Need more info on USMC Shooters Box

wallyent

We came across this box and was told it is a USMC MTU (Military Training Unit?) rifle teams shooter equipment and accessories box used during the Springfield competition days. Does anyone here have any further information we could get? It would be deeply appreciated. Thanks, wallyent

62fuelie

I think the acronym is "marksmanship training unit". Was based at Quantico, probably still is. The Corps, like the other military arms, provided highly expert support for their shooting teams and had the facilities to fabricate everything needed.

perry shooter

Hello I shot many pistol matches at Quantico as a CIVILIAN . They feiled some of the Best :Pistol and Rifle teams AT Camp Perry for many years and had Full support in equipment and Fire arms Both rifle and pistol your box is for High Power rifle of course. The Marine pistol team and Our Civilian team shared many a GOOD time at Perry They can Shoot but also know how to drink Beer and Moscow Mules[;)]

Herschel

Since this box has what appears to be a federal stock number on it I believe it is a military issue item. However, I shot high power in the National Matches from 1958 through 1967. The standard high power shooter's equipment was 1. Rifle, 2. Folding stool with storage compartment and 3. Spotting scope. I never saw such a shooting box in use but that doesn't mean there were not some there. When we fired on the 200 yard line of the 1,000 yard range, I don't recall it's name, we sometimes had to park at the 1,000 yard line and walk 800 yards to the 200 yard line for the standing and sitting rapid fire stages. No one wanted to lug extra equipment on the 800 yard hike. If this box was issued to USMC shooters I doubt that it was often used.

wallyent

Thank you for all the information you gave us. Would anyone know what kind of value this Range Box has?
For a funny side note on this. When we purchased it from a gentleman that had it for a long time, he believed it was a military parachute repair kit. We found out later that the contents were cock fighting spurs and related items. They were intriguing looking curved needles attached to leather but when really examined there was no eye holes for threading. Through much research we found out contents and box did not go together. Guess now we need to look for some fighting roosters. [:D]

Old Gunny

Let Old Gunny get you all "A-J" squared away on this batpoop box. Any * can stencil USMC on something and try to sell it to the unwary or USMC "wanna-bees"- MTU is NOT Corps jargon- MTU is the Army's Maskmanship Training Unit at Ft. Benning GA. You wanna know how to spot a "wanna-be Scout/Sniper USMC PX Commando type- ask him the name of the 1000 yard (now meters)range and its location in the USMC Stateside facilities-- Part two- ask him if he saw the phoney Hollywooded USMC Scout/Sniper movie with Jake "*" Ghyenhaul- in the Sand Box- if he says he did- ask him what was FUBARED in the exchange between him and his spotter when assessing a TOA! Semper Fi!!

rufe-snow

I did a GOOGLE search on the Federal Stock Number on the case. It appears to be the real mccoy to me. This FSN was converted to a National Stock Number in the 70's, in the format 1005-00-630-7125. Searching for this number I came up with this PDF from the Marine Marksmanship organization at this link, http://www.marines.mil/news/publications/Documents/MCO 8373.2E.pdf Although the item with the last 4 digits, (7125) isn't listed in the PDF, I believe that it was used by Marine marksmanship units prior to the 1970's.

kimi

quote:Originally posted by Old Gunny
Let Old Gunny get you all "A-J" squared away on this batpoop box. Any * can stencil USMC on something and try to sell it to the unwary or USMC "wanna-bees"- MTU is NOT Corps jargon- MTU is the Army's Maskmanship Training Unit at Ft. Benning GA. You wanna know how to spot a "wanna-be Scout/Sniper USMC PX Commando type- ask him the name of the 1000 yard (now meters)range and its location in the USMC Stateside facilities-- Part two- ask him if he saw the phoney Hollywooded USMC Scout/Sniper movie with Jake "*" Ghyenhaul- in the Sand Box- if he says he did- ask him what was FUBARED in the exchange between him and his spotter when assessing a TOA! Semper Fi!!


[?][:D][:D][:D]

ADDED: I've never seen one before, but then I was never stationed with the Corps' MTU either. A quick search on Google shows a box similar to this at the below link, which has Army on it along with the year 1961. One party states that this type box was a MTU Rifle Teams Shooters Equipment and Accessories Box. He also mentions that he had seen them in the early 60s, and that they were given up for the fold-up chairs, (which I also used beginning in 64). He also made note that they might date back to the Springfield rifle competition days which makes sense. Another poster states that he has one as well.

{Elsewhere}

Herschel

If this item was to be used by highpower rifle shooters why were they not in evidence on the ranges? If it was a needed piece of equipment why didn't other military teams have/use them? I was on military teams in the glory days of military marksmanship when funds were available to support the competitive marksmanship program. I never saw such a box in use by a military shooters. Civilian shooters had all kinds of equipment that was limited only by their imagination and ability to lug it around on the range. Major Dick Culver could probably probably give some accurate info on the box but his wife is having medical problems and is probably not following the forums. I don't know how to contact him by email.