Grits :
Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Win)
Length: 1117mm (M40A1)
Weight: 4.08 kg empty w/o scope; 6.57 kg complete weapon
Barrel Length: 660mm (M40); 610mm (M40A1)
Magazine Capacity: 5 rounds in detachable box magazine
Sight: Redfield 3-9X (M40); Unertl 10x with Mil-Dots and BDC (M40A1)
Stock: Remington one piece wooden (M40); McMillan fiberglass (M40A1)
Max Effective Range: 800 meters
After beginning of the Vietnam war, US Marine corps decided to purchase some bolt action sniper rifles. In April, 1966, Remington offered to US MC its sniper rifle, built in the Remingtons' custom shop on Model 40XB target rifle action (target tuned model 700 action with heavy barrel). Initially, 800 rifles were offered under the designation of the M40 Sniper Rifle. Total of 995 M40 were built by Remington for US MC. Original M40s were built on Remingtons' model 700BDL actions, with one piece wooden stocks.
In the 1970's, whel initial M40s began to wear out, US MC began to rebuild its inventory into M40A1 configuration. M40A1 built around the same 700BDL actions, but with differend stocks (polymer, by McMillan bros), and with the different scope. M40A1s are built in Quantico by qualified US MC armourers wrom parts supplied by Remington (actions), Winchester (magazine floorplate) and other contractors.
M40s were used in Vietnam and in later companies with great success, proved itself reliable and deadly accurate weapons
