Vietnam Sniper Rifles - The Firearms Forum

dbltap · 11-14-2010, 06:52 PM

How stock were the Remington 700 and Winchester Model 70 rifles used by army and Marine snipers in Vietnam? I can assume triggers being lightened but did they use stock barrels back then?

22shot · 11-14-2010, 10:45 PM

The recievers were "stock" in specifications, but not in finish. The 7.62 barrels were match grade; medium heavy; matte finish; the stocks were walnut with a flat sealer finish and sling swivels.
As lessons were learned; these rifles were modified by the armorers using suitable componrnts and re-cycled.
In other words; the rifles in the local Wall Mart were the same in recievers only.

Zane71464 · 11-14-2010, 10:55 PM

...and thinking that the more modern M24 sniper rifle has the Remington 700 bolt actions in then as well, and correct me if I'm wrong.

22shot · 11-14-2010, 11:50 PM

Zane-
The M24 is a completely differenent animal; but you are right about the Remington 700 action. I don't have any personal info; but I heard the .338 Laupa magnum is in the mix.

300 H&H · 11-15-2010, 06:45 AM

When we went to war in Viesnam, we did not have dedicated snipers. But the NVC had soviet trained and equipted snipers. They proved to be effective, and the Army decided to train and equip our own. The rifles they chose was an in stock item for Army target rifle teams of the day. The rifle was the Pre 64 model 70 in 30/06, and they were shipped to Nam with 10X Unertl scopes and their Winchester cut rifled barrels. The scopes are not sealed, and they had to be taken off the rifles and stored in a "hot box" to keep the internals dry.....Target rifles are set up to change sights without loss of zero so no big deal to remove them. Later in the conflict some modified 700 Remington rifles were also used, and later became the standard action used to build purose built sniper rifles as we have today...

Regards, Kirk

dbltap · 11-15-2010, 09:18 PM

[QUOTE=300 H&H;686866]Winchester cut rifled barrels.

Were these barrels custom target barrels from Winchester?

300 H&H · 11-16-2010, 06:22 AM

Until about 1961 Winchester hook cut rifles barrels from forgings they made in house. The blanks after hot forging were normalized and bored standing vertically in the gundrills, such that gravity would not cause the barrel to "sag" while it is unsupported as the drill made it way through. They were then reamed to sized and the the grooves were cut one at a time, 7 passes for each one, then the cutter was indexed to the next groove. After rifling, they were lapped with a lead lap, drawn back and forth in the bore by hand to polish out tool marks. Very labor intensive, and time consuming, about 40 min. per barrel. Now days they cold hammer forge new ones in a matter of a few minutes, with no hand work.

These cut rifles barrels were very good in their day, and still are. I have a M70 target with US property marks, unmodified and it will easily hold less than 0.75 moa with match ammo, not bad for a .30 bore. It is an example of a national guard team rifle, just as those early sniper rifles used in SE Asia that were pulled into service. These barrels also ruled the day in long range NRA shooting at 1,000 yards for several decades.

No custom barrel, just good old Winchester craftmanship, and is largely why those old pre 64 M70's have such a good rep, and are worth more each year....

Regards, Kirk

11-14-2010, 06:52 PM	#1
dbltap V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 110	Vietnam Sniper Rifles How stock were the Remington 700 and Winchester Model 70 rifles used by army and Marine snipers in Vietnam? I can assume triggers being lightened but did they use stock barrels back then? -->

11-14-2010, 10:45 PM	#2
22shot V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: U.S.of A. Posts: 376	Re: Vietnam Sniper Rifles The recievers were "stock" in specifications, but not in finish. The 7.62 barrels were match grade; medium heavy; matte finish; the stocks were walnut with a flat sealer finish and sling swivels. As lessons were learned; these rifles were modified by the armorers using suitable componrnts and re-cycled. In other words; the rifles in the local Wall Mart were the same in recievers only. Last edited by 22shot; 11-14-2010 at 10:57 PM..

11-14-2010, 10:55 PM	#3
Zane71464 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Ohio NRA Member Contributor Posts: 5,350	Re: Vietnam Sniper Rifles ...and thinking that the more modern M24 sniper rifle has the Remington 700 bolt actions in then as well, and correct me if I'm wrong. __________________ Two Words; "Simple Man", song by Charlie Daniels sums up my thoughts on a "few things"!

11-14-2010, 11:50 PM	#4
22shot V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: U.S.of A. Posts: 376	Re: Vietnam Sniper Rifles Zane- The M24 is a completely differenent animal; but you are right about the Remington 700 action. I don't have any personal info; but I heard the .338 Laupa magnum is in the mix. Last edited by 22shot; 11-14-2010 at 11:54 PM..

11-15-2010, 06:45 AM	#5
300 H&H Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,796	Re: Vietnam Sniper Rifles When we went to war in Viesnam, we did not have dedicated snipers. But the NVC had soviet trained and equipted snipers. They proved to be effective, and the Army decided to train and equip our own. The rifles they chose was an in stock item for Army target rifle teams of the day. The rifle was the Pre 64 model 70 in 30/06, and they were shipped to Nam with 10X Unertl scopes and their Winchester cut rifled barrels. The scopes are not sealed, and they had to be taken off the rifles and stored in a "hot box" to keep the internals dry.....Target rifles are set up to change sights without loss of zero so no big deal to remove them. Later in the conflict some modified 700 Remington rifles were also used, and later became the standard action used to build purose built sniper rifles as we have today... Regards, Kirk

11-15-2010, 09:18 PM	#6
dbltap V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 110	Re: Vietnam Sniper Rifles [QUOTE=300 H&H;686866]Winchester cut rifled barrels. Were these barrels custom target barrels from Winchester?

11-16-2010, 06:22 AM	#7
300 H&H Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,796	Re: Vietnam Sniper Rifles Until about 1961 Winchester hook cut rifles barrels from forgings they made in house. The blanks after hot forging were normalized and bored standing vertically in the gundrills, such that gravity would not cause the barrel to "sag" while it is unsupported as the drill made it way through. They were then reamed to sized and the the grooves were cut one at a time, 7 passes for each one, then the cutter was indexed to the next groove. After rifling, they were lapped with a lead lap, drawn back and forth in the bore by hand to polish out tool marks. Very labor intensive, and time consuming, about 40 min. per barrel. Now days they cold hammer forge new ones in a matter of a few minutes, with no hand work. These cut rifles barrels were very good in their day, and still are. I have a M70 target with US property marks, unmodified and it will easily hold less than 0.75 moa with match ammo, not bad for a .30 bore. It is an example of a national guard team rifle, just as those early sniper rifles used in SE Asia that were pulled into service. These barrels also ruled the day in long range NRA shooting at 1,000 yards for several decades. No custom barrel, just good old Winchester craftmanship, and is largely why those old pre 64 M70's have such a good rep, and are worth more each year.... Regards, Kirk Last edited by 300 H&H; 11-16-2010 at 06:25 AM..