Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

Raven 6

Full Member
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 29, 2006
1,004
71
Blue Ridge
I wanted to show you guys a project we are working on. It's a U.S.M.C. M40-A5 reproduction/clone. I will add pictures as we go showing the various stages from beginning though the final test groups before shipping to the customer. Here is the beginning, action has been blueprinted, clipslotted, base fitted, and re-parkerized. Hope everyone enjoy's.
SeansAction008.jpg

SeansAction010.jpg

M40-A5002.jpg

M40-A5004.jpg
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

Merry Christmas everyone. I'm adding a few new pictures for this build. This is a U.S.M.C. spec Schneider Barrel and Surefire break.
This is the first cut.
downsize1-1.jpg

Barrel threaded and action installed.
seanbarrel.jpg

All the pieces.
M40-A5assembled001.jpg

Assembled.
M40-A5assembled003.jpg

M40-A5assembled004.jpg

Next step is bedding and installing the EFR.
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

Sweet...

I've handled this action and I gotta say it's a work of art.

Looking much forward to my tube getting here and y'all getting started.....
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

Hey Len,

How is it going? I've been working on Junk lately. I want to get into more precision stuff. The project looks good.

MM
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

Oh ya. It will be cerakoted matte black. I just put it in the stock and screwed the bottom metal on as a Christmas teaser for Hogstooth. It should be finished in a few weeks.

Mark
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

Absolutely beautiful rifle. I haven't read too much about the A-5. What is the barrel contour that your are using and what is the thread count? Thanks again for posting the photos, I can't get enough!
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kingsgambit</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I haven't read too much about the A-5. What is the barrel contour that your are using and what is the thread count? Thanks again for posting the photos, I can't get enough!</div></div>
It's the U.S.M.C. contour. Sorry but you lost me on thread count, please explain.

Mark
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

Guys I have a few more pictures of the mill work for installing the EFR and bedding. The next pictures will be the finished rifle. I really don't like showing pictures of the bedding process, but Sean insisted (well kind of).
EFR1.jpg

EFR.jpg

bedding004.jpg

bedding003.jpg
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

Well guys I got to the range with Sean's rifle yesterday. After getting the scope zeroed I shot two 5 round groups. I was a little pressed for time and cold as the kid that stuck his tongue to the flag pole in Christmas Story. The first group is a solid 1/2 minute, and the second group was going great till the last shot and I guess I wanted it to bad, I pulled it right as you can see. No excuses, but even with the lame shot it's not a bad group. Once it gets in a shooters hands I'm sure it will be impressive. Thanks everyone for following this thread.

Mark Williams
Old Lodge Armory

P.S. I forgot to mention that these were shot using FGGM 175 gr ammo
target002.jpg

target001.jpg

 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

Oh man, I am chompin at the bit to get down there and pick it up this weekend but I have to wait till next weekend to get down there.

I am not much of a group shooter so I don't think I will do any better but every so often I find a nut and get a good group. I will only post the good ones as per SOP. LOL.
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

The barrel is a contract barrel for the Marine Corps, it is a MTU contour, Stainless,I can't remember exactly I think the twist was either 11-11.25. It was 22" end to end.
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

That is a great looking rifle! I do have the rest of the M40s would love to add one more to the collection. One question that I do have is about the clipslotting. Triple 6 I see that the action is in a vise for a mill, is that the way that you do it? Im trying to learn how to do it. I wish someone was willing to put it on video on how they do it. Any advise is greatly appreciated.
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

USMC Grunt said:
One question that I do have is about the clipslotting. Triple 6 I see that the action is in a vise for a mill, is that the way that you do it?/quote]

Well I don't have the luxury of a CNC so a manual mill is what I use. I wish I did have a CNC, I could put a 1/8" carbide endmill in the machine and program what I want. But with a Manual Mill you need several different size end mills. You will need to use carbide on these actions, HSS just want do the trick. Also I don't know about other people but I always use a vise to hold parts on a mill, unless it calls for a fixture. You can dig around on the net and find the remington print for the dimensions, but I warn you there are missing dimensions that you will have to figure out on your own, but if you are a machinist you should be okay.
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: triple 6</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
USMC Grunt said:
One question that I do have is about the clipslotting. Triple 6 I see that the action is in a vise for a mill, is that the way that you do it?/quote]

Well I don't have the luxury of a CNC so a manual mill is what I use. I wish I did have a CNC, I could put a 1/8" carbide endmill in the machine and program what I want. But with a Manual Mill you need several different size end mills. You will need to use carbide on these actions, HSS just want do the trick. Also I don't know about other people but I always use a vise to hold parts on a mill, unless it calls for a fixture. You can dig around on the net and find the remington print for the dimensions, but I warn you there are missing dimensions that you will have to figure out on your own, but if you are a machinist you should be okay. </div></div>

I do have the dimensions for the clipslot. Looks kind of easy to do the top part of it. Now what about the right side of the action, how did you do that part? That might seem to be a little bit harder to do.
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CARRYAGLOCK</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nicely done. The groups say more than the good looking pictures!
Sean I think you have another winner! </div></div>

Hi, CARRYAGLOCK.

What's the story on the early A3 parts you have pictured as part of your signature? Did you ever get the build complete, or are they parts you have for a future build?

It'd be interesting to know, since it looks like the great framework of an early A3. Thanks!

Ken
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

I'm old school I guess now. I still haven't finished my build although I do have my clipslotted action now. I should update my picture.
I want a spec A3 build for sentimental reasons. I do shoot an A5 though w/o the EFR.
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: CARRYAGLOCK</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm old school I guess now. I still haven't finished my build although I do have my clipslotted action now. I should update my picture.
I want a spec A3 build for sentimental reasons. I do shoot an A5 though w/o the EFR. </div></div>

I know what you mean. For my next build, I'm planning to do an A3 based on the DD Ross bottom metal as well. Kind of a tribute between new and old. But with the S&B scope, not the Unertl/USO, as I find it impossible to get a good cheek weld and eye relief combo with that scope mounted so far forward using the A4 stock.

And I apologize if I'm hijacking this thread from the original poster...
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

Here are pics of it with the scope mounted and accessories on, hope to get the can soon!

2urt1sx.jpg


Balanced on the PRS tripod and cradle
i6fubd.jpg


Shot the last four rounds at 460yds and pulled the fifth down a little further to 5 oclock, the other two shots were adjustments to get where I needed to be. Had a good spotter cause I could barely see the circle at 10x, it is 3/4" and the square is 3"

2d6ldma.jpg
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

Glad to see you got your rifle. Ive been following this thread sonce the beginning as i have not seen many M40A5's around.

Hows the recoil on that gun? I can imagine it wouldn't be that much. Once you get the can it will be nice to see how the accuracy goes.

Heath
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

very nice ! why not the PGW NV mount instead of the Badger ( it does look good with the badger though) ? thinking of upgrading my M40A3 to M40A5 specs with the PGW mount.
 
Re: Old Lodge Armory M40-A5 Project

The PGW is hard to get ahold of even though I am pretty sure I could have gotten one, the rifle is not a true spec so I didn't really mind not having the spec NV rail. I do get to mess with NV every so often so it is nice to get to use my own rifle when I do.

The basic concept of the A5 is what I really wanted in my competition gun, so I took all the aspects that I like and made a slightly smaller and lighter rifle.