My build is moving along. I have bottom metal and lug incoming. Looking for leads on an E prefix receiver/bolt and a M24 trigger. Thanks for any help.
M40A3 Build
- Thread starter Belvedere
- Start date
These are in the PX:
www.snipershide.com
Accessories - M24 triggers for sale
I’ve got 6 Remington M24 triggers that I am selling. These triggers are out of my personal collection and were going to be used on a few clone rifles I was thinking about doing. Plans change so I’ll offer them up. I will sell these for $550.00 each, shipped to your door. Don’t bust my balls...
www.snipershide.com
@Belvedere
I’m constantly searching the web for donor rifles. I’m only look for 6 digit receivers. What would you be looking to spend to sacrifice a rifle for the donor parts? Are considering the return on selling residual parts, assuming worthy stock, BDL floor plate, etc.I’ll keep my eyes open.
ETA: check messages. I just saw one.
I’m constantly searching the web for donor rifles. I’m only look for 6 digit receivers. What would you be looking to spend to sacrifice a rifle for the donor parts? Are considering the return on selling residual parts, assuming worthy stock, BDL floor plate, etc.I’ll keep my eyes open.
ETA: check messages. I just saw one.
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If you still need an M24 trigger, please shoot me a message. I have a few available that are less than the $550 that other people have M24 triggers priced at.
Thanks Ryan all set though. Those ones are sold out but someone else had one.
Looking forward to seeing some pictures of the finished product. I was fortunate to shoot my A3 bastard clone last weekend at the Vintage Match at Quantico. 800 yrd line….
Started on this site wanting an A3. Somehow acquired an A1. Now back on track.
Donor action in hand. Trigger shipping on Monday.
Trigger is now here. The person who sold it to me says he has three left. Anyone who has a need just message me and I’ll put you in contact with him.
I’ll still have to source some rings. Should be fun trying to find the correct GGG rings. Good times.
The very earliest M40A3's were made in December 2001 and supposedly those rifles had GG&G scope rings. The Marines used GG&G scope rings on the A3's for the next month or 2, and then swapped them out for Badger Ordnance scope rings. The Marines hated the GG&G scope rings, apparently they had issues with them breaking and/or coming loose.
This photo of an early large butthook A3 was probably taken at PWS, there's also a similar photo of an A1 that's taken on the same concrete floor. Apparently that was the last A1 made and this was the first A3 made (at least that's the rumor). If anyone has any information about this rifle, please post it here.
This might also be an early A3 at a USMC static weapons display, but I haven't verified if this is a USMC rifle. If anyone here has any information on it, please let us know.
I have a bunch of these old GG&G 4 screw sets of rings that are new in package. They're interesting, but the Badger Ordnance scope rings are much higher quality. Remember, if you're looking at sets of GG&G rings, you need the correct height and you need the old type with the small bolt head (on the cross bolt that holds the rings to the scope base). If the GG&G rings have a larger bolt head, they're more current and would be too late to use on an early A3 build.
The very earliest M40A3's were made in December 2001 and supposedly those rifles had GG&G scope rings. The Marines used GG&G scope rings on the A3's for the next month or 2, and then swapped them out for Badger Ordnance scope rings. The Marines hated the GG&G scope rings, apparently they had issues with them breaking and/or coming loose.
This photo of an early large butthook A3 was probably taken at PWS, there's also a similar photo of an A1 that's taken on the same concrete floor. Apparently that was the last A1 made and this was the first A3 made (at least that's the rumor). If anyone has any information about this rifle, please post it here.
This might also be an early A3 at a USMC static weapons display, but I haven't verified if this is a USMC rifle. If anyone here has any information on it, please let us know.
I have a bunch of these old GG&G 4 screw sets of rings that are new in package. They're interesting, but the Badger Ordnance scope rings are much higher quality. Remember, if you're looking at sets of GG&G rings, you need the correct height and you need the old type with the small bolt head (on the cross bolt that holds the rings to the scope base). If the GG&G rings have a larger bolt head, they're more current and would be too late to use on an early A3 build.
I “cloned” that static display! Lol
If you look closely at the original, there’s what is probably a Vietnam era M40 peeking out at the bottom right corner.
Here’s another photo floating around of that same static display, showing a Barrett M82 placed above the M40A3.
I honestly don't study the M40a3. I am sort of working my way up and finally just got done researching the M40A1. So I guess the M40A3 is next. lol So I have a lot to learn on the M40A3.
But I did find a lot of documents on them at the National Archives. They did make them earlier than December 2001 and glancing thru the docs for a couple minutes it seems the first ones were made in May 1999 all on E637 receivers (at least from I quickly saw). Then they did testing of them I see in reports in 1999 and 2000. The ones tested in May of 2000 they actually have a pic of it in the report. I might have pics earlier than this too.
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I remember reading about the “new M40A3” while I was stationed in Japan in 2001.I honestly don't study the M40a3. I am sort of working my way up and finally just got done researching the M40A1. So I guess the M40A3 is next. lol So I have a lot to learn on the M40A3.
The ones tested in May of 2000 they actually have a pic of it in the report. I might have pics earlier than this too.
Ok I just read more docs from the National Archives. They were ordered to build 584 M40A3's in Fiscal year 2001. So those E637's from 1999 would probably be described as the trial/test rifles.
*Edit, I should have read a little further. Looks like the first ones ordered built were on 9 April 1999, and they test fired the first one on May 3rd, 1999.
*Edit, I should have read a little further. Looks like the first ones ordered built were on 9 April 1999, and they test fired the first one on May 3rd, 1999.
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That’s good to know. I’m building a first issue M40A3 with big hook stock, unertl, and side bolt release. I’d be interested to see what kind of info you have on the early M40A3s.
I honestly don't study the M40a3. I am sort of working my way up and finally just got done researching the M40A1. So I guess the M40A3 is next. lol So I have a lot to learn on the M40A3.
The ones tested in May of 2000 they actually have a pic of it in the report. I might have pics earlier than this too.
It's amazing that you gound all of that information! When I say December 2001, I'm specifically referring to the A3's that were being made for the battalion Scout Sniper Platoons. All the A3's made before that are test guns or whatnot. I even have the earliest known PWS built M40A3 in private hands, and it was made in February 2001 (10 months before the production A3's began in December 2001).
I just read through really quick but I think I captured all of this. It would take some time to put down all the dates and read all of this. But the Marines adopted the Badger rings for the M40A3 on Nov 16, 2001.
Yeah that one above that you think might be the earliest is probably likely true. I'm seeing basically the same build at the beginning. I have the breakdown of the components.
Ok I read the scope ring docs. Basically I don't think the Marines hated the GG & G rings. Or if they did it's not communicated in the docs as everything seems positive about them. It seems the change was mostly due to a supply issue. They didn't think GG & G could supply them in the Quantities they needed for the A3 program. They were building 584 new rifles from scratch. So that is why they held a trial and then selected Badger. Everything I am seeing is just showing it was a supply issue.
Recently completed the same build with issued Unertl
