You get only once to machine the receiver correctly for the rail . If you fuck it up there is no way to fix it. I am able to shoot it but it is now an abortion of a rifle that i would not give to my worst enemy.
M40A3 build at PWS in Quantico COMPLETED!! Detailed pictures on 3rd pg Range report 4th pg
- Thread starter scatsob
- Start date
My comments about not meeting the gunsmith but knowing him and is becoming great friends meant I'm familiar with his work but don't want to give his name out because he has turned down alot if people for builds since retiring but he's doing me a HUGE favor. I trust my guy, he's VERY well versed in the art of building rifles and is very respected around these parts
Thanks for looking out though, always good to help each other around here.
Love this thread, I am in the slow wait for my GAP built M40A3. This helps ease the pain of the wait! Keep the pics coming.
Action bedding and some USMC M40A3 porn
Great pics!!! I love the rifles and seeing the MARINES legs/boots in the picture, lucky sob gets to do this for a living, awesome!!!
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Pusher, we call that creature a Marine
As far as your bolt question...
PTG Bolts are the norm. Per the build standard, the bolt gets chucked up in a fixture and the lugs get faced (if they have enough meat on them, there's a minimum dimension) as well as the bolt face.
Lugs get lapped. The cocking cam gets some massaging and the firing pin assy gets worked over as well.
As far as your bolt question...
PTG Bolts are the norm. Per the build standard, the bolt gets chucked up in a fixture and the lugs get faced (if they have enough meat on them, there's a minimum dimension) as well as the bolt face.
Lugs get lapped. The cocking cam gets some massaging and the firing pin assy gets worked over as well.
BETTER NOT BE!!! There's a 1000 foot soldier-free zone around an M40A3, BY EDICT!
No disrespect, I'm not in the military. I will correct it promptly. Thank you for the answer to my question.
Opening up the barrel channel for the EFR. Bedding might happen tomorrow
Is that barrel channel straight or does it follow the bbl contour?
The original barrel channel follows the contour of the barrel. It is opened up to accommodate the EFR and becomes strait. I believe this is purely cosmetic so the barrel channel and EFR line up.
I must say it is most interesting, informative and educational how-to topic on M40x build. Accompanied with right specs, inc contour, chamber etc it's deserve sticky. I dreamed about such info when I built mine, did research for veeery long time.
I actually intend to edit the first post at some point to include all the information I can on the build for that very reason. On the ACI, I am not sure which generation they use, but based on my experience with the military it is probably the older generation.
Just to let everyone know, I got my EFR from Ross at PGW and it was just under $230 shipped. You don't have to military or anything special to get one, just email them and ask. I couldn't believe it as the last one that sold on ebay was for over $500 and $350 on gunbroker. Thank you again VERY much for the heads up Trespasser!!!
I have nothing to add other than this thread delivers. scatsob, thank you for putting it out there.
Threads like this will only cost money. The more I think about it the more I might have to start collecting parts for an M40A3/5'ish build to keep my M24 company. I can't have a "real" M40A* but my M24 is the real deal. Like mentioned by another member, if I do this it won't be true to spec but will look the part.
Barreled action and bottom metal broken out of the stock. Looks beautiful . Should get cleaned up tomorrow in the mill and maybe Wednesday for metal finishes.
. Should get cleaned up tomorrow in the mill and maybe Wednesday for metal finishes. Just curious, how does one go about getting these guys to build you/me a rifle? "The rifle will be built at PWS in Quantico and since it will be built by the dedicated marines that build these fine weapons for the USMC..."
Keep in mind, the ONLY difference between this rifle and an M40 sitting in our supply would be a few clicks of the mouse...
For me it was being in the right place at the right time. I always hated my detailer for sending me to Camp Lejeune but it ended up being one of the best things that could happened for both my career and my safe .
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Glad i found this thread, great read....your M40A3 when finished will be a Humdinger no doubt! Looking forward to seeing pic of finished rifle.
Interesting that they bed a couple of inches in front of the lug. A lot of guys stop right at the lug these days for a full float from the lug forward.Barreled action and bottom metal broken out of the stock. Looks beautiful
hmmm. I'm surprised with bedding too. My A5 clone bed was also 1'' after the lug, but I methodically dremeled out by my self. Tbh, it was positive for accuracy, I have proof as targets before and after... Can you confirm PWS guys like it that way?
The spec is 1.5" of bedding in front of the lug. That is also approximately where the barrel begins to taper.
Seriously, was it not blatantly obvious to you that the builder of the rifle is posting in this thread and actually it right or did you just swoop in and post without reading?
That post was actually in response to another member that stated they were doing to have a friend build them a rifle and was not meant for me or the builder of my rifle, so it's all good
Solid copy.
This is just about the only thread I check each day for progress/comments, without doubt one of the most interesting. Not to mention the fact that in the end this is going to be a stunning bit of kit.
I also had mine bedded ahead of the lug as I was informed that that is also spec, though I know some disagree. It's ok for me.
Waiting for the finished article.....
I also had mine bedded ahead of the lug as I was informed that that is also spec, though I know some disagree. It's ok for me.
Waiting for the finished article.....
The barrel pad is a spec. feature. The barrel starts to taper at around 5" from the end of the shank. If Scott has a better camera Im sure he will post some pictures of the rifle with a little better a hand than mine with a cell phone... When he gets it...
The barrel pad is to harden the rifle for true field use. There's a lot of mass hanging off the end of an action with a fully free floated barrel, and some say the receiver can actually flex under the strain of a heavy barrel.
As for accuracy, conventional wisdom says no pad is better, but I've seen barrels with pads that shoot better than half minute of angle.
I think you would be hard pressed to get a statistically significant difference in accuracy without the pad. In fact, I would be willing to bet if you chucked a couple of rifles in a vice (take the human out of the equation) there would be no difference.
Sorry to sidetrack. Wow MAGNA, the truth came out in a huge way about your rifle build and experience!!!
Regarding the barrel pad, I've had this article on file for a while, I'm sure some people here have seen it but it does make mention of bedding / not bedding in front of the recoil lug. I saved this ages ago, when first thought
of collecting the parts to try and do a clone/copy.. maybe someone here can verify if he is right or not.
I know this comes from another forum, not one I read, I found the article via google, don't flame me for posting the link... interesting read though.
USMC M40A3 - An Upgraded Sniper System?
of collecting the parts to try and do a clone/copy.. maybe someone here can verify if he is right or not.
I know this comes from another forum, not one I read, I found the article via google, don't flame me for posting the link... interesting read though.
USMC M40A3 - An Upgraded Sniper System?
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The masterpiece is almost complete. Just some final touches and it's off for test firing . The A3 is such a beautiful gun.
. The A3 is such a beautiful gun. 
Very nice build! I enjoyed watching this come to fruition.
Even better to know it may eventually find a way onto Lejuene or Stonebay.
Did you find an S&B yet?
Even better to know it may eventually find a way onto Lejuene or Stonebay.
Did you find an S&B yet?
I have not found a scope for it yet but have an email into Schmidt and Bender to see what I can get. Honestly it's not a priority right now. For the time being she will wear a PH 3-15 Gen2 mil dot, still a USMC scope just not the right one. I figure that I can always get glass but if some nutjob does something stupid guns might be a little harder to come by. My next purchase will be a KAC SR25 EC or ECC or APC; whichever is available first from Lawmen's.
Oh, and the USMC marked scopes in the marketplace are no longer available, I tried. Regardless I am not paying almost double just for 8 characters inscribed on the eyepiece.
Oh, and the USMC marked scopes in the marketplace are no longer available, I tried. Regardless I am not paying almost double just for 8 characters inscribed on the eyepiece.
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