1942 USMC SNIPER

[DocLes]

I just received this yesterday. I have a few pics, and comments to make about her. First of all I was impressed by the wood,SWEET!

Next the scope. I took a close look at this. Guess what? Leatherwood does some false advertizing to say the least.

The windage and elevation adjustment knobs are NOTHING like the one they have on their instruction booklet.

The one they have in the instruction book looks like the standard Unertal adjustment configuration. Lucky me, I just so happen to have a Unertal to switch out. till think I will send a letter to Leatherwood and tell them I have been bashing their product for false advertisment.
Enjoy the pics. Next post will be a range report.....with the Unertal scope

 

[Captain Moroni]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

Thats beautiful, congrats

 

[finbox]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

Damn they had torx screws in 1942 LOL

 

[30cal_Fun]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

Did you buy this one at James river armory?
Still a very nice rifle though.

 

[BasraBoy]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: finbox</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Damn they had torx screws in 1942 LOL
</div></div>

And there was me thinking Torx technology came from the Roswell Incident?

DocLes, congrats! Looks like it'll be a lot of fun.

Look forward to a detailed report - especially on fit/finish adn the performance of that scope.

 

[DV]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

Optics on these scopes are reported to be pretty good- the mounts are reported to be not so great.
Also complaints that the screws used are too soft to hold securely and need to be replaced with better (harder) quality screws.
The copy looks more like the 1" Unertl rather than the 1 1/4" scope.
From what I`ve been able to gather, once the mounts are tuned up the scopes are a pretty good deal.
Waiting on your range report.

 

[BasraBoy]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DV</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> The copy looks more like the 1" Unertl rather than the 1 1/4" scope. </div></div>

Good call DV - looking at the pic again that objective certainly seems higher off the front handguard than the 1 1/4"

 

[Longbow_06]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

Is this one of the James River Rifles ?

It looks sweet.

Lee.

 

[DocLes]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

Yes it is a James River.

 

[grunt0311]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

So overall is this scope worth getting? Im slowly working on building a M70 Vietnam sniper rifle. Thought about getting this scope for it but now I am wondering if its really worth to get them or not.

 

[DocLes]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMC Grunt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So overall is this scope worth getting? Im slowly working on building a M70 Vietnam sniper rifle. Thought about getting this scope for it but now I am wondering if its really worth to get them or not. </div></div>

For me the answer would be NO! Not only is the micro adjustment a piece of junk, but today I found that the scope rotates, thus .the crosshairs become askew. For your money, do yourself a favor and buy a Unertal or a Lyman. Just my opinion.
Good luck,
Doc Les

 

[BasraBoy]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DocLes</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMC Grunt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So overall is this scope worth getting? Im slowly working on building a M70 Vietnam sniper rifle. Thought about getting this scope for it but now I am wondering if its really worth to get them or not. </div></div>

For me the answer would be NO! Not only is the micro adjustment a piece of junk, but today I found that the scope rotates, thus .the crosshairs become askew. For your money, do yourself a favor and buy a Unertal or a Lyman. Just my opinion.
Good luck,
Doc Les </div></div>

I don't understand why these repro guys can't get their act together on these scopes. How difficult can it be to take a 70+ year old design and reproduce it? Somebody did all the hard work decades ago!!! Or are these repros just built to a price and minimum order quantity in China?

Any warranty or refund policy offered on crap that doesn't work?

Rant over - just annoys me to see people taking advantage of genuine buyers/enthusiasts

DocLes: on the rotation, is it the tube rotating in the mount? The flange on the topside of the tube should fit in a slot in the front mount and the screw down mechanism in the top of the front mount should hold it.

If the flange is massively under-sized, the slot is oversized or the front adjsuter doesn't have the screw....then I'd suggest looking at correcting/replacing whichever is "wrong"...or, as you do, just go and buy a Unertl or Lyman with correct adjusters/mounts that work!

I posted a link in former0302's 1941 build thread to some alternative set of adjusters...never tried them and they're not cheap but maybe an alternative for those looking?

If it is the eyepiece rotating and the repro is a true copy of the original, the screw you can see on the side of the eyepiece in your pic of the "fake" ident/screen printing should allow the reticle to be adjusted to dial out cant/level the reticle in the tube. Is it this that is rotating? It may just need tightening once you have levelled the reticle?

 

[DocLes]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BasraBoy</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DocLes</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: USMC Grunt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So overall is this scope worth getting? Im slowly working on building a M70 Vietnam sniper rifle. Thought about getting this scope for it but now I am wondering if its really worth to get them or not. </div></div>

For me the answer would be NO! Not only is the micro adjustment a piece of junk, but today I found that the scope rotates, thus .the crosshairs become askew. For your money, do yourself a favor and buy a Unertal or a Lyman. Just my opinion.
Good luck,
Doc Les </div></div>

I don't understand why these repro guys can't get their act together on these scopes. How difficult can it be to take a 70+ year old design and reproduce it? Somebody did all the hard work decades ago!!! Or are these repros just built to a price and minimum order quantity in China?

Any warranty or refund policy offered on crap that doesn't work?

Rant over - just annoys me to see people taking advantage of genuine buyers/enthusiasts

DocLes: on the rotation, is it the tube rotating in the mount? The flange on the topside of the tube should fit in a slot in the front mount and the screw down mechanism in the top of the front mount should hold it.

If the flange is massively under-sized, the slot is oversized or the front adjsuter doesn't have the screw....then I'd suggest looking at correcting/replacing whichever is "wrong"...or, as you do, just go and buy a Unertl or Lyman with correct adjusters/mounts that work!

I posted a link in former0302's 1941 build thread to some alternative set of adjusters...never tried them and they're not cheap but maybe an alternative for those looking?

If it is the eyepiece rotating and the repro is a true copy of the original, the screw you can see on the side of the eyepiece in your pic of the "fake" ident/screen printing should allow the reticle to be adjusted to dial out cant/level the reticle in the tube. Is it this that is rotating? It may just need tightening once you have levelled the reticle? </div></div>

The problem was that the scope ring in front was not correct when the scope was slid in. The grove had turned sideways. Fixed now. Sure wish I could find me a nice 8x or 10x to replace it with.

 

[Former0302]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

The rifle looks really nice. Have you shot it yet?

 

[DocLes]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: former0302</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The rifle looks really nice. Have you shot it yet? </div></div>

I'm going to take it out this weekend. Should be able to do a write up on Monday.

Doc Les

 

[BrianLara400]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

I've noticed that creedmoor sports have been offering a blueprinted version of the leatherwood scope, and if I eventually settle on something for my M70 project that isnt the real deal, it will be one of these (for that extra piece of mind).
Yes its complete bullshit the QC isnt where it needs to be and that they dont come direct from the factory with this level of tuning, however atleast Creedmoor are doing something about it.

"Creedmoor Sports Enhanced Accurized Leatherwood/Hi-Lux Optics WM. Malcolm 8X USMC Sniper Scope.

Each scope has been inspected and blueprinted by disassembling the scope, de-burring the parts, chasing threads as needed, replacing or repairing any subpar parts, adjusting the crosshairs, removing the cosmalen, lubricating with Starrett Instrument Oil, and replacing the Chinese mounting screws with high-quality American screws. Each scope comes with a certification of work and inspection. ($625)"

http://www.creedmoorsports.com/shop/Hi-Lux-Malcolm-8X-USMC-Sniper-Scope.html

 

[Former0302]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

Sucks that it's an extra $75 for the piece of mind, but worth it in my opinion.

 

[Smp2500]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

Very nice. Looking forward to the report.

 

[BasraBoy]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BrianLara400</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've noticed that creedmoor sports have been offering a blueprinted version of the leatherwood scope, and if I eventually settle on something for my M70 project that isnt the real deal, it will be one of these (for that extra piece of mind).
Yes its complete bullshit the QC isnt where it needs to be and that they dont come direct from the factory with this level of tuning, however atleast Creedmoor are doing something about it.

"Creedmoor Sports Enhanced Accurized Leatherwood/Hi-Lux Optics WM. Malcolm 8X USMC Sniper Scope.

Each scope has been inspected and blueprinted by disassembling the scope, de-burring the parts, chasing threads as needed, replacing or repairing any subpar parts, adjusting the crosshairs, removing the cosmalen, lubricating with Starrett Instrument Oil, and replacing the Chinese mounting screws with high-quality American screws. Each scope comes with a certification of work and inspection. ($625)"

http://www.creedmoorsports.com/shop/Hi-Lux-Malcolm-8X-USMC-Sniper-Scope.html </div></div>

Just confirms as I have long suspected (since seeing the first Gibbs 1903A4 catastrophe) that these "repros" are just built to a price point and are not really fit for purpose.

Also begs the question, if these producers know the goods are sub-standard for anyone who may actually want to use the things....why they don't just do the job properly in the first place?

If it costs you an extra $75.00 for the "privilege" of getting the crap sorted, it probably only costs them around 20-30% of that.

Creedmoor, Gibbs....what's the difference? Seems like they're jumping on the same bandwagon for a quick profit.

 

[firesniper27]

Re: 1942 USMC SNIPER

That is an awsom rifle