The metal was reblued as required. Before deploying to South Vietnam, Hathcock had won shooting championships, including matches at Camp Perry and the Wimbledon Cup. 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. The scope tube retains 95% plus of the original blue finish with sharp markings. 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. 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]. Carlos N. Hathcock II, who won the Wimbledon. . But on several occasions, he turned to the M2 .50-caliber machine gun for longer . From an early age, he was fond of firearms. They were running about $800 for a nice one with rings a few years ago. 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. 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. It would be hard to find a better example of this classic Marine sniper rifle from the Vietnam War. Note the long rear ring with the clip-slot cut in. Hathcock died on February 22, 1999, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, aged 56, from complications resulting from multiple sclerosis. It was missing a bolt part and the National Guard had designated it for "decommissioning" (a.k.a destruction). He sold quite a few, and claims they came from a USMC armorer. "[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. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world. The stock is in very fine condition. The left side of the barrel has the standard Winchester legend and trademark followed by: "MODEL 70-30-06 SPRG.-". Chief Warrant Officer 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. Unless you plan to go humping through the boonies, the fragile nature of the old optic is not much of an issue. The M-25 White Feather is a tribute to Carlos Hathcock who accounted for 93 confirmed enemy kills in Vietnam. "The only difficulty I had with Carlos was that he'd stay out there too long. Hathcock used the M40 during the Vietnam War and is credited with numerous kills, including a record-setting 2,500-meter shot. Oval Winchester "W/P" proof marks are stamped on the left side of the barrel and receiver. . Winchester Model 70 "standard Rifle" manufactured in 1941 with medium-heavy target barrel and "U.S.M.C.-SNIPER" Unertl telescopic sight. Hathcock's record and the extraordinary details of the missions he undertook made him a legend in the Marine Corps. NRA Secretary Edward J. 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. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association, Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. 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A list of modern browsers is below; simply click an icon to go to the browsers download page. Unertl 8X telescopic sight has a charcoal blue finish and is fitted with anodized aluminum Unertl target mounts on Winchester bases. 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. Carlos Hathcock with his Winchester Model 70 rifle. If one was to follow the change of power procedures described above, it gives an incredible latitude to the scopes use. When the need arose for more Model 70s the rifles procured by Brig. While visiting relatives in Mississippi, he took to shooting and hunting at an early age, partly out of necessity to help feed his poor family. One of the perennially popular Winchester firearms of the 20th century is the Model 70 bolt-action rifle. Carlos Hathcock passed away on 22 nd February 1999 in Virginia from the disease that had forced retirement . On some occasions, however, he used a different weapon: . During trips to Mississippi, he started developing an interest in hunting and long-range shooting. This article, "The Military Model 70," appeared originally in the April 2011 issue of American Rifleman. ][21][22] He was not informed of the details of the mission until he accepted it. Nearly 30 years later, he received a Silver Star for this action. The Unertl telescopic sight is in excellent condition. Land, Jr., who served in the . Before 1.02, the M70 Tundra was named the Winchester Model 70. This is a pretty cool thread. 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. 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. 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. During the closing stages of the war, the M1903A1/Unertl was replaced by the semi-automatic Garand M1C sniper rifle, which was soon followed by the M1D. 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 owner had provided us with the stock already featuring a nicely aged appearance, which we maintained in the build. I think the GSgt used the 10x but the 20x looks just like it. May also want to read this American Rifleman article: Thank you! 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. *Lighting a path to truth* Former Navy JAG Worldwide U.S. Military Defense. Founded by Frank Galli in 2000, Snipers Hide has been offering informational videos, podcasts, and other support to its users in one location. The sniper system shoots the M72 match ammunition loaded with 173-grain boat-tailed bullets (.30-06). The most well known Marine sniper of the Vietnam war has become a modern legend. He was the only child of Carlos and Agnes Hathcock. Hathcocks primary set-up was a Model 70 (pre-64), 30-06 target rifle with a heavy barrel, and Unertle 8x scope. "[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]. What many people don't realize is that the Unertl scope back in the day doesn't have glass amplification. 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. The only sound in the sweltering stillness was the buzzing of flies and gnats as. Sgt. Carlos Hathcock, in Vietnam (left) and receiving the Silver Star (right). It was this . [38] He is buried at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Norfolk, Virginia. His parents separated so he grew up with his grandmother in Geyer Springs, Pulaski County. An unknown number of additional Model 70s were eventually purchased for military use - both standard rifles and the marksman style target rifles. The serial number of this rifle, "48213" falls within the serial number range of Marine WWII Model 70 rifles listed on pages 49-50 of Death from Afar Volume 1" by Chandler & Chandler but is not included on the list. 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. Born in 1942, Hathcock enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on May 20, 1959the very day he turned 17. The Model 70. Hathcock himself estimated that he had killed between 300 and 400 enemy personnel during the Vietnam War. The stock were fitted with 1 1/2-inch sling swivels. He had dreamed of being a U.S. Marine his whole life and enlisted in 1959 at just 17 years old. Carlos Hathcock receiving the Silver Star for his actions in Vietnam. Being medically discharged, he received 100 percent disability pay. Any pictures I have seen, the stocks used overseas were more like hunting stocks. Gunnery Sgt. Hathcock's record and the extraordinary details of the missions he undertook made him a legend in the U.S. Marine Corps. Great project. Hathcock was an excellent sharpshooter by then, winning the Wimbledon Cup shooting championship in . 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. In 2016, an armorer with the Pennsylvania National Guard contacted us regarding a .308 target rifle used by their competitive match shooters. Composite stock of course. USMC Sniper Rifles: Hands On History. 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. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. That is without having to go with the points on a special reticle. "It was the hunt, not the killing. The late Marine sniper set the record in 1967 with a M-2 .50 caliber Browning machine gun.. 2023 Rock Island Auction Company. Item Number: R30701. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ , PO Box 1077 MURFREESBORO, Tennessee 37133 United States, P.O. 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. It was the Marines who pressed the Winchester Model 70 into service as a sniper rifle in Vietnam. Hathcock put a round in her with his bolt-action Winchester Model 70 30.06 (7.62mm) rifle and she collapsed on the ground. 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. But if you go by the books, everything seems right on it. This rebuild work varied but generally consisted of replacing the original sporter barrels with heavier 24" or 26" barrels and replacing the stocks as necessary, often with new target stocks procured from Winchester. Hathcock was one of several individuals to utilize the M2 Browning machine gun in the sniping role. Interestingly, Hathcock won that prestigious trophy with a Winchester Model 70. This shot covered a distance of 2500 yards. 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. Known as Van Orden rifles, these model 70 sniper rifles were at last procured under the watchful eye of Brigadier General George Van Orden. Due to the extreme injuries he suffered in Vietnam, he was in nearly constant pain, but continued to dedicate himself to teaching snipers. There also isn't any internal adjustments to zero. There are currently no customer product questions on this lot. 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. This recommendation made its way up the chain of command. He went on about five [operations] one time before I could get a fix on him.