Original USMC M40 review on YouTube!

[USMCSGT0331]

As you guys probably know from the USMC DMR video, I've teamed up with Rob at Vintage Rifles Shooters Club on YouTube, and I'm sending him cool rifles from my collection to review. He just put this short teaser up on his YouTube channel and I figured you guys might be interested!



We're still trying to decide what we want to put in the review, so if there's anything M40 related that you want to see, please post it here and we'll try to make it happen! I actually need to send him another greenie, Rob managed to break this one in the first 3 zeroing shots, lol. However, he said that those 3 shots cloverleafed at 100 yards, so at least we have our first results for the review! I'll post up pics of that target whenever he sends them to me. Thankfully I have a backup scope and he knows how to mount it correctly in the old Redfield rings. Once that scope is zeroed, we'll start filming the review of the rifle.

This is pretty significant because to my knowledge there has never been a video review done on an original 6 digit serial number USMC M40. So, this is a pretty unique opportunity for us to show the public an amazing piece of Scout Sniper history and we have full control over what gets filmed.

So, what would you guys like to see? Rob doing a 500 yard stalk and then engage targets? Accuracy tests with different bullet weights? 100 yard to 700 yard KD course of fire? See Rob break another scope? Video every single part and discuss the parts? Rob takes it hunting and shoots something? See Rob try to shoot through a rifle scope like the shot Hathcock made? Anything else?

We're pretty excited about this review and we're open for suggestions on what M40 content you guys want to see!

 

[JMGlasgow]

The 500yd stalk and shoot sounds interesting, so does the Hathcock shot. The 700 yard KD is standard at this point.

 

[Rookie]

Love that pic of Steve Suttles as a young scout sniper. Would like to see a vid on "where are they now". I believe Steve is still kicking in Oklahoma. Maybe interview some of them now about their memories of the M40?

I still remember Steve sending a 308 around a target to hit another he couldn't see in sniper training at Badlands. Good times.

 

[Ranchhand]

Gooks in the wire! Shoot the m40 using flares to illuminate some targets.

 

[Rookie]

I have a non greenie with tombstone reticle I can loan you if you need it for the review.

 

[USMCSGT0331]

I have a non greenie with tombstone reticle I can loan you if you need it for the review.

That's extremely generous of you, thank you very much for the offer! I have a few other greenies that I can send him as replacements, so we should be good for now. If Rob breaks those, then I'll for sure hit you up, but you might not trust us at that point, lol

 

[USMCSGT0331]

Original M40's were extremely well made and extremely accurate! They were required to shoot under 1 MOA, but they usually performed much better then that, as Rob's 109 yard 3 shot group shows. When I shot the rifle a few years ago, I shot a similar group, I'll have to go dig up that photo. I'm sending him a few greenies today, so hopefully we'll have the rifle back up and shooting soon! The scopes are 67 years old, so it's understandable that something would happen to it when subjected to the shock of the rifle's recoil. Iron Sight has repaired these scopes for me in the past, hopefully they're willing to work on another one!

At least we have our first testing result, the rifle shoots beautifully with Federal Gold Medal Match ammo! I'm not sure if he was usinv 168gr or 175gr, but we'll use both in our testing to see what the rifle prefers. We'd really like to find a box of ammo from 1966 or 1967, so we can see how it shoots with period correct ammo (even if there might be some powder degradation over the past 6 decades). I also have a few boxes of the latest Mk316 Mod 0 military ammo to try out, but since it's pretty much the same thing as the FGMM 175gr, I don't think we'll see much of a difference in accuracy.

 

[Jrb572]

Nice rifle. I will have to watch the video later.

So if one of these greenies or a Unertl breaks. Is Iron sight the best place to send them to?

I don’t know if it’s possible but have him go over how to find a good smith to either work on your M40 or having one built. Get the word out about being cautious who you pick to go with. I don’t know if that’s even a topic you would want to cover.

 

[USMCSGT0331]

Nice rifle. I will have to watch the video later.

So if one of these greenies or a Unertl breaks. Is Iron sight the best place to send them to?

I don’t know if it’s possible but have him go over how to find a good smith to either work on your M40 or having one built. Get the word out about being cautious who you pick to go with. I don’t know if that’s even a topic you would want to cover.

I've thought about covering that topic, but I haven't done so because the people who work on my M40's aren't people who will work on anyone else's M40's. So, I'm not the best person to ask about an M40 gunsmith. In the past I've recommended Mark Williams at Raven Rifles, since he was the only gunsmith at the time who was truly building all versions of the M40xx to exact USMC specs. He's done a ton of research on the rifles and was even trained by a USMC 2112 armorer on exactly how the Corps builds their rifles.

He still takes in builds here and there, if he has time. You'd probably have better luck with him accepting your build if you have all original parts and it's a pretty historical clone. So, if you need an M40xx built, hit him up and see what he says. Don't be surprised if his answer is "no," but it could come back as a "yes." It never hurts to ask, just don't bug the shit out of him.

As for Iron Sight, yes, they will work on Redfield's, Unertl's, Lyman's, etc. I found them to be the best optic shop for these types of scopes. They also have good prices and a fast turnaround time. I need a few USMC Lyman Super Targetspot's rebuilt at some point, I'll be sending them to Iron Sight. Same with the broken greenie. They also do a rush on extremely rare and expensive optics like the Redfield M40 greenies, just because he doesn't want them hanging out in his shop. He's worried about something happening to it and doesn't want to pay the customer $5k+ for any damages, so he gets them out in a day or 2. That's what happened with 2 greenies I sent him 6+ years ago, but I'm sure it's probably the same now.

 

[BullGator1]

USMCSGT0331,
My SSA replica M40 is definitely a shooter as well. Doesn't have the history, but Remington knocked out of the park with these. Didn't hurt that I had a former 2112/ Lead Armorer at Barrett Firearms work it over for me....

 

[USMCSGT0331]

Well, I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is that I have a few greenies that appear to be functioning correctly and without any issues. So, I'm going to send one to Rob one of those greenies, and I'm going to send him a military matte black M40 scope and a civilian glossy scope so that he can show the different scopes on video.

The bad news is that I have 2 greenies that have the tombstone moving around, so I need to call Iron Sight to see if they'll work on 3 broken greenies! It's going to be an expensive week with the repairs, shipping and insurance, lol.

Here's what I'm going to send Rob:

 

[USMCSGT0331]

I've only seen one other greenie with a US PROPERTY engraving and an "A" after the rifle's serial number. Mine is serial number F57713 (221542A), the other scope is F57797 (224259A).

Here's my scope:

Here's the other scope:

 

[Jrb572]

I've thought about covering that topic, but I haven't done so because the people who work on my M40's aren't people who will work on anyone else's M40's. So, I'm not the best person to ask about an M40 gunsmith. In the past I've recommended Mark Williams at Raven Rifles, since he was the only gunsmith at the time who was truly building all versions of the M40xx to exact USMC specs. He's done a ton of research on the rifles and was even trained by a USMC 2112 armorer on exactly how the Corps builds their rifles.

He still takes in builds here and there, if he has time. You'd probably have better luck with him accepting your build if you have all original parts and it's a pretty historical clone. So, if you need an M40xx built, hit him up and see what he says. Don't be surprised if his answer is "no," but it could come back as a "yes." It never hurts to ask, just don't bug the shit out of him.

As for Iron Sight, yes, they will work on Redfield's, Unertl's, Lyman's, etc. I found them to be the best optic shop for these types of scopes. They also have good prices and a fast turnaround time. I need a few USMC Lyman Super Targetspot's rebuilt at some point, I'll be sending them to Iron Sight. Same with the broken greenie. They also do a rush on extremely rare and expensive optics like the Redfield M40 greenies, just because he doesn't want them hanging out in his shop. He's worried about something happening to it and doesn't want to pay the customer $5k+ for any damages, so he gets them out in a day or 2. That's what happened with 2 greenies I sent him 6+ years ago, but I'm sure it's probably the same now.

Yep Mark is a hell of a nice guy.

Good if I ever have an issue with my Unertl I know where to send it. I appreciate that.

 

[Longrangeprecision762]

Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication for all of our enjoyment. It is greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,

- Jon

 

[USMCSGT0331]

We're back on track! Rob got the box of M40 scopes successfully swapped the broken greenie for one that is hopefully not easily broken! It looks pretty damn good!

He also got some range time today, but the wind was apparently too crazy to start doing the review of the rifle. After zeroing the scope, Rob took it out to 508 yards and had about a 2 foot windage hold. Even with the windy conditions, he still managed to shoot a 3 shot group measuring .872 MOA! Less than 1 MOA at 500 yards is pretty great for a 57 year old sniper rifle! Original M40's were very accurate!

 

[Belvedere]

Lookin good Ryan. Rob has awesome reviews. Waiting patiently

 

[USMCSGT0331]

Rob just posted a new short video to show the replacement scope and the first shots after zeroing it!

 

[tokiwartooth]

Well, I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is that I have a few greenies that appear to be functioning correctly and without any issues. So, I'm going to send one to Rob one of those greenies, and I'm going to send him a military matte black M40 scope and a civilian glossy scope so that he can show the different scopes on video.

The bad news is that I have 2 greenies that have the tombstone moving around, so I need to call Iron Sight to see if they'll work on 3 broken greenies! It's going to be an expensive week with the repairs, shipping and insurance, lol.

Here's what I'm going to send Rob:

View attachment 8095624

Not an expensive fix. I’ve swapped tombstones from many a gen2 to Gen 1s after duplicating the reticle in a Gen 1 that then needed a tombstone. They are glued to a ring in the rear of the erector, and then the ring. Sometimes the glue they used to secure the ring melts.