Vacation spot

Quartlow · February 02, 2007, 01:22:29 PM

I think I've found a spot, that should fit right in with some of the folks here. Especially after watching the demise of a certain silo :D

Knob Creek gun range

Always wanted to shoot a machine gun!! 8) 8) 8)

treebucker · February 02, 2007, 07:38:52 PM

That place is near here. It's everything they say, or so I hear. I've been too scared to go in. smiley_anxious ;D

Now a friend of mine has a large oak that needs to be sawed in that neighborhood. Anybody want to bring their swing mill along and make it a gun-sawing trip?

Ed_K · February 02, 2007, 08:40:04 PM

Friends from the Frankin County League of sportsmens club here in ma. go there every yr. I've heard some wild stories. Theres another shoot in Maine every yr too.

Tom_Averwater · February 02, 2007, 08:44:06 PM

We should get a F.F. crew to meet at the shoot this spring , I think it's in April . I could pick up Pigman on the way. It is pretty awsome to see all of the machineguns being shot at once blowing up washers and dryers and waterheaters.

treebucker · February 02, 2007, 09:51:57 PM

Tom_Averwater,

Just 10 miles (more or less) away from this range is the world-famous Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest . Across the road from the Arboretum is the world-famous Jim Beam Distillery. Up the hill from Jim Beam's is that oak my friend needs cut up. (Don't forget a swing mill.)

Within 20 miles (or less) of the range is the world-famous Fort Knox Gold Vault. (You can see it from the road but they won't let you in.) While you're in the neighborhood visit the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor . And, if you are lucky, you can arrange a VIP tour of the tank gun range at Fort Knox where you can see them shoot the big guns.

Did I say "Don't forget a swing mill"?

Just make sure you don't stop by Jim Beam's place before you cut the oak for my friend or before you visit Knob Creek. :D

There's much more to see and do in that area (Mammoth Cave, Louisville Slugger Museum, etc.) if you are willing. Is the interest increasing?

Furby · February 02, 2007, 10:02:08 PM

Ok, ya'll grab your guns and decide on a meeting spot near the fort.
When everyone is ready, just walk on in!
You'll get to see an AWESOME display of arms! ;D

Norm · February 03, 2007, 09:12:10 AM

Cool!

scsmith42 · February 03, 2007, 10:35:50 AM

Quartlow - re Knob Creek, I've been there many times, shooting, competing, and browsing the vendor booths. The experience is just about undescribable.

The first time that I attended (1991 as I recall), when we got out of the truck in the parking lot, I thought that I heard a heavily loaded freight train going by. Turns out that sound was coming from "the line".

The main "line" is about 500' wide or so, and filled with every type of automatic weapon that you can imagine. I've seen everything from submachine guns to tank's to half-tracks with quad 50's on the line, with everything in-between. They usually have at least one mini-gun, and that's what they use to start the sessions. It used to be that the main line would be active for an hour, and then rest for an hour.

At night they will do a demo shoot where they load the mini-gun up with 100% tracers. When they shoot it, it looks like a laser beam. For those not familiar with a mini-gun, it's a belt-fed 30 caliber electric gatling gun that shoots up to 5000 rounds per minute. That's 83 rounds per second!

In addition to cars, stoves, refridgerators, etc down range, there are also usually some 55 gallon drums with some gasoline and dynamite in them. When a round detonates the dynamite, you end up with a nice "hollywood style special effect" with not only a big "boom" that you will feel in your teeth, but also a flame and smoke stream thundering forth. It is way cool.

Some years I've seen flame thrower demonstrations (and you can rent one to try out for yourself).

There are usually organized competition events that take place at Knob Creek; in years past this is where the National Submachine Gun Championship's have been held, and there are usually 3-gun events (pistol, rifle, and submachien gun, or pistol, shotgun and subgun) as well.

The Vendor booths are extensive and complete, and just about anybody that's anybody in the Class 3 world is there.

A note about legalities - it is legal to own fully automatic weapons in about two-thirds of the United States. They are regulated by both state law and federal law. The primary federal law that governs ownership is the National Firearms Act act of 1934, and machine guns, silencers, short barreled rifles/shotguns, destructive devices (such as grenades), etc, are referred to as "NFA Weapons" by the ATF and those in the industry. Firearms dealers (FFL holders) that are licensed by ATF to sell them are called "Class 3 Dealers", since of the four classes of FFL class 3 is the one designated for a dealer in NFA weapons.

Assuming that you live in a state that allows civilian ownership, and that your local chief law enforcement officer will sign off on your application, ownership is usually a 90 day process involving a local background check, a FBI background check, fingerprint submittal, and ATF review. The cost is a $200.00 tax per firearm, device, etc. It is a felony to be in possession of an NFA firearm w/o this approval process, so when you make a purchase the dealer keeps the weapon until he receives the paperwork back from the BATF.

The last time I checked, there were around 500,000 legally owned NFA firearms in the US. The prices have really skyrocketed since 1986, as that year a federal law was passed that prevented further manufacturing or importation for civilian ownership. So the supply was frozen so to speak, and the prices have been going up ever since.

There are actually many organized shooting clubs that host submachine gun matches on a monthly basis. I've belonged to some great ones in both Indiana and Wisconsin, and it's usually a great bunch of folks. Spectators are always welcome, and you can often meet someone that will let you shoot their subgun. So if you can't make the Knob Creek shoot, check out your local shooting clubs. Ask around at a gun show for who the "class 3" dealers are, and they can steer you to the local shoots.

Scott

tcsmpsi · February 03, 2007, 12:45:09 PM

All the whiz, bang, boom, flash, can, indeed be notably titilating.

But, my personal favorite is the fully silenced, fully auto, with night vision. ;)

treebucker · February 05, 2007, 09:42:55 AM

Once apon a time I took a trip to look at a farm for sale near hwy 61. There was a range there where they were rumored to shoot machine guns. I got it confused with Knob Creek on my earlier post so the distances I gave from Knob Creek to Bernheim Forest and Fort Knox were not correct. It is less than 10 miles from Knob Creek to the main entrance of Fort Knox. It's about 15 miles(?) from Knob Creek to Bernheim Forest. Sorry for any confusion.

I was informed that Fort Knox discontinued their public viewing of the tank range live fire exercises. Something to do with cost of bus drivers. I don't know if they are currently offering any viewings but I hope to get some more info on this soon and post it here.

Qweaver · February 05, 2007, 10:29:37 AM

A friend took me to shoot on a 1000 yard range this weekend. We shot his competition grade M14 in the service class, open sights, from the prone position. I was a little amazed that I could even hit the target. John was in the 8,9,and 10 rings consistantly. I only fired 4 rounds fron the prone position and then my old broken back gave up so I fired from a bench after that. I reload and shoot quite a bit but this 1000 yard open sight shooting is a whole new ball game. I really don't need another hobby but it would be easy to get hooked on this one. Just getting a M14 round to stay supersonic and consistant at 1000yards is a real challenge. It was areal hoot!
Quinton

Bill · February 06, 2007, 03:15:45 PM

I tried the NRA high power shoot once with a garand. When the targets got out to 500 yds these old eyes saw the front sight as the same size as the telephone poles holding the real target. Just held her between the two telephone poles and mostly got 'er on the paper. Think I need better eyes.
;)