M40 Rifle Question

[7 ring]

Why does the USMC M40 sniper rifle have a wedge shaped piece of metal in a dovetail on top of the barrel near the muzzle ? Is this for a detachable front sight or is it to affect barrel harmonics ?

[Gunner]

Hi,

dont know what metal piece do you mean. The M-40 in the pic hasnt it also not the M-40A3. Do you have pic of that part?

Regards

Gunner

[Embalmer]

think hes refering to this:

http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=14699

[Liam]

[Gunner]

Dont know how this sniper made it. I made it from an plastic stick and clued it with an hellish good glue on the top of the barrel, where a hole for and frontsight was. I used it as an emergency sight if the scope has a damage. Think it is a similar one to the M40.

Regards

Gunner

[Herschel]

That looks like the blocks used to mount aperture front sights on target rifles. These sights are on NRA Match class rifles used in some National Match Course competitions and in long range (600 yd and 1,000 yd) iron sight rifle matches.

[USSR]

Why does the USMC M40 sniper rifle have a wedge shaped piece of metal in a dovetail on top of the barrel near the muzzle ? Is this for a detachable front sight or is it to affect barrel harmonics ?

Yep. The issue rifle comes with detachable front and rear sights.

Don

[chuckindenver]

well...
the M40 was the first Remington 700 sniper rifle used 1966 to 1975, then the M40A1, M40A2and now the M40A3...and so on. all had changes based on the 700 action.
the M40 was drilled for the front sight base, and came with iron sights as well, so the rifle could still be used if the optics failed.
rumor has it, no one used the iron sights, and most were tossed.
all the M40 rifles made after were drilled for sight bases, for the same reasons.

[Badgerord]

The Pic posted by Matt is a pic of M24's not an M40's.

The M24 is outfitted with back up iron sights, the one shown is for the first version of iron sights, they were a Redfield Big Bore front and a Palma rear.

The current version use RPA iron sights.

The M40 rifles never had iron sights and the barrels were never drilled. However the receivers were drilled and tapped for a sight but none were mounted.


Marty

[chuckindenver]

i disagree, every picture i have, including the M40,s at the Remington arms museum are D&T at the front as shown.