Which honestly looking at the barrels, I think he was probably likely telling the truth. The owner had provided us with the stock already featuring a nicely aged appearance, which we maintained in the build. The following year Hathcock deployed to South Vietnam with the 1st Marine Division, where he was soon assigned sniper duties. What many people don't realize is that the Unertl scope back in the day doesn't have glass amplification. Hathcock made a number of kills with this weapon in excess of 1,000 yards, including his record for the longest confirmed kill at 2,500 yards (since surpassed). Just 55 days short of the 20 years that would have made him eligible for regular retirement pay, he received a permanent disability separation. In the early 1940s, says a Marine Corps spokesman, we were advised that a Unertl 8X scope on the Winchester Model 70 was the best sniping combination, but the 03 was available in quantity, so we used it.The Model 70 rifles sent to Vietnam for use as sniping arms were from the stocks originally procured for Marine Corps match use, chiefly from George Van Orden. Who has the most kills in the Vietnam War? The metal finishes were done by Ken Pederson ofPederson Arms in Arlington, WA. Very nice work. Carlos N. Hathcock II, who won the Wimbledon. The group started running towards Hathcock and Land. [2] Hathcock married Josephine "Jo" Bryan (ne Broughton; 19302016) on the date of the Marine Corps birthday, November 10, 1962. [5], The PAVN placed a bounty of US $30,000 on Hathcock's life for killing so many of its soldiers. These Marines were aware of the impact Hathcock's death would have and took it upon themselves to make themselves targets in order to confuse the counter-snipers. Snipers often did not have a third party present, making confirmation difficult, especially if the target was behind enemy lines, as was usually the case. At the direction of Van Orden, USMC armorers began modifying some of thesporter weight rifles, fitting them with heavy Douglas target barrels and Unertl 8X scopes. Van Orden had envisioned the Model 70 as the ultimate platform for a highly accurate sniper rifle, but which was light enough to be carried into battle. I had a chance to take a trip back in time recently and shot the Winchester Model 70 .30-06 using an 8-powerUnertl scope, the same set up that the famous Carlos Hathcock used while he was in Vietnam. Hathcock was an excellent sharpshooter by then, winning the Wimbledon Cup shooting championship in . But on several occasions, he turned to the M2 .50-caliber machine gun for longer . "It was the hunt, not the killing. "[35], Hathcock's son, Carlos Hathcock III, later enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps;[36] he retired from the Marine Corps as a Gunnery Sergeant after following in his father's footsteps as a shooter and became a member of the Board of Governors of the Marine Corps Distinguished Shooters Association.[37]. To this end, Winchester sent a letter to the U.S. Marine Corps Quartermaster on July 20, 1942, indicating it had 1,944 Model 70 .30 Government 06 Rifles on hand, which we can offer you subject to prior sale., Most of these rifles had 24" barrels, but there were 105 with 20" barrels. The rifles inherent accuracy was ideally suited as a sniping rifle. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock II joined the Corps in 1959 at age 17. If you decide that you wanted an original Unertl, they are out there and available. Bolt Action Sniper Rifle with Unertl Telescopic Sight Manufacturer: Winchester Model: 70 Type: Rifle Gauge: 30-06 Barrel: 24 inch round Finish: blue Grip: Stock: walnut checkered Item Views: 13427 A limited number of 3X to 9X variable power Marine Scopes of Japanese manufacture saw early use, but target mount, 8X Unertl telescopes, unchanged basically from those first adopted in 1941, were fitted to the Model 70s as were many of the original World War II Unertl contract scopes, which had survived official obsolescence and the post-Korean War surplus sell-off. The Model 70 Standard Rifles were fitted with Winchester medium-heavy target barrels in modified stocks and the Unertl telescopic sights. In November 1965, USMC Gy/Sgt. Unofficially and by his own estimates, Hathcock believed he killed between 300 and 400. "WINCHESTER/-TRADE MARK-" is roll stamped on the left side of the receiver rail. Winchester Model 70 "standard Rifle" manufactured in 1941 with medium-heavy target barrel and "U.S.M.C.-SNIPER" Unertl telescopic sight. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock II joined the Corps in 1959 at age 17. Btn., 7th Marines, under young Marine Capt. The serial number, "48213" is roll-stamped on the right side of the receiver below the rear sight base. The U.S. Army fielded some World War II-vintage M1903A4 bolt-actions but relied primarily on the semi-automatic M1C Garand. Carlos Hathcock, the most celebrated US sniper in history, preferred the model 70 over a host of other rifles at his disposal, using it extensively in combat during the Vietnam war, and in Wimbledon matches at Camp Perry in the years that followed. The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock, II (MCSN: 1873109), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Sniper, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division, in connection with military operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam on 16 September 1969. The stock were fitted with 1 1/2-inch sling swivels. He copied Hemingway's words on a piece of paper. At that point Jim told Carlos to take her down. You can pick up a replica of the Unertl Scope online for an MSRP of around $550.00. What should the discerning collector look for in a potential buy? The USMC was still using the Model 70s as both target rifle for international match competition and pseudo-sniper rifle work . The rifle is a Winchester M70 in 30-06. These two historic Winchester Model 70 rifles bearing serial numbers "1" and "2" are now being offered for sale by Sportsman's Legacy. I had a few of those hanging around. Beautiful build. This is a pretty cool thread. Douglas still produces the same barrel they supplied to the Marines in the early 1940s, which makes easy work of getting one key aspect of this build exactlyright. Carlos Hathcock's sniper rifle! [43] In 2002, this record was broken by Canadian snipers (Rob Furlong and Arron Perry) from the third battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry during the War in Afghanistan. [32], Hathcock provided sniper instruction to police departments and select military units, such as SEAL Team Six. While most early model 70 sniper rifles were standard rifles, modified by the Marines for sniper use, this would not be the case for subsequent Winchester rifles coming into US military service. The Complete History of Winchester Repeating Arms. Its almost like comparing your 1980s television to todays HD plasma flat screen, or VHS to Blue-ray. Some of the snipers now in Vietnam were not yet born when the telescopic sights they use were employed in a different war. The "U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1903," better-known as the M1903 Springfield, has become one of the most popular U.S. military small arms to collect. In 1967 Gunny Carlos Hathcock set the record for the longest. [3], During the Vietnam War, Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills of People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong personnel. Composite stock of course. The Model 70 was originally manufactured by the . Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. May also want to read this American Rifleman article: Thank you! You will find the sale page with further details if you click here. Steam rose from the damp jungle mulch. In two tours in the 1960s, he wandered through the big bad bush in the Republic of South Vietnam, and with a rifle made by Winchester, a heart made by God and a discipline made by the Marine Corps, he stalked and killed 93 of his countrys enemies.. The Model 70, which was primarily based on the Model 54, is still regarded as one of the best cars ever made. NRA Secretary Edward J. It was supplied with a Redfield 3x9 mounted with Redfield base/rings. His parents separated so he grew up with his grandmother in Geyer Springs, Pulaski County. ][21][22] He was not informed of the details of the mission until he accepted it. [47] Hathcock carried a Colt M1911A1 pistol as a sidearm.[17]. Click here for more information. He stayed in the Marine Corps, but his health continued to decline. Stretching it past 500 and reaching out to 1000, put all of us in a humbling state of mind. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock II joined the Corps in 1959 at age 17. Carlos held the record for the longest kill for 35 years. Manufactured in a wide variety of configurations and calibers, it was a favorite of many hunters, shooters and gun enthusiasts. Estimated Price: $ 15,000 - $ 25,000 Price Realized: Details Outstanding, Rare and Well Documented Winchester Model 70 U.S.M.C. Carlos used a Winchester Model 70 .30-06 match ammunition loaded with 173-grain boat-tailed bullets, also used an 8-power Unertl scope. They were running about $800 for a nice one with rings a few years ago. *Lighting a path to truth* Former Navy JAG Worldwide U.S. Military Defense. The metal was reblued as required. Officially, Carlos Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills. [34] After the war, a friend showed Hathcock a passage written by Ernest Hemingway: "Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter." First rate article outlining the service of the Model 70. The Marine Corps utilized Winchester Model 70 rifles in this configuration in 1966 and early 1967 as the primary sniper rifle until the adoption of the Remington Model 700 sniper rifles in mid 1967. It may not display this or other websites correctly. He and other Marines who were riding on top of the vehicle were sprayed with flaming gasoline caused by the explosion. During the Vietnam War, Marine Corps Veteran Carlos Hathcock had 93 confirmed kills of North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong personnel. Scope used by Carlos Hathcock. In 1936, Winchester introduced the Model 70 bolt-action rifle to the American market. Carlos Hathcock accepting the Wimbledon Cup after winning the NRA National Matches. Awesome to hear/see when someone has their shit together. For those wondering why the military did not continue using the Model 70 and abandoned it in favor of the Remington Model 700, McGuire gave a cogent synopsis of the reasoning behind this decision: [For Vietnam], the Marines wanted a bolt-action rifle with a medium-heavy barrel and a sporter stock. Nearly 30 years later, he received a Silver Star for this action. While the war in Vietnam ushered in a number of new technologies, particularly the widespread use of helicopters and night vision equipment, much of the equipment had been tried and tested on the battlefields of earlier wars. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. On some occasions, however, he used a different weapon: the . The subject rifles are not considered suitable for general service use for the following reasons: (a) Not sufficiently sturdy;(b) Parts are not interchangeable with M1903 and M1 parts; (c) Replacement parts will be difficult to procure; (d) Not fitted with sling swivels. Winchester requested the Marines evaluate the rifles generally for suitability of use in combat, and specifically for use as sniper rifles. 2023 The SOFREP Media Group. Founded by Frank Galli in 2000, Snipers Hide has been offering informational videos, podcasts, and other support to its users in one location. [6] The Viet Cong and PAVN called Hathcock Lng Trng, translated as "White Feather", because of the white feather he kept in a band on his bush hat. Some of the stocks were fiberglass bedded. He managed to achieve an astounding kill record of 93 - including an impressive shot through an enemy sniper's scope, but it was with the M2 that he was able to take out a Vietcong soldier pushing a bicycle loaded with ammunition at . Wow. Initially his preferred rifle was a pre 1964 (Winchester quality after this time declined) Model 70 Winchester M40 bolt action in 30-06 (he preferred the 30-06 over the, then, current 7.62x51 Nato . I told a gunny, 'Bring [him] back here.' When the need arose for more Model 70s the rifles procured by Brig. According to Winchester documents, these rifles were shipped to the Marine Corps on May 29, 1942. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. [15] Hathcock and John Roland Burke, his spotter, were stalking the enemy sniper in the jungle near Hill 55, the firebase from which Hathcock was operating, southwest of Da Nang. While the causes and conduct of that war remain a subject of great debate, an interesting aspect of the conflict is the use of the Winchester Model 70 as a precision rifle by the US forces, especially by the US Marine Corps snipers.