M40 Family - Who owns one?
- Thread starter ArmedGinger
- Start date
- Location
- Juan de Fuca subduction zone Yiiikes
They’re all clones unless you get an original from the boys at Quantico with providence. I think I read on sniperhide the last one at auction was close to 20 grand USD with all the paperwork etc. What really sucks was missing out years ago on the McMillan stock return ie, smear and a camo for $200 each. One guy I know I think flipped one years later for $2000 grand. Oh well as the French would say C'est la vie".
I mean for those that build the serious clones. There are guys that get the return stocks, look for the old 6 digit serial numbers (some go so far as to look for serial numbers in the range of known M40A1 rifles), Unertl scopes (they thumb their noses at the USO ones), stamp them with the exact markings, and build them to exact Quantico specs.
So I looked at Wolverine's site, they show the Badger mount out of stock. Interestingly though, it had this in the description:
"A faithful reproduction of the USMC Vietnam era M40 scope mount. Fits ONLY rem 700 receivers with letter prefix on the serial number."
So does this mean that if I did find a Badger mount it would only work on a newer receiver anyway? Unless of course you shimmed the rear of the mount if using on an older receiver....correct me if I'm wrong please.
It does look an awful lot like a Leupold mount I used on my A1 rifle, might just go that route. Not exact, similar. but Thoughts?
"A faithful reproduction of the USMC Vietnam era M40 scope mount. Fits ONLY rem 700 receivers with letter prefix on the serial number."
So does this mean that if I did find a Badger mount it would only work on a newer receiver anyway? Unless of course you shimmed the rear of the mount if using on an older receiver....correct me if I'm wrong please.
It does look an awful lot like a Leupold mount I used on my A1 rifle, might just go that route. Not exact, similar. but Thoughts?
Letter prefixes came about on the 700s in the early to mid 1970s if I'm not mistaken. I know the older Remington 700s had 6 digit serial numbers such as the original M40 rifles. By the time the M40A1 rifles came along they had added letter prefixes to the serial numbers (the letter prefix denotes the year it was made). The letter prefixes continue to this day.
I was referring to the rear bridge height being lower on early (no prefix) receivers. Just what googling has told me, which I guess was around 1974. So I also guess we are saying the same thing, just in a different way? I'm still trying to figure out the differences 
Apparently the Badger base is for the newer design with raised rear bridge from what I've read. So mixing between old/new parts could be a road I don't want to go down. I know lots of you guys have way more experience with this stuff than me.
Apparently the Badger base is for the newer design with raised rear bridge from what I've read. So mixing between old/new parts could be a road I don't want to go down. I know lots of you guys have way more experience with this stuff than me.
Found a thread on M40rifle.com that discusses this issue, unfortunately I have no first hand experience with the early actions the oldest I owned is a “B” series 700, but have a read:
htt ps://www.m40rifle.com/forum/m40/35234-m40-700-sa-scope-bases
Also found what appears to be the correct early Redfield base with rings on EBay but shipping is CONUS only so no bueno, but $67.50 is a good price..
htt ps://www.m40rifle.com/forum/m40/35234-m40-700-sa-scope-bases
Also found what appears to be the correct early Redfield base with rings on EBay but shipping is CONUS only so no bueno, but $67.50 is a good price..
I might have more information in one of Senich’s books. Nice thing about doing a straight M40 inspired rifle is a Remington Varmint contour barrel is perfect and other parts aren’t too hard to collect. I’ll see what I can find for you.
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Thank you, and I'm going to look for that book myself now! Your comment "Nice thing about doing a straight M40 inspired rifle is a Remington Varmint contour barrel is perfect and other parts aren’t too hard to collect" is true to a point, but its a rabbit warren of variations too is it not?
Depending on how OCD you want to go, find a parkerized old Rem 700 barrel action from an old PSS, a steel butt plate, sand down an old wooden Varmint Rifle stock and that scope from Wolverine or another Redfield Accutrack and you’re pretty close. Add a $20 M1 Garand web sling to top it off.
Details further down the rabbit hole are up to the builder and their budget and penchant for further accuracy which makes it fun from my perspective
Details further down the rabbit hole are up to the builder and their budget and penchant for further accuracy which makes it fun from my perspective
BlackPatch
Member
- Location
- Sherwood Park. AB
My M40A3 is up for sale lads.
I just can’t shake the TRG bug I have.
I just can’t shake the TRG bug I have.
Going with a really early-style rifle would probably be easiest, like you say use a Varmint Special type donor or even an SPS. Wish my SPS-based rifle in the A5 stock was still around to compare the barrel contours....
The M40 is easy to duplicate if it’s just the appearance you’re after...as mentioned it’s a deep rabbit hole to go down if you want anything close to a correct clone. The original 700P came in a wooden stock (bare stock part #553690) that was basically a parkerized varmint model with a plain Jane, no checkering, no forend cap, and oiled finish stock (ADL).....basically an M40 look alike. You would be hard pressed now to find that stock, but an aftermarket could be fit to a current 700P or SPS Varmint to get the same look. The Varmint Special in .308 are tough to find in nice shape as they were produced later (not til ‘76) than the varmint calibers, so less were made. If you found a nice one they are a classic beauty with a similar look....gloss blue, BDL stock with checkering, forend cap, and the proprietary gloss finish. It would be a shame to dismember a clean Varmint Special.....unless is was in a Forest HTG stock of course! All those have the same barrel profile as well, just length is 26” on the newer models which also have the target crown.
So basically you should have both, or is that 3?
So basically you should have both, or is that 3?
Of course you're referring to the VS in .308 that a fellow member sold me recently that I recently posted about 
No, I can't use that one. Not mine to use and too nice for a beater re-finish. I'm snooping around for something suitable.
No, I can't use that one. Not mine to use and too nice for a beater re-finish. I'm snooping around for something suitable.
That’s the one.....looking good with big brother!!
Of course you're referring to the VS in .308 that a fellow member sold me recently that I recently posted about
No, I can't use that one. Not mine to use and too nice for a beater re-finish. I'm snooping around for something suitable.
So there's a parkerized? 700p on the ee right now, but there's something odd about the barrel.
Would a Boyd's heritage stock be a reasonable facsimile for an original style build? The profile looks ok, just can't find a lot of detail. Is the fore end wide/flat or more traditional and round?
Would a Boyd's heritage stock be a reasonable facsimile for an original style build? The profile looks ok, just can't find a lot of detail. Is the fore end wide/flat or more traditional and round?
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