Fully automatic
Tuesday, 3 February 2009 23:06![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
claidheamhmorLast weekend, my dad invited me to go shooting with him; he had been invited by a friend of his who is involved with firearms in a big way (so is my dad for that matter). So I went along, and got to shoot some really interesting weapons.
Star of the show was a WW1 Vickers machine gun, mounted on tripod. Lovely weapon: just point it where you want, pull the trigger, and it pours out a stream of bullets into your aiming point.
Some of the weapons we fired. Closest to furthest: South African R1 rifle (basically an FN), a Russian rifle of sorts that was a bitch to use, a Russian PPSh-41 submachine gun, and a British Sten (which was a pleasure - easy to aim and shoot, very little recoil, and simple).
Left to right: US M1D Garand sniper rifle; my favourite of the lot. It was dead accurate, and very comfortable to shoot. Then the SA R4 assault rifle, a rip-off of the Israeli Galil, which was itself based on the AK-47. Finally, a British Sterling submachine gun. (There was an AK-47 around too - taken off its original owner in Angola, as he no longer needed it...)
The two big guys: a Russian PKM machine gun, and an FN MAG. Both were really difficult to shoot from the hip because of the recoil. Later on, the MAG was mounted on a tripod, and it was putting bullets through a log lengthwise!
A shotgun (not sure exactly what), a Lee-Enfield (I think), a Heckler & Koch MP5 (which was really simple and easy to use), and a Glock fully-automatic pistol (a real bitch to keep on target).
My dad with the MP5.
The view from behind the trigger of the Vickers.
One chap brought his girlfriend; she participated enthusiastically.
This odd "tank" was at the entrance of the shooting range.
All the automatic gunfire attracted a group of policemen at the range next to ours; they came by, drooled a lot, and had a go too. We went through several thousand rounds of ammo, I reckon; it was left over from a "corporate day" held by an investment bank.
A day to remember.
Star of the show was a WW1 Vickers machine gun, mounted on tripod. Lovely weapon: just point it where you want, pull the trigger, and it pours out a stream of bullets into your aiming point.
Some of the weapons we fired. Closest to furthest: South African R1 rifle (basically an FN), a Russian rifle of sorts that was a bitch to use, a Russian PPSh-41 submachine gun, and a British Sten (which was a pleasure - easy to aim and shoot, very little recoil, and simple).
Left to right: US M1D Garand sniper rifle; my favourite of the lot. It was dead accurate, and very comfortable to shoot. Then the SA R4 assault rifle, a rip-off of the Israeli Galil, which was itself based on the AK-47. Finally, a British Sterling submachine gun. (There was an AK-47 around too - taken off its original owner in Angola, as he no longer needed it...)
The two big guys: a Russian PKM machine gun, and an FN MAG. Both were really difficult to shoot from the hip because of the recoil. Later on, the MAG was mounted on a tripod, and it was putting bullets through a log lengthwise!
A shotgun (not sure exactly what), a Lee-Enfield (I think), a Heckler & Koch MP5 (which was really simple and easy to use), and a Glock fully-automatic pistol (a real bitch to keep on target).
My dad with the MP5.
The view from behind the trigger of the Vickers.
One chap brought his girlfriend; she participated enthusiastically.
This odd "tank" was at the entrance of the shooting range.
All the automatic gunfire attracted a group of policemen at the range next to ours; they came by, drooled a lot, and had a go too. We went through several thousand rounds of ammo, I reckon; it was left over from a "corporate day" held by an investment bank.
A day to remember.
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no subject
Date: Tuesday, 3 February 2009 21:19 (UTC)I was always under the impression that Commonwealth countries adhered to the English ideal of banning guns altogether.
I learned how to shoot in the Scouts and it been fun ever since. Even V was no fan of guns until I dragged her to a range. Now the roles are reversed. She loves plunking away with our .22 pistol.
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Date: Tuesday, 3 February 2009 21:25 (UTC)We do have pretty strict gun control nowadays, but there are exceptions made for bona-fide collectors.
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Date: Tuesday, 3 February 2009 21:42 (UTC)no subject
Date: Tuesday, 3 February 2009 21:43 (UTC)no subject
Date: Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:00 (UTC)no subject
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Date: Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:21 (UTC)no subject
Date: Wednesday, 4 February 2009 04:29 (UTC)no subject
Date: Tuesday, 3 February 2009 22:40 (UTC)Oh, and lucky you, by the way.
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Date: Wednesday, 4 February 2009 04:31 (UTC)no subject
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Date: Wednesday, 4 February 2009 09:32 (UTC)no subject
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Date: Wednesday, 4 February 2009 13:55 (UTC)no subject
Date: Wednesday, 4 February 2009 17:36 (UTC)I've heard that the easiest way to clean a room with a stengun is to insert a fresh clip and toss it into the room. Dunno if it is correct though.
The MP-5 is very fun to shoot, I preferred using that instead of the G3 I was issued with in the army.
I never liked shooting the Glock, it felt like I was holding on to a bar of soap, it always felt like slipping out of my hand.
I really ought to take up shooting again, I miss going to the range.
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Date: Wednesday, 4 February 2009 20:49 (UTC)