M40
Remington Arms Company · Sniper Rifle · Discontinued · 1966
Also known as: M40 Sniper Rifle, Remington M40
Overview
The M40 is a bolt-action sniper rifle adopted by the United States Marine Corps in 1966. Built on the Remington Model 700 short action and chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, it featured a 24-inch heavy match barrel, a one-piece wooden stock, and a 5-round internal box magazine, typically mounted with a Redfield 3-9x Accurange variable scope. Introduced during the Vietnam War, the M40 became the foundation of the USMC sniper rifle lineage for the following four decades.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4100 g (144.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1117 mm (43.98") |
| Barrel Length | 610 mm (24.02") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 777 m/s (2549 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3457 J (2550 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 800 m (875 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1000 m (1094 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 305 mm (12.01") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Parkerized |
Calibers
- 7.62x51mm NATO · primary · 7.62x51mm NATO — also known as .308 Winchester, 7.62mm NATO, 7.62x51mm
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Heavy Match Barrel, One Piece Wooden Stock, Telescopic Sight
Variants
Service history
Operators
- United States Marine Corps · adopted 1966
Conflicts
- Vietnam War (1955-1975)
Production
Estimated total produced: 995 · Production years: 1966-1977
Approximately 995 original M40 rifles were produced before the design transitioned to the M40A1 rebuild program.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Remington Arms / USMC Marksmanship Training Unit
Discontinued: 1977
Notes
Factory-produced base model later rebuilt and refined by USMC armorers at Marine Corps Base Quantico into the M40A1 and subsequent variants. Production of the original M40 configuration ended in 1977.
Background
Adopted on April 7, 1966, the M40 gave USMC snipers a purpose-built precision rifle during the Vietnam War, where legendary marksmen such as Carlos Hathcock used it to record long-range engagements.