And it was as a sniper rifle the Model 70 ultimately earned its stripes. While the causes and conduct of that war remain a subject of great debate, an interesting aspect of the conflict is the use of the Winchester Model 70 as a precision rifle by the US forces, especially by the US Marine Corps snipers. [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. I just passed down my Win 70 .30-'06 Featherweight to the next generation. He sold quite a few, and claims they came from a USMC armorer. 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. Which honestly looking at the barrels, I think he was probably likely telling the truth. Due to the extreme injuries he suffered in Vietnam, he was in nearly constant pain, but continued to dedicate himself to teaching snipers. Instead of running for the sniper, the soldiers . Previously sold. Mil Dots give you an accurate unit of measurement and a way of compensating for gravity and wind drift. Without them, it can be extremely tough to hold for the effects. Would you like to visit Winchester International? [44] Turner Saddlery similarly honored Hathcock by producing a line of leather rifle slings based on his design. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ , PO Box 1077 MURFREESBORO, Tennessee 37133 United States, P.O. The 1047 rifles, U.S., caliber .30, M1903, Snipers Equipment on hand at this Depot are believed to be superior to the subject rifle both in accuracy and durability .. . There also isn't any internal adjustments to zero. These later rifles were delivered to the US military already modified to be sniper rifles, including a heavy barrel and accurized stock. [3], During the Vietnam War, Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills of People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong personnel. 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. Considered a real one but again even a cheap ($450.00) modern scope I feel is better than an original 60's era scope. Carlos Hathcock's sniper rifle! Winchester requested the Marines evaluate the rifles generally for suitability of use in combat, and specifically for use as sniper rifles. According to Winchester documents, these rifles were shipped to the Marine Corps on May 29, 1942. He fell into a state of depression when he was forced out of the Marines because he felt as if the service had kicked him out. Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives. I have a 53 heavy barreled action that needs the same treatment. 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. One of the distant places where Americas commitment would come to be tested was in South Vietnam. In 2016, an armorer with the Pennsylvania National Guard contacted us regarding a .308 target rifle used by their competitive match shooters. Hathcock put a round in her with his bolt-action Winchester Model 70 30.06 (7.62mm) rifle and she collapsed on the ground. 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. 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. Unless you plan to go humping through the boonies, the fragile nature of the old optic is not much of an issue. Btn., 7th Marines, under young Marine Capt. His heroic actions were instrumental in saving the lives of several Marines. Carlos Hathcock (D. Kevin Elliott) The sun lay low in the Vietnamese sky. Carlos Hathcock died on February 23, 1999, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, from complications resulting from multiple sclerosis. Hathcock generally used the standard sniper rifle: the Winchester Model 70 chambered for .30-06 Springfield cartridges, with the standard 8-power Unertl scope. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock II joined the Corps in 1959 at age 17. His previous skill as a marksman had won him a variety of matches and trophies at places like Camp Perry in Ohio. I was quickly brought back to reality when shooting this system. The late Marine sniper set the record in 1967 with a M-2 .50 caliber Browning machine gun.. During trips to Mississippi, he started developing an interest in hunting and long-range shooting. [47] Hathcock carried a Colt M1911A1 pistol as a sidearm.[17]. The Marine Corps clearly believed that the existing Model 1903, tuned to match grade, was a superior sniping rifle as compared to the Model 70. 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.. 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 it's a total rebuild. This was standard issue on his Winchester Model 70 sniper rifle, and he even used the same scope on the .50 cal. But I never did enjoy killing anybody. Very nice rifle. On some occasions, however, he used a different weapon: the Browning M2 machine gun, on which he mounted a 10X Unertl scope, using a bracket of his own design. Gunnery Sgt. In 1967, Hathcock set the record for the longest sniper kill. Only thing I would add is I forgo the 6X as I dont think its precise. The rifle was already being used by Marines snipers in Vietnam. [22] Hathcock said he was almost stepped on as he lay camouflaged with grass and vegetation in a meadow shortly after sunset. The reward was never collected. The U.S. Army fielded some World War II-vintage M1903A4 bolt-actions but relied primarily on the semi-automatic M1C Garand. The medium-heavy target barrel is a post war replacement. 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. Model 70 sniper rifles were used by US Marine snipers continuously from WWII, through the Vietnam War. The optics are clear. [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. And they did see duty. During the Vietnam War, Marine Corps Veteran Carlos Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills of North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong personnel. 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 report concluded that the best rifle/scope combination for use by U.S. Marine snipers was the Winchester Model 70 topped with an 8X target scope made by the Unertl Co. He was the only child of Carlos and Agnes Hathcock. The Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock Award is presented annually by the National Defense Industrial Association "to recognize an individual who has made significant contributions in operational employment and tactics of small arms weapons systems which have impacted the readiness and capabilities of the U.S. military or law enforcement. The only downsides are that its in the foothills just on the east side of the Rockies and the Chinook winds can get up to 100mph on bad days! As I remember from reading Henderson's book many moons ago, GySgt Hathcock deployed to VietNam in the '66-69 time frame. In turn, the Winchester factory had submitted a sniper prototype of the Model 70 fitted with a 10-round detachable box magazine to the US Army back in the early 1950s. A marksman model 70 still in active use with the PA National Guard. You just need the time to figure out a firing solution with the changes you make. Just 55 days short of the 20 years that would have made him eligible for regular retirement pay, he received a permanent disability separation. Carlos N. Hathcock II, who won the Wimbledon. Land, Jr., who served in the . 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. OVERALL LENGTH: 44.8 in. Snipers Hide is a community of Snipers of all kinds, focusing on long range shooting, accuracy, and ballistics. The Army's most accomplished Vietnam War sniper, Sgt. That's the way I look at it. I had a few of those hanging around. The Model 70. The Winchester Model 70 is a bolt action sporting rifle. RIAC believes that this website is accessible to the widest possible audience pursuant to the guidelines of the Americans with Disability Act. However, where the USMC procurement brass failed to see the merits of the Model 70, the Marine Corpsmarksmendid not. The most well known Marine sniper of the Vietnam war has become a modern legend. who placed a bounty on him during the Vietnam War ) used primarily a Pre-64 Winchester M. Both men served in Kilo Co., 3rd. Yeah it was, it was missing the an action screw and one that held on the trigger guard. Throughout its life, the Model 70 has been offered in . Hathcock passed away in 1999 at the age of 57. While recovering, Hathcock received the Purple Heart. The stock is nicely figured American walnut with checkered forearm and pistol grip and has the Winchester semi-gloss varnish finish. It's my job. Before any official action was taken, the Marine Corps ordered 373 Model 70s chambered in .30-06 Sprg. [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]. 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. 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. Carlos Hathcock was born on May 20, 1942, in North Little Rock, Arkansas. In addition to sniper rifles, model 70s were used extensively in marksmanship training and in match team shooting. 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.. Wiley Clapp in 1965. It is an odd scope by todays standards. The rifles inherent accuracy was ideally suited as a sniping rifle. And thus, with regard to sniper rifles, most of the US military inventory in the mid-1960s consisted of well-worn Model 1903A4 Springfields and M1C and M1D Garands, all of which dated from WWII, or perhaps the Korean War. The scope adjusts with turrets integral to the rear scope mount, and the tube of the scope floats inside adjustment pins. We want you to receive a part which looks exactly right on your vintage rifle, or is precisely what you need to complete your custom masterpiece. STOCK: Walnut FINISH: Blued barrel and action, oil-finished stock LENGTH OF PULL: 13.8 in. An unknown number of additional Model 70s were eventually purchased for military use - both standard rifles and the marksman style target rifles. It may not display this or other websites correctly. It would be hard to find a better example of this classic Marine sniper rifle from the Vietnam War. The Model 70, which was primarily based on the Model 54, is still regarded as one of the best cars ever made. SIGHTS: Folding rear, bead front 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. 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. that had been originally purchased [as] across-the course bolt guns for the National Matches. Who has the most kills in the Vietnam War? From an early age, he was fond of firearms. Van Ordens rifles also enjoyed some measure of success on the target range, as Marine Col. Walter Walsh won the 1952 National Rifle Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio, with one of the Van Orden Snipers.. However, we are happy to build tribute rifles and were very pleased torecently completea USMC sniper tribute rifle. 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. [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. 2023 The SOFREP Media Group. 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. Thanks! 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. Walker: The First AND Only Female Medal Of Honor Recipient, Bakhmut on the Brink of Falling to Russian Troops, Decorated Navy SEAL Died in HALO Training Accident, Belarus Steps up Their Proxy War as They Befriend China, Taiwan-China SITREP: Day 2 of Chinese Incursion on Taiwanese Air Zone, A Trickle of Tanks: Europe is Slow to Deliver on Its Promise, A Look at the Unconventional Tactics Used by Western Militaries Throughout History, Adam Brown: A SEALs Life of Courage and Redemption, Complete List: Ticonderoga-class Missile Cruisers To Retire By 2027, Nuclear Close Calls That Nearly Caused World War III, Russian Sausage Millionaire and Putin Critic Falls to His Death in India, Deadly Russian Rifle Brigade Wiped Out During War in Ukraine, Your Subscription Supports our Veteran Staff. On 10 July 1969, Carlos Hathcock and Ron McAbee were providing security for convoys along Western Route 4. 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. Hathcock was soon a member of the USMC rifle team, and in 1965 he won the Wimbledon Cup, a 1000-yard individual match fired at the National Matches in Camp Perry, Ohio. In 1936, Winchester introduced the Model 70 bolt-action rifle to the American market. It is a Model 70 National Match version made before 1940. He only used the .50 M2 on less than a dozen shots. Born in 1942, Hathcock enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on May 20, 1959the very day he turned 17. Just under 1200 yards of room if I stretch it and hills in every direction for natures perfect back stop! Nicknamed The White Feather for the small plume he wore on his boonie cap, Hathcocks incredible marksmanship skills soon struck fear in the hearts of the enemy, so much so that the Viet Cong reportedly placed a bounty of $30,000 on his head. 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. Carlos Hathcock typically used the Winchester Model 70 sniper rifle chambered for use with 30-06 ammunition along with an eight-power Unertl scope. With this rifle, Carlos describes killing 7 more Viet Cong soldiers and shared the 8th VC with McAbee. 134,606 views Dec 6, 2020 Winchester Model 70 (.30-06) rifle review in Hindi. It is undesirable to inject another rifle into the supply system, and if another rifle is injected into the supply system, it is necessary to inject non-standard ammunition for this rifle into the supply system in order to exploit fully any gain in accuracy. Customer experience was, and still is, the primary focus, a key to the firms longevity and success. Leatherwood is etched glass. This article, "The Military Model 70," appeared originally in the April 2011 issue of American Rifleman. The Model 70's suitability as a sniping rifle during the Vietnam War should be unquestioned, as the most famous and revered sniper of the war, Carlos Hathcock, used the rifle with. The rifle chosen was the Winchester Model 70. The scope tube retains 95% plus of the original blue finish with sharp markings. 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. 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. He copied Hemingway's words on a piece of paper. [23][22] He missed the Marine Corps, however, and returned to Vietnam in 1969, where he took command of a platoon of snipers.[10]. 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. Wow. It appears that you are accessing the Winchester Website from outside North America. The price is set at USD$1,750,000.00. Carlos Hathcock holds the Marine Corps record for the longest confirmed sniper kill shot. The U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1C is sufficiently accurate for use by snipers in the Marine Corps.Despite this rebuff, the Marine Corps report went on to state that [the] Model 70 Winchester is the most accurate American made, Caliber .30 on the market.During this same period, the U.S. Army also considered procurement of a modified Model 70 for sniping use as reflected in a memo from the chief of ordnance dated Oct. 30, 1951, which states in part: Any further consideration of the Model 70 by the Army was rejected. The Model 70 was largely based on the Model 54, and is today still highly regarded by shooters and is often called "The. He managed to achieve an astounding kill record of 93 - including an impressive shot through an enemy sniper's scope, but it was with the M2 that he was able to take out a Vietcong soldier pushing a bicycle loaded with ammunition at . Carlos held the record for the longest kill for 35 years. His parents separated so he grew up with his grandmother in Geyer Springs, Pulaski County. 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. [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. At that point Jim told Carlos to take her down. Price: $25,000.00. Carlos Hathcock accepting the Wimbledon Cup after winning the NRA National Matches. He hunted at that early age with a .22-caliber J. C. Higgins single-shot rifle. *Lighting a path to truth* Former Navy JAG Worldwide U.S. Military Defense. The rifle would of course have to be chambered in the 458 x 1.5 Barnes cartridge. Sgt. "[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.

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