Vietnam era Remington 700?

Rem 700 and Mauser action are 2 different things. But at least early in the war some commercial hunting rifles were used. I'm thinking some 700's and some Winchester 70's may have been used as well. That is about the time the 700 was adopted and they were modified by military gunsmiths. They basically used 700 actions and built custom rifles from them so an aftermarket barrel would be normal. But I don't see any way to convert a 700 action to something close to a Mauser action.

i think mcgowen barrels was started in 2007

AFAIK the M70 was used on a limited basis by the USMC and even a more limited basis by the Army. I think the guns were stock as stink so they would have been blued not parked. Doubt they would have used an aftermarket barrel. The one Hatchcock used was capable of about 2 moa.

I am willing to bet Mcgowen barrel was long after VN ended and not by military

Check closer.
700 & Mauser do not go together.
Denis

http://www.winchesterguns.com/news/articles/winchester-model-70-in-vietnam.html
Neat little PSA from Winchester about USMC M70s in 'Nam with the Unertl external-adjustment scope. At that time, the Winchester did use a Mauser type action with fixed claw extractor and controlled feed. Hi-Lux was making high quality repros of that scope recently, not sure if they still offer them.

The only Mauser actions produced by Remington were the M1903 and A3, which certainly did see (less than stellar) service in SEA, with their moisture-vulnerable Weaver 330 scopes, and the M1917/M33, which AFAIK, did not.

'Nam era Remington's were, initially, repurposed civilian rifles with a variety of optics and came blued. These used the 700/721 action and were push-feed, not based on the Mauser.

By the time the M40 was standardized, it would have been Parkerized and topped with a Redfield 3-9X variable.
Hi-Lux was also making replicas of these as well.

IMO the Springfields, Winchesters and Remingtons were different from Mausers actions. While Springfield Armory did get called on patent infringement and the US paid a fine along the lines of $300,000 to Mauser because of minor similarities. I don't believe the Mauser used a conical breech while the Springfield Rifle and pre-'64 Winchesters did. Remington did what they were contracted to do and produce rifles to Springfields specification. In any case, a Remington M 700 is certainly not a Mauser action.

Sorry, I did a double tap...

I don't know what "look" you are going for, but an El Paso Weaver would be correct for the 1960's.

You can Google the M40 for optics history & go from there.
Denis

post some pictures and we'll all know whatcha got, maybe...

But there might not have been a Remington 700 without Mauser to introduce the solid head dual opposed lug bolt and staggered box magazine.

And remember, not all Mausers had nonrotating extractors. There were Mausers with short hooks like Sako and they at least had patents on sliding plate extractors like Savage and a spring clip that was different in detail but functionally similar to Remington.

McGowan Barrels claims to have been founded in 2007. Remington made a model 798, based on a Zastava Mauser 98 action, 2006-2008. The story sounds entirely bogus to me.

Bayourambler said:

Whatever the case , what scope would this rifle wear in the 1960’s?

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I have a Weaver 2X7 on my first big game rifle, and my folks gave me that rifle and scope in 1963. But it seems like Lyman Alaskan scopes were real popular back then too. Besides, some sources I found with a Google search said Lyman Alaskan scopes were used on a lot of sniper rifles used by US Army back in the '60s.

If it's a Model 1917, it would not have been issued as a sniper in Vietnam.
Denis

A 1917 might have been used in WWII and/or Korea, but not likely in Vietnam, unless maybe very early in that "war", like late 1950s.

"Before and during World War II, stored rifles were reconditioned for use as reserve, training and Lend-Lease weapons; these rifles are identified by having refinished metal (sandblasted and Parkerized) and sometimes replacement wood (often birch). Some of these rifles were reconditioned with new bolts manufactured by the United Shoe Machinery Company and stamped USMC leading to the mistaken impression these were United States Marine Corps rifles." .... from Wikipedia.

Probably just a rebarreled sporter but if its drilled for a Unertl or has a fat barrel it might be a highpower gun

I use to have a friend who was a sniper in Nam...

When he came home, he bought everything to remake the "exact rifle" he had in Nam and it was a Rem. 700 varminter, factory bbl..

He was a STRANGE dude!!!

DM

Bayourambler said:

Yes, I’m finding McGowen barrels hasn’t been around very long.

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HUH?? I rebarreled a Rem 700 .222 Remington with a McGowan barrel in 1980. I think I still have their flyer.

Mc Gowen has been around a long time , since 80s I am sure. He was making custom rifles since 1968, the modern company purchased his equiptment and name from storage. He is deceased now RIP Harry, but during the Fast and Furious sad days of BATFE there was this to hurt the poor old man



The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted a late-night "enforcement operation" Thursday at the home of Harry McGowen, of rural St. Anne.

The address, 5961 Spruce Lane in the Hieland Road area, is also listed as the office of McGowen Rifle Barrels.

The Chicago office ATF information officer Thomas Ahearn reported Friday that "we cannot disclose any particulars, but I can say that there is an ongoing investigation."


McGowen, a gunsmith and custom rifle builder of world-wide reputation, started assembling quality rifles in 1959 and manufacturing them completely from scratch in his basement in 1968, according to a 1984 profile in The Daily Journal. He previously held a federal firearms manufacturer's license.

Spruce Lane residents called The Daily Journal Friday, noting that multiple vans and a SWAT truck were on their street overnight, with agents apparently hauling multiple boxes of evidence out of the McGowen home and business until midnight.

The person who answered a call to the business said only that he couldn't comment on the incident.