tribute rifle. The machine work, barrel channel and bedding were completed in our shop. The scope adjusts with turrets integral to the rear scope mount, and the tube of the scope floats inside adjustment pins. Both men served in Kilo Co., 3rd. Sgt. JavaScript is disabled. Before any official action was taken, the Marine Corps ordered 373 Model 70s chambered in .30-06 Sprg. Your rifle is seriously motivating me to start a new project build .metal and wood just feel so nice together. George Van Orden and Chief Gy/Sgt. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Hathcock generally used the standard sniper rifle: the Winchester Model 70.30-06 caliber rifle with the standard 8-power Unertl scope. . 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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Carlos Norman Hathcock II (20 May 1942 - 23 February 1999) was a United States Marine Corps sniper with a service record of 93 confirmed kills. The USMC was still using the Model 70s as both target rifle for international match competition and pseudo-sniper rifle work . This rifle came to us as a standard sporter rifle, with a Douglas barrel blank. Unless you plan to go humping through the boonies, the fragile nature of the old optic is not much of an issue. 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. RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. In the background is radio operator Jerry Dunomes. 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. 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. The Winchester Model 70 is a bolt-action sporting/hunting rifle. The metal was reblued as required. Winchester Model 70 "standard Rifle" manufactured in 1941 with medium-heavy target barrel and "U.S.M.C.-SNIPER" Unertl telescopic sight. This recommendation made its way up the chain of command. [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? I did all the other work. 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. 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. 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. He was the only child of Carlos and Agnes Hathcock. The reward was never collected. [6] The Viet Cong and PAVN called Hathcock Lng Trng, translated as "White Feather", because of the white feather he kept in a band on his bush hat. 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. 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.