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There are staples of weaponry in the armory of the Marine Corps
that define the battlefield. One of these weapons is the M40 sniper
rifle, which is the premier weapon of choice for the Marine Corps
for long-range enemy engagements.
Based off of the Remington 700 bolt-action rifle, the M40 is a
bolt-action rifle that fires .308 caliber rounds. The weapon has
been in use in the Marine Corps since 1966, with the latest M40A5
variant introduced in 2009. This is the weapon that snipers with the
Marine Corps Shooting Team grow accustomed to and are expected to be
experts in operating it during competitions, such as the Australian
Army Skill at Arms Meeting 2016 at Puckapunyal Military Area in
Victoria, Australia.
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Cpl. John Luze, a competitor with the Marine Corps Shooting Team,
fires a round with his M40A5 sniper rifle during a practice fire at
Puckpunyal Military Area in Victoria, Australia, May 7, 2016. The
Marine Corps Shooting Team traveled to Australia to compete in the
Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting 2016. The M40A5 is a
bolt-action sniper rifle the Marine Corps uses for long-range enemy
engagements. (Image created by USA Patriotism! from U.S. Marine Corps photos by Sgt. Terence Brady)
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“The M40 is a great weapon because it's a bolt action so
there's less moving parts when you're actually firing the
weapon,” said Cpl. John Luze, a competitor with the MCST.
“It's built from the ground up at Precision Weapons Section
so the parts fit together better. Being a bolt action, it's
easier to clean and holds a better group than other sniper
rifles.”
Considering the expectations of proficiency,
Marine snipers learn extensively about the M40 among other
things at Scout Sniper Basic Course. The length of time
before a Marine is qualified to operate a sniper rifle can
vary, according to Luze.
“I was in the Sniper
Platoon for about a year and a half before going to sniper
school, and it took me two tries to get into sniper school,”
said Luze. “Some guys will get into the platoon and go to
Pre-Sniper School, which is a six-week course, before going
to the basic course. So from the time they get into the
platoon until they actually become snipers can be five to
six months, however the average time is about a year.”
During their time in school, a student will learn other
weapons systems besides the M40.
“We also train with
the M110 (Semi-Automatic Sniper System), which is an AR-10
platform that fires .308 caliber rounds,” said Luze. “The
M110 is good for what it was designed for, which is rapid
target engagement and closer distances in an urban
environment, but comparing it to the M40 for a long distance
rifle the M40 beats it.”
Being a bolt-action rifle,
the M40 carries some disadvantages with it that other sniper
rifles do not have.
“It depends what your mission
is,” said Luze. “One disadvantage is that we're only issued
five rounds per magazine, which means that's only five shots
and then you have to reload.
“Another disadvantage is
that it's heavy and is a bolt-action rifle so it's a lot
harder to engage targets rapidly.”
Because it
requires precise firing on targets, snipers are expected to
make the carrying and use of the M40 second nature,
according to Luze.
“All shooters should have the
rifle become an extension of themselves,” said Luze. “When
I'm shooting and I'm not perfectly aligned then I'm not
shooting as well as normal because I'm fighting it.
“You need to get to the point where whatever you're thinking
and wherever you move your rifle moves too.”
By U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Terence Brady
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2016
The U.S. Marines
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