RI F L E S & GLAS S
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Hi-Lux Malcolm M73G4 2.5X Hi-Lux Malcom M82G2 2.5X Hi-Lux Malcom USMC Sniper 8X
THE U.S. MILITARY got a comprehensive education in sniping during World War I. Troops at the time were shooting Springfield Armory M1903 rifles equipped with either the 1908 or 1913 model Warner & Swasey (W&S) telescopic musket sights. Dismal in performance by today’s standards, these sights represented the best technology of the times. Both had an odd sight offset and a mounting system that made it difficult for the shooter to put accurate rounds on target. While only two models of W&S sights saw action during World War I, there were other telescopic sights in use within the military’s competitive shooting teams, and a few of them were in testing to be fielded. With the W&S sight offset issue solved, the Winchester A5 and Winchester Model 1918 scopes showed great promise. However, as soon as World War I ended, the military halted further funding, testing or fielding of these fine scopes. The next time sniper rifles and optics hit the military’s radar was in March 1941. The U.S. wasn’t involved in World War II yet, but the war was already raging in Europe. The United States Army Ordnance Department made design improvements to the M1903 rifle and awarded Remington a contract to produce them. On September 11, 1941, Remington received its first order to produce 208,000 M1903s with a specified rate of 1,000 rifles per day. On November 24, 1941, the production order was increased by another 74,000 rifles, and on December 13, 1941 it increased again, by another 100,000. By October 1943, most M1903 rifle orders would be modified to specify an M1903A3 variant, and by early 1943, the Ordnance Board gave Remington orders to begin production of the M1903A4 variant. The U.S. military was short on sniper rifles, and there was little thought or selection given to their
design. The A4s weren’t much more than a M1903A3 rifle, except that they were modified to accept a commercially available telescopic sight. They had a scope mount attached to the top of the receiver, the front sight was removed and a pistol grip stock, similar to the M1903A1, along with a modified bolt handle was incorporated to allow the bolt handle to clear the scope when cycled. In the rush to field sniper rifles, the first wave of scopes were purchased right off the shelf from W.R. Weaver Co., the 2.5X Model 330C. That same scope was later purchased under a military contract as the M73B1. (The two only differ in external markings.) When the M73B1 scopes were unavailable, Lyman Alaskan scopes were pressed into service. Unfortunately, very little is known about the Lyman scopes or the actual quantities issued. Additional 2.2X scopes were provided with the M1903A4 during World War II and they included the M81 and M82. The M81 featured a crosshair reticle and the M82 a post reticle. While the U.S. Army was busy issuing scoped M1903A4 rifles in massive numbers, the United States Marine Corps (USMC) adopted a different approach. Up until about 2009, Marines took sniping much more seriously than other military branches, with a proven sniping program. Regardless of their small numbers, today’s U.S. Special Operations community enjoys better funding and superior equipment than both Big Army or the USMC. As a result (and in my opinion), U.S. Special Operations currently turns out a bettertrained and better-equipped snipers. Still, the Marine Corps was the uncontested world sniping champion for World War I and II, and in both Korean and Vietnam. Part of the reason the Marine Corps sniping program was so successful was their willingness to invest the time and effort to build each issued rifle correctly. When World War II began, USMC sniper rifles came from the Marine Corps shooting team armorers. Each rifle started life as an ’03 match rifle built to incredibly demanding standards. Marine Corps
PHOTOS: MARK FINGAR
SNIPING, CIRCA 1944
T OM B ECKST RAN D
