One of the most recognized names in military sniping during the Vietnam conflict was Marine Corps marksman Carlos Hathcock. During his two tours, he was credited with 93 confirmed kills. The rifle he relied on for very precise long range shot placement was a Model 70 Winchester, of .30-06 caliber, topped with an 8x Unertl scope - very much like the rifle shown above (top photo). The accompanying USMC photo shows sniper LCpl. Dalton Gunderson with a similar rifle in Vietnam, sighting in on a distant target.
Scopes of this design, with micrometer click external adjustment, were once favored by long range precision shooters, and quite a few different scope manufacturers offered very similar models. Today, an original USMC marked scope in mint condition can sell for as much as $5,000 to $6,000. And with the current interest in shooting and competing with vintage style sniper rifles, just a working standard model scope in very good condition can still bring $2,000 or more.
Leatherwood/Hi-Lux Optics is now adding an extremely well built 8X USMC-SNIPER model to its Wm. Malcolm line of vintage style riflescopes. Not only will this scope match the originals for extremely precise adjustment of windage and elevation, the new made scope also offers the advantages of modern lens making, with fully multi-coated lens surfaces for maximum light transmission. This scope offers the brightest, clearest, and sharpest optics ever in a riflescope of this design.
The scope will be marked with the Wm. Malcolm name over the USMC-SNIPER model designation, and each will be serial numbered - as were the original USMC models. The Marine Corps utilized this style of scope on sniper rifles during WWII and Korea, commonly relying on the old WWI vintage .30-06 Springfield Model 1903-A1. (Modified specifically for sniper use, the WWII rifle was also known as the USMC Model 1941 Sniper Rifle - bottom photo.) During the Vietnam conflict, some of the earlier snipers, such as Carlos Hathcock, continued to rely on the external adjustment "target scopes" the Corps had adopted during WWII.
The new Wm. Malcolm 8X USMC-SNIPER captures the look, the precision and the accuracy capable with riflescopes of this type. And at the $549 suggested retail price, it is far more affordable than a serviceable original from the 1940s, or even the 1970s when they were still in production. Like all Leatherwood/Hi-Lux Optics, the Wm. Malcolm USMC-SNIPER model comes backed with a limited lifetime warranty.
Show casing a scope with only vintage pictures
ReplyDeleteA little tacky at best? The old unertal scopes
where very sleek and a sexy looking. So are you
Doing a accurate reproduction? Or some frankenstein
"in the style of" repo? Even auto makers show off
real concept cars?!? I would think any gun writer worth
his ink would be all over this? Please do the right
Thing post your own pictures? ;)
Guess you'll just have to wait and see...
ReplyDeleteThe scopes will be introduced at the SHOT Show next month.
Rest assured...they will be great scopes....with superior optics to the original Unertl models.
Well Bubb...were you at the SHOT Show? If so, did you come by and see the new Wm. Malcolm 8x USMC Sniper scope?
ReplyDeleteIt was one of the real hits at the show, and the scope was praised over and over again - mostly by those who shoot vintage sniper rifle competition...or who are now looking forward to doing so. Also, don't be too surprised, down the road in a year or so, when something of a Carlos Hathcock commemorative rifle is released. A few years ago, one nearly was, but there was a real void in making it happen - and that was the lack of a proper scope.
The 8x USMC Sniper model fills that void.
Toby Bridges
Leatherwood/Hi-Lux Optics