M40 clone project or no?

[Liam]

Like everyone else (and their brother), I'd like an M40 clone. I priced the USMC Commemorative models put out by Remington in 2006, but they are bringing pretty high prices. Since I don't feel the need to exactly clone an M40, perhaps there are some shortcuts to my goal that may prove cheaper. Midway USA has Remington short actions in .308 with bolt & standard trigger for $399.99. I'm assuming this is the place to start. Repro M40 stocks are out there, so that is no problem. The green anodized Redfield scopes (both I & II gen.) are for the more serious types. I'll settle for a new Redfield put out by Leupold ($$$-saver). Barrel choices abound, so I feel that won't be an issue. Anyone been down this road and have suggestions. Just starting out on this right now and figure I'll collect parts for the better part of a year or two before I need a gunsmith.

And don't tell my wife!

[Dan in NY]

Hi Liam;

Just had Mike Lau from Texas Brigade Armory partially build me a nice 1966 clone M40....I used a Mike Kokulus stock...Kokolus makes stocks, and has an original M40 stock in his personal possession....he duplicated this blank for me off that stock...I say "partially built", because TBA did the metalwork, and I did the woodwork...Kokolus' stocks are almost a drop-in deal...just had to final fit the buttplate & free float the barrel...I chose to install the 1/8" brass rod in the side of the stock...According to Senich's book, some have it, some don't...I had the correct brass rod on hand, so I went for it...not hard at all..
I started with a 6-digit 308 action, and had a spare Remington 40XB 308 barrel , with a perfect, like-new bore and with the correct 1-10" twist the USMC used...It was a huge, 27" H2 factory bull barrel, so I profiled it to M40 specs on my lathe, and just included it with the action...TBA fit it, headspaced it, marked it to match the original Remington receiver build date-to-serial number, again, just like the USMC did....Then parkerized it...
The rifle looks just like a late '66 or early 67' rifle in Senich's book.....I have yet to shoot it...just put the satin/matte Redfield Accurange on it yesterday...Any questions, PM me.

I guess I saved some dough because I offset the overall cost by doing alot of it myself....it was fun .....One thing I will say about TBA...They do impeccable work, as you can see in the pics, but be prepared to wait.....took many months to get this back....
I would think you could do a similar build for the same or maybe under what a Commemorative costs...I like those Comm's..., but the wrong serial number kinda bothered me...(but that's just me)...

Dan

[pelago]

HANDSOME, DOES IT SHOOT AS WELL AS IT LOOKS??
Nice work!

[Dan in NY]

Thanks.....but I don't know how it shoots yet........Just got it together yesterday......This has been a S-L-O-W project...not just because of TBA...I knew that going into it...I had to make the scope base, find the rings, bottom metal, etc....

Not many ranges around me here in Hillary-ville, ....The barrel was broken in...don't know the round count, but was definitely low....I'm hoping to bore-sight it, and dial it in with some new 150 gr. Silvertips I have... hopefully it'll be my Adirondack deer rifle this year...

should turn a few heads in deer camp.....Two of my buddies are USMC 62-66....(they went in together....One went into the air wing, the other a tunnel rat/demolitions guy...) I can't wait to show them...

Dan

[Liam]

Nice Dan! I already have a German side-by-side shotgun made in 1966. My wife got it for my birthday last year (was born in 66), but I'd love to have something comparable to what you have posted. Forgive my ignorance, but what is the 1/8" brass rod for?

[Dan in NY]

The 1/8" brass rod was a reinforcement pin....Like the pins on the early 1903A3 Remington stocks....some Remington 700/M40 stocks had it, some didn't.....don't know why the inconsistency, but Senich's book clearly shows USMC M40's that do have it, and some that don't.....I chose to put one in, since it's 308.....besides, that web area by the trigger is really thin...no wonder they added the rod...

I read somewhere that there's only about a dozen real M40's in the general population, so I doubt anyone's gonna fool anyone with a "real" one.......USMC just never released them in numbers...Mine's a clone and I'm OK with that, just like my pre-ban M1A....Many USGI parts, but it will always be a clone...
Now, I gotta get it sighted in and drag it around the Adirondacks for a week.......get a few "character marks" on it to break the ice...Looks too new....LOL...

Dan

[sgm11z]

Years ago (many) I was able to secure a complete set of parts when the Corps was tearing down the original M40 rifles ( barrel, stock, trigger guard, scope base and rings) Later I was also able to secure on of the matt black finished generation 2 Redfield scopes after the matching rifle serial number was ground off the tube. It took years to find a receiver in the right serial number range for the M40's and then even longer to find a good machinist to make the cuts to match the issue rifles clip slots, etc.

Long story short is that if you can find someone who can do the work to include making up the parts then you are probably ahead of the game since all of the original sets are probably long gone. The original M40 rifles were only purchased in limited numbers and were pretty much used up before being broken down.

Have fun, they are neat guns and a project well work undertaking.

[Dan in NY]

TBA's USMC clip slot........on the money....

[Gus Fisher]

To save dollars, I would suggest buying a used rifle with a good .308 "Varminter" barrel on it. Most of these were never shot that much and are just broken in and not worn out.

[Dan in NY]

I agree with Gus.....Many .308" 1-10" twist barrels are out there...The USMC muzzle was the same as the Remington Varminters, anyway...830" if I recall.....Just FYI, Douglas Barrels made the barrels in 1966/67 and still makes the USMC profile, in blank form.....I bought one of those for my first TBA M40 build...Wanna say it was around $250 back in 06'....TBA installed, marked & finished it...(yet another Kokolus stock...LOL)...You could prolly get a used 308 Varminter barrel from The Shooter's Corner in NJ...Bob White is the Proprieter, and they cater to benchrest shooters...They always have a big selection of good used stuff....Google them...He & wife are good people and very helpful... Good Luck

[GregV]

Dan,

Thanks for all the info and pictures. I recently found a six digit rifle and am starting my M40 build. I called Douglas this morning and they still make the M40 profile barrel, so that's what I'll be going with. The stock is a different story. I called Mike Kokolus and got an answering machine that said that they were shut down until June. Also, I saw on their website, that they no longer duplicate military stocks. Any suggestions on a stock. I don't know if I'm good enough to go the ADL conversion route.

Thanks, Greg V

[Dan in NY]

Greg;

Bummer about Mike Kokolus...The ADL route will save you about $200, since you could get an ADL for around $50-$75 if you search....I did one and it came out OK....The stamped checkering is in there pretty deep, and you end up with a pistol grip a bit on the thin side, but not terrible....Just bite the bullet, steam the heck out of it, and get out the rasp...its that deep....The barrel channel sides thin out, as well, but again, not terrible...Finish it up with a palm sander and restain...
Punching through the bottom for the mag well is easy. Get yourself a good Dremel tool, if you havent got one already..
Another benefit of the ADL is they shared the same aluminum buttplate as the M40's. Swivels from a Rem. 513T are the same as the M40's...or so close you'd never know the difference..

PM me, if you have any questions, or want to see any up-close pics of a certain area.

regards

Dan

[GregV]

Thanks Dan, I appreciate your input.

Greg

[GregV]

Dan,

I too am thinking about having TBA do my metal work. I'm also talking with GA Precision.

Did TBA actually parkerize your barreld action, or is it "Duracoated" ? Is it just a standard gray color? Did you also have them put the finish on your bolt and triggerguard?

What was the turn around time on yours?

Thanks again, Greg

[Dan in NY]

Just a standard manganese park job, same as the USMC....Remember, these weren't elaborate rifles such as the Corps uses today. On that particular rifle, TBA fit the barrel I provided, headspaced it, marked it, parked it and serial numbered & blackened the bolt, as I recall. Turnaround time was every bit of three months....Admitttedly, when I got impatient I called Mike Lau (owner) and to his credit, each time I called, he picked up the phone and gave me a SITREP....

I wish I could tell you what I paid, but I can't recall. Since it wasn't a complete TBA-build, Mike came down in price to reflect my finishing the piece...