old school sniper

[karl schmidt]

national archives still photo branch record group 111 signal corps

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Well, it WOULD get the job done...

[Leadslinger585]

Wow, Korea! I thought they were still using A1's with Unertls & 1903A4's then. I also thought the M70/Unertl didn't originate until Vietnam. Pretty neat!

[RCEMERalf]

Maintenance Officer. Folks of this ilk often referred to as REMFs. Another case proving not always so at all.

[AK-103 Dude]

Neat photo. Never saw a photo of a commercial rifle used by a sniper on the US side in Korea before. And I have read ALOT of books on the conflict. Just finished Max Hastings book "The Korean War", most excellent journalism. Also read "The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War". Question to Karl. Where do you get these old articles? They look like they are old news clippings or something similar. Thanks again.

[kosmolinekid]

I've read that the Marine Snipers in Viet-Nam were buying Commercial Rifles off the shelf in Okinawa. They were then tricked out by the Armorers . I also read Redfield Scopes were also big .

[JGaynor]

The M1903A1 with 8X Unertl used by the USMC was actually a compromise. Capt Van Orden and Master Gunner Lloyd had actually recommended a rifle (Win M70) very much like the personal rifle Capt. Brophy is holding in the picture for MC sniper duty The USMC, always very frugal, balked at adopting a new rifle and suggested the use of 1903A1 National Match and Special Target Rifles that were in storage.

---------- Post added at 06:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:28 PM ----------

I've read that the Marine Snipers in Viet-Nam were buying Commercial Rifles off the shelf in Okinawa. They were then tricked out by the Armorers . I also read Redfield Scopes were also big .

There were some articles in gun magazines from the mid 60's which showed the hodgepodge of sniper equipment used by the USMC in the early days of Vietnam.

[WarPig1976]

I do believe Carlos Hathcock used the M70, would have to dig his book out but I'm 95% sure.

[Brian Dick]

Even in the early 1980's when I served in the U.S. Army, the most squared away Armorer's and higher lever maintenance folks all originated in Infantry units. Those are the folks that have a love of firearms and the mechanical ability to look after them. I'm sure there are exceptions but not many.

[Leadslinger585]

I do believe Carlos Hathcock used the M70, would have to dig his book out but I'm 95% sure.

You are correct. Winchester Model 70 with a Unertl scope (I forgot the power. 8x I think it was) and 30-06 caliber.

EDIT:

Hathcock generally used the standard sniper rifle: the Winchester Model 70 .30-06 caliber rifle with the standard 8-power Unertl scope.

Carlos Hathcock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia