USMC M40A1 Return Stock Case Study (The Progression of McMillian Stocks)

[cplnorton]

Hey guys if you know me I'm always researching in the National Archives for Marine Weapon info. I've been hitting the National Archives lately on the M40 series of rifles and I've been able to find a lot of new info on them.

One thing I have found at the National Archives (that I'm really excited about) is how to date M40A1's. So if you have a Return stock, if you give me the last four on the stock I can date it. Before anyone says anything, it is possible stocks were swapped, but this does not seem very likely by the docs. In seems rare a stock was swapped. But this case study will see if I am correct.

After seeing the post on the new run of smears and seeing all 50 stocks in one post, I thought this would be a lot of fun to do the same kind of post on the Return Stocks.

If you guys post your return stock (with a similar angle side shot as those below) I will take the photo, edit it, and then put it into this post in order. I just think it would be a lot of fun to put the stocks in order and see the change of McMillian over time. Like for instance they say the earliest were more green. We can now see if that is correct by charting it.

So to get this started, a few of the ones I've seen lately. If you have one, please add it to this post with the last four of the serial. If you want to be private, just message me the info and I can add it publically, or I will keep it private for my own research. Whichever you prefer.


June 1977

August 1977 (Skunk)

Sept 1977

Sept 1977 (Skunk)

Sept 1979

Painted Smear, Feb 1980

Oct 1980

Sept 1980 (Sniff, number only on buttplate, "Avail" written in the barrel channel)

Aug 1995 (only a partial pic)

Dec 1999

Jan 2000 Painted Woodland

May 2000 (Random Guy)

July 2001

 

[Skunk]

224313

 

[Jrb572]

Love those original smears. Sounds interesting to see how it pans out.

 

[Aftermath]

It would be interesting if McM took a pic of each stock, left and right. I would think that, like even modern cammo uniforms, that would serve as a fingerprint.

An individual soldier can be identified purely by the uniform if that soldier was ever pictured in that uniform previously. This goes back to whenever....you can do your own research on the subject but I found it fairly mind blowing. Your uniform is a fingerprint.

These stocks should be the same.

 

[roostercogburn98]

seeing the post on the new run of smears and seeing all 50 stocks in one post, I thought this would be a lot of fun to do the same kind of post on the Return Stocks.

Just 50 new smears? Does that count a handful or two that maybe may not be sitting in custom gun makers shops?

 

[cplnorton]

Just 50 new smears? Does that count a handful or two that maybe may not be sitting in custom gun makers shops?

No those 50 were just the ones that were released on their website. There were several builders who got shipments for builds that aren't included in that number. This post has the pics of the new made smears and it's just neat to see the differences in each one.

New McMillan HTG M40A1 smear stocks!!!

Yes, you read the title correctly, this thread is about new production McMillan HTG M40A1 stocks! More information to come later. https://mcmillanusa.com/shop/ready-to-ship/ready-to-ship-stocks/limited-availability-stocks/m40a1-smear-camo-remington-700-short-action-4/...

www.snipershide.com

 

[Skunk]

This one’s bottom metal is stamped 1326. I’m guessing 221326.

 

[RIGREG]

The M40A1 Commemoratives went to at least 64. They were designated LP-M40A1-XX. Again, not counting the ones sold to gunsmiths. The last M40A1 Smear that I saw wasn’t given the LP (Limited Production) designation, but had all the M40A1 features. It was OSE (Online Store Exclusive) Maybe it wasn’t “smeary” enough.

Anyway, @cplnorton, thanks for this thread. At some point when these new releases have been bedded, rattle canned and traded hands and rebedded, it will be useful for future collectors to have information on both types.

This will be an interesting thread. The variations of the pattern, and the random whim of whoever applied the paint on each stock.

Happy New Year,
Greg

 

[Sniff]

As in the photos, mine has AVAIL marked in the barrel channel and 4248 or 4298 on the recoil pad.

The condition of the bedding is too good compared to the hard use the outside of the stock has seen, so I'm thinking the bedding was redone at some stage. The rear sling swivel has been replaced also.

There's also a small 20 engraved into the stock above the heel.

(Click left and right for the other photos. IMGUR is a bit strange today for some reason.)

 

[cplnorton]

Sniff that is a really interesting one. Can you see any trace of a serial in the barrel channel, where they removed it? My hunch is the last four was written in with Marker and they removed it, and wrote AVAIL on it. You might be able to see traces in the right light? This one looks like they pulled it off a rifle and kept it back for available parts.

If the buttpad is original to the stock (which those they did replace, so that is a good question), I did put it into the mix. It would have to be a 4248.

 

[Skunk]

Looks like original Bisonite bedding to me.

 

[Random Guy]

Here’s my forest camo M40A1 stock. Has a black buttpad, which were accidentally ordered in the “mid-1990s” per a 2112, and used nonetheless.

Happy New Year to all.