USAMTU Long Range 30 cal cartridge

[RCS]

During the late '50's, the United States Army Marksmanship Training Unit experimented with large capacity cases for long range targets. The cartridge case that was selected was very close to the Ackley Imp .300 mag.

in the photo #1 is headstamped REM-UMC 300 indicating the bunter was modified.

The cartridge in photo #2 is headstamped W C C 60


The third cartridge is a factory REM-UMC 300 MAGNUM

[Dan In Indiana]

Didn't he have some kind of a contract to develop a long range cartridge for the people who don't exist?

[keevern]

Looks like a 308 norma mag but longer.
Nathan

[Bill Wylde]

I think that I have one of those .30 reamers. Came from the Ted Holmes Gun Shop in Mattoon, IL. and likely made by R. G. "Bob" Sherer.

The Holmes shop did quite a lot of work for the MTU in those years and I seem to recall that one (or both) of the two Holmes marked .30 Cal belted reamers that I have were used in that project. The reamers are .30 belted Newton and .300 Ackley.

[Dan In Indiana]

http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2009infantrysmallarms/thursdaysessionxi8503.pdf

[RCS]

Anyone know what rifles were used by the USAMTU ? Here is a early post WW2 M70 target ? they could have used Remingtons too

[Jim Swartz]

I remember the army team at camp perry using what was called 30-338.

It was a no brainer to shoot cleans at 1000yds with it.

[Herschel]

I shot in the national matches at Camp Perry in the late 1950's and 1960's. In the 1950's the Army teams were shooting the .300 H & H Magnum. Like Jim Swartz, I remember them shooting .30-.338 later. I believe they only shot the bolt guns in the 1,000 yard matches. The only rifles I remember the Army team shooting was the pre-'64 model 70 Winchester with heavy barrel and marksman stock. I tried one of the model 70's in the Wimbledon match. It was not a good experience as the Redfield International sight adjustments were not familiar, the single stage trigger pull was different as was the fit of the rifle. After one try with the bolt gun I went back to the Idiot Stick. (National Match M1 Rifle) Those were the days!

[RCS]

Left:
White tip 7.62mm is the XM256E1 low recoil cartridge with 90 gr steel bullet and headstamped F A 66 without NATO (+) may have been test in Viet Nam.

Right: Early 1958 National Match cartridge in 7.62mm, both 180 and 200 gr
bullets were used. Headstamp is WCC 58 without the NATO (+) stamp. Note
that this NM cartridge is too long for the M14 magazine,