Viet Nam Model 70's
- Thread starter Flint62a1
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Yeah I'm hold up in the shop or living room today. We got a foot of snow last night so outside is a little "White"...
Arctic field craft is fun.
Living in an urban area means two days after the snow everything is coated with salt and sand, streets are blocked with snow banks, and come spring the melting snow banks expose six months of shit that had been plowed under.
I get the Bing Crosby effect for about 24 hours than it just becomes a filth fest.
That is one I dug out of the bottom of an old box. I made it years ago for a Winchester model 70 Highpower match rifle. The rifle had an anschutz trigger assembly and needed a custom trigger guard made for it, this one inletted into the stock worked well with the trigger And it extended the internal magazine by two rounds. I made another one after this one that wasn't so blocky, although it worked perfectly it was a prototype. I was thinking about cleaning it up to use on another stock.
MTFalconer,
Two questions for you:
First, since it's of that era, I have a 1969 made Win 70 that was chambered, when I got it, in .30-338 aka .300 AMU. Were any of those around still when you were at the AMU? I may have already asked you that.
Also, it never dawned on me, did you ever take part in that winter exersize 1st grp put on out of Ft. William Henry Harrison near Helena, MT?
Two questions for you:
First, since it's of that era, I have a 1969 made Win 70 that was chambered, when I got it, in .30-338 aka .300 AMU. Were any of those around still when you were at the AMU? I may have already asked you that.
Also, it never dawned on me, did you ever take part in that winter exersize 1st grp put on out of Ft. William Henry Harrison near Helena, MT?
I don't remember seeing any .300 AMU at the time. Of course I didn't spend much time in the weapons locker other than to snoop around. I would venture to say there are still some there. I never came to MT while in the ARMY with the exception of driving through on my way to Washington.
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I'll tell you those poor guys were out there every year I was there in January and February for about a month. I always went to the memorial ceremony they had there at the park for the 1st SSF. The guys coming in off that op all had chapped faces, hands, etc. They were out there in '95 when Helena set the record cold at -42 F. They were at higher elevations where it was colder. I lived in Boulder at the time and it was -47F there that night.
I don't care if you are SF or not, that was one nasty cold training op.
I don't care if you are SF or not, that was one nasty cold training op.
In the AK ARNG we did our ATs in the winter, Use to be called Jack Frost, later Brim Frost. In '74 I was with the 38th SF Company ARNG, we jumped into Galena when it was 68 below.
Adrenalin causes you not to notice the cold. When you hit the DZ which was the Yukon river, you ditched your chute, dawned skiis and took off. Didnt have time for the cold to get to you. After skiing a bit, you start shedding layers.
Cold never bothered me, heat does, but cold not so much.
Adrenalin causes you not to notice the cold. When you hit the DZ which was the Yukon river, you ditched your chute, dawned skiis and took off. Didnt have time for the cold to get to you. After skiing a bit, you start shedding layers.
Cold never bothered me, heat does, but cold not so much.
That's me. The desert taught me to appreciate cold. At my home here it rarely gets above 75 degrees and not for very long when it does. Winter in roughly 6 months here and while it has it's challenges, I do love it. Although it has ruined me for Hot weather. 80-90 and I'm dying. Living at 6800 ft of elevation and then adding cold definitely helps with my chosen avocation.
Ice sculptor, eh?
In my estimation.....
Heat is uncomfortable but cold physically hurts.
I'm the same, I can take cold a lot better than heat. Specifically humid heat. I didn't have too much of an issue with 100+ in south Utah as it was dry. 80+ in Kansas with +95% humidity liked to kill me. I found myself unable to even walk a mile before wanting to pass out. Work? Out of the question. It was 85 and 95% and I cut up three trees for my sister in Kansas, I had to stop...
I'm not saying other people haven't had it tough, but those guys were out in that weather for 20-30 days straight.
I'm not saying other people haven't had it tough, but those guys were out in that weather for 20-30 days straight.
True but you can always put more clothes on when cold. When it's hot, you can only take so many off before people start getting a little uncomfortable.
Reckon I'm opposite a most a yall.. Growing up South GA it was HOT way more often than not. And simply moving a couple hundred miles north up to ATL here way above the fall line I truly can notice a non-neglible difference during winter .. it's a good bit colder just this short ways north from home and it sucks! I can't take the cold. Really gives me a serious amount of admiration for the Battered Bastards of Bastogne, the Chosin Few,..etc. as well as all our boys who've fired/been fired at in anger!
MTFalconer - any chance you could share some details on the AMU match rifles that they use(d) in the various disciplines/competitions?
MTFalconer - any chance you could share some details on the AMU match rifles that they use(d) in the various disciplines/competitions?
UPDATE:
So after a good amount of searching my dad found his hidden stash. Inside were 4 scopes that came home from Viet Nam with him. 3 weaver scopes. A k-4, k-6 and a 9 power. The other is a Very unusual weaver 3-9 power. So all are in decent to good condition and all function correctly, he checked them out. I am keeping the 3-9 for myself, for my rifle build as it still has the low serial numbered rings on it. He is sending me the rest to donate to the disabled vets that I sponsor. So I will have 3 scopes available the 4,6 and 9 power. All serial numbered to a rifle at some point and I have convinced my dad to write a short letter of provenance to go with them. My plan is to auction them, to get some some things for the group I sponsor. Mainly a new pack as I'm in desperate need. I have no idea what they would be worth. If anyone is interested PM me and we can discuss it.
So after a good amount of searching my dad found his hidden stash. Inside were 4 scopes that came home from Viet Nam with him. 3 weaver scopes. A k-4, k-6 and a 9 power. The other is a Very unusual weaver 3-9 power. So all are in decent to good condition and all function correctly, he checked them out. I am keeping the 3-9 for myself, for my rifle build as it still has the low serial numbered rings on it. He is sending me the rest to donate to the disabled vets that I sponsor. So I will have 3 scopes available the 4,6 and 9 power. All serial numbered to a rifle at some point and I have convinced my dad to write a short letter of provenance to go with them. My plan is to auction them, to get some some things for the group I sponsor. Mainly a new pack as I'm in desperate need. I have no idea what they would be worth. If anyone is interested PM me and we can discuss it.
If you do get it, and switch stocks, and decide to sell the Marksmans stock, Let me know, I'm looking for one.
Just for info, when I was still in Alaska I bought 6 Model 70 Actions for $250 from a guy who went around the Native Villages buying old guns. I build a 243 for my wife out of my last one, For the stock I searched gunsmiths for a take off Model 70 sporter stocks and got one for $50 that was taken off a new rifle because someone wanted some sort of plastic stock.
That might be an option if you dont have another all picked out.
I will say a Boyd's stock ordered unfinished makes a great replica. I got mine and coated with boiled linseed oil. Came out with the perfect finish. Four of five heavy coats, dry and buff for a matte finish. Inlet was spot on and the price was great. There are two spots on mine where cross bars were installed and the wood used to cover those holes didn't match when oiled but it's close enough. Ordered with a heavy varmint barrel channel, wasn't perfect but a little work with a socket and sandpaper finished it nicely.
Beautiful rifle.
I was at my local shop today and there was a National Match Model 70 there - clip slotted with aperture sights. Surprised the barrel looked kind of thin to me, certainly not target profile
Already sold at $1100.00.
I was at my local shop today and there was a National Match Model 70 there - clip slotted with aperture sights. Surprised the barrel looked kind of thin to me, certainly not target profile
Already sold at $1100.00.
Thanks, this one isn't clip slotted as it's after 64 but it does have the NM iron sights. When the scope base is installed the clip slot will be useless anyway. I was just looking for a serviceable replica, not an exact replica. In the end it will be a shooter.
An interesting point: Hathcock's tribute rifle was a long action clip slotted Win 70 post-'63. When I first saw it, I thought it was a short action.
So, for whatever reason, I don't know why or how many, they continued to produce a few clip slotted actions.
They were clip slotted for rapid fire in match events.
Obviously useless once a scope was mounted.
The gun I looked at today was nice. I didn't pay attention to the maker of the sights but the slot was accessible for loading a clip of 5 rounds 30-06.
Obviously useless once a scope was mounted.
The gun I looked at today was nice. I didn't pay attention to the maker of the sights but the slot was accessible for loading a clip of 5 rounds 30-06.
They continued to clip slot them for a while after the post 64 rifles were produced. Of course any gunsmith worth his salt could do it as well. I've had a few in the past that had a clip slot only one I ever used was for a Winchester 70 match rifle that was used across the course. The factory clip slots sort of suck anyway. All we actually used were opened up for the solid aluminum clips that were U shaped. Then we got rifles with detachable mags and Oooooo my my.
MTFalconer wrote:
"The other is a Very unusual weaver 3-9 power.."
Please post pics of this scope when you get it, I"m curious about it, thanks.
"The other is a Very unusual weaver 3-9 power.."
Please post pics of this scope when you get it, I"m curious about it, thanks.
Me too! Dad is not what you would call tech savvy or I would have pics of it. He doesn't even have a camera on his phone. It's my understanding that weaver introduced the variable power scope to the market. Now, I can say with certainty that whatever coatings they were using on the redfield scopes was substandard compared to the weavers of the same vintage. The last one that dad used was 4-12 power weaver, per him and I have never seen one.
I'm selling the stock on my M70 clone if anyone is interested, it's in the accessories section. I found something I liked a little better...
I meant to respond to this a while ago. The rear ring is longer than the standard LA. Upon closer inspection (and someone point it out to me) is when I saw it was a long action. So, they are different from all the rest.
Edit, added:
Too tired last night. Here is a pic of Hathcocks tribute rifle. A push feed, long action, model 70 in 30-06: Note the length of the rear ring. That's what threw me the first time I saw it.
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If tthis is .308/7.62x51 would someone please correct me. I believe the last time this pic came up and we all discussed it, it was said to be 30-06.
edit: this is one hard to find photo without the book cover writing on it.
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Anybody have an original copy of the above photo? This is one hard to find pic, and various sources have deleted it all over the internet.
I have one, its hanging on the wall in my office
DW
Did I mention.....I'm envious???
...
The Winchester M70 with Unertl 8X scope was used early in the Vietnam conflict by all branches but never officially adopted as a sniper rifle. Later, the Remington 700 with 3x9 green anodized scope with accu-range reticle was officially adopted. Here is my Winchester M70 with redfield 3x9 scope.
I had a 1964 stock identical to that sitting on a brand new M70. I had a serious vet bill right after dumping a ton of money into a restoration so it went to a good friend.
That is exactly what I was going to build with it.
I may get it back from him soon enough, after he shoots it
It had a nice whallup.Judging how little these weigh, especially with the standard barrel on the one I just bought, that may be an understatement.
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