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Posted: 5/13/2006 11:20:05 AM EDT
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I'm interested in buying one of these. Before I make my decision, I need to know the following: 1. What are my chances at finding a real M40? Not a M40A3, etc, I'm interested in the Vietnam variant. 2. How easy would it be to find an original Unertal Scope or the Redfield 3 to 9 and bases in excellent to new condition? I'm asking about an original scope, not current produciton stuff. 3. How close is the reproduction to the original? Scott |
| Small Arms Review magazine did an excellect article on this very subject about two years ago. from what i remember it took him a little time to acquire all the parts from surfing gun shows, but wasn't reall hard. i'll try to dig up my copy to give you the correct volume/issue #. they may even have it listed on the website. IIRC he used an early sixties commercial action , got a commercial stock with the pressed in checkering, and an E.R. Shaw remington varmint straight taper barrel. the finish was then stripped and a steaming tool was used to lift the pressed checking for a pretty good representation of a vietnam period m40 stock. the E.R. Shaw barrel had the contour almost dead on whe it was bobed to the correct length. it was a pretty informative article. |
So he made a reproduction also? |
| yup! he built a reproduction in the article. very few originals were made and none would be avaiable to civilians, because they would have been rebuilt into updated models. theh autor of the article used an early 1960a rem action, because some were made with the stripper clip guide notch. that is what separated them from most civilian 700s- even though with a scope/ no BUIS it was useless. |
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Here. I want one of these... www.tacticalrifles.net/tactical_m40.asp |
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i'm sure if you go to some of the "collector assn" gunshows one will turn up. there are still a few good shows out there. I haven't found the magazine article yet. it may be in storage- which i'll get this next weekend. IIRC the military requested the Stripper clip guide ( like on all weapons of that era), and again IIRC it spilled over into the civilian market for a year or two. the year 1962 sticks in my mind for the correct year receiver (but don't quote me on it). ETA: there may have been a couple of originals given to marines as gifts/ prizes. but they would be extremely rare and valuable because of the documented history. |
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i just found the article i was looking for. it was a little older than i was thinking. luckily Small Arms Review has it in PDF. format on ther website for a sample article. it is October 2002. here is the link to it Marines M40 ETA: Hope this helps, and i wasn't too far off on my info. |
If their are only a couple, I don't think my chances are good at finding one. |
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