Hey guys,
I posted this at another forum I frequent and appreciate the wealth of Winny knowledge here. I am wanting to build a Hathcock-esque sniper rifle down to the Unertl on a 1951 barreled action I just acquired. Does anyone know the correct barrel dimensions for building a correct Vietnam era sniper? I've seen reference to a medium heavy varmint or target contour and that Douglas barrels were also used. I talked to Douglas today and they did not have any information. Matter of fact, they asked me to call them back once I found out so that they could add the profile to their records as they have been asked many times in the past the same question.
Ive gotten this info so far:
1.150" at receiver and .790" at muzzle,24", flat crown, Winchester called it the med-heavy target barrel
"STRAIGHT TAPER OF .01484 PER IN. INCLUSIVE."
IF this is accurate I have one other question, how long is the chamber area at 1.150" before the taper starts. This would be the "E" distance on the Douglas site.
Thanks in advance

Look for the spec's on the Winchester "Bull Gun", I beleive that's what he used first in .30/06.
It was a carry over from Korea. I never heard anything on a Douglas barrel?
They are photoed very well in the "The Complete Book of US Sniping"

Here he is with his rifle


http://www.modernamericanheroes.com/tag/carlos-hathcock/

Not the Bull gun, but the target contour. First rifles were were purchased through commercial channels

I have been told a bunch can thru the PX in Guam

That rifle in the photo is a Bull gun,not the Target,the Bull guns had the standard stock opened up for the heavy barrel.The target models had the wide flat forearm..there are several more photos in the "Sniper book"

Bull guns also have the wide flat forearms as well as a 28" barrel

I've got a line on the info from the builder of these types of rifles. Getting closer

The "Bull" gun was never used by the military as a sniper rifle. The Model 70 sniper rifles were built with a Douglas barrel from standard Model 70 rifles. I'm not sure any of the rifles had factory Winchester barrels for Vietnam.


Here's a good read:

http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/military-winchester-model-70/

And if you are interested in building one, this guys have the correct barrels for you:

http://www.texasbrigadearmory.com/m70.htm

I could not imagine carrying a Winchester M70 Target rifle
in the jungle.

I've been talking with Mike Lau, as mentioned above.

Hate to tell you guys but that photo has been altered or he has a win m70 50 cal. Plus you can see two steps in front of the forearm that steps up towards the muzzle.

I always thought the barrel looked like it had a flute in it too.

I can't see any steps, but what looks like a flute on the tube is the shadow of the scope.

I think old General Van Orden who owned Evaluators Ltd. in Triangle, VA got some of the Model 70 rifles into the Corps. I used to hang around there when I was 16 years old.

I believe that photo is mistakenly attributed as being Hathcock.

Here is a Pic of my 1961 30-06 24" medium heavy barrel. Target stock.


In this pic you can see the clip slot for loading the 5 round stripper clipped -06 ammo just in front of the rear scope base.

Compared to two 52 C target .22.

52 c standard barrel top (.750), heavy barrel (.870) and -06 bottom.

The range where Hathcock got his start in competitive marksmanship;

This photo is widely cited as one of Carlos Hathcock on the web, but it's actually L.Cpl Dalton Gunderson of the 3rd Marine Div, during Operation Virginia in 1966.

Didnt the USMC switch to Remington M700Vs during the VN war?

Yes they switched to the cheaper to manufacture Remington, while Winchester was fumbling with its transition to the post-64 Model 70s. There are a number of reasons the Winchester 70 actions are superior to Remington 700s, but inexpensive manufacturing isn't one of them.

Mine has the electric penciled US Property as well