Looks like a blast. I shot a Thompson many years ago and it was a big giggle.
From the Observer:
http://www.lagrandeobserver.com/news...story_no=10839
Too bad I have to work...
MACHINE GUN SHOOTERS TAKE AIM THIS WEEKEND
Published: June 11, 2007
The Joseph Eagle Cap Shooters Association's machine gun shoot provides the opportunity to shoot at targets not available elsewhere.
Photos courtesy of Eagle Cap Shooter's Association web site/www.eaglecapsa.com
- Gary Fletcher
- The Observer
ENTERPRISE — The Joseph Eagle Cap Shooters Association will hold its second annual machine gun shoot June 16-17 at its new range five miles north of Enterprise.
Take Highway 3 north, turn right on Ant Flat Road. The range is one mile on the left.
This full auto shoot will provide an opportunity to shoot up to nearly 3,000 yards with tracers at exploding targets, things that generally cannot be done at other ranges, ESA Rangemaster Eric Kozowski said.
"This is why last year's shoot brought so many visitors to town, which boosted the economy by money being spent for rooms and restaurants. We are expecting even more people this year," Kozowski said.
The shoot provides the opportunity to shoot at targets not available elsewhere.
Among them are the Tennerite commercially manufactured exploding targets that provide a boom, flash and smoke.
That explosive substance only detonates from high-velocity rifle fire.
Tennerite Commercial targets are not available on many ranges, Kozowski said.
Here they will be placed in old appliances and cars at a range of about 2,000 yards, Kozowski said. That extended range is also not available at some ranges, he said.
Other purposes of the shoot include familiarizing people with automatic weapons and providing the public the chance to fire them, Kozowski said.
Only legal firearms will be allowed. They must bear the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives tax stamp, Kozowski said.
Vendors will offer a wide variety of automatic weapons to rent to the public to shoot.
Last year there was an assortment of two dozen types, from M-16s to WWII-era Browning Automatic Rifles and belt-fed machine guns including the big .50-caliber machine guns.
"There was even a 20-mm anti-tank rifle that several locals fired last year," Kozowski said.
The entry fee will be $10 for Saturday.
The gates open at 7 a.m. The shoot is from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
A one-hour shoot with silencers only "will give people an idea of how they work, and should dispels some of the movie myths about silencers," Kozowski said.
The night shoot with tracers will be from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The Sunday shoot will be from 9 a.m. until noon. The Sunday entry fee is $5.
Food and beverages will be available, as is on-site camping. RVs are welcome but there are no hook-ups.
Firearm safety and education are among the objectives of the ECSA.
ECSA's chief range safety officer is Duncan Hunter. He will supervise more than 20 trained range safety officers at the shoot.
There will be one safety officer for every two shooting benches, where people will be shooting one at a time.
With this system, 30 people can shoot safely at any one time.
There are misnomers about machine guns, Kozowski said.
"Some people think that machine guns are illegal to own. That's true in some states, but they are legal in 36 states, including Oregon," he said, adding machine gun registration is much more stringent.
There has been only one crime committed with a legally owned machine gun, he said.
The Eagle Cap Shooters Association was started in 2003 by a group of shooters in Wallowa County who wanted a safe, accessible place to sight in weapons, engage in shooting sports, conduct law enforcement training and provide education on the safe and correct handling of firearms.
The ECSA has had a cowboy shoot and is also planning a long-range black powder shoot.
Other ECSA activities include monthly shoots, a spring gun sale, a gun raffle, turkey gun patterning open range, an egg shoot and a Schutzenboomer.
Classes include range safety officer courses and concealed carry courses. Completion of the course will allow a person to obtain a concealed carry permit from the Wallowa County Sheriff's Department.
The Eagle Cap Educational Alliance is ECSA's non-profit (501-C3) sister organization. Any contributions made are tax deductible.
All grants are written by the alliance and any money collected through donations or grants is used for ECSA range development.
ECSA is also a non-profit organization but cannot provide receipts for tax deductions.
The 2007 ECSA officers are President Tom Crooks, Vice President Eric Kozowski, Treasurer Lisa Allen, Secretary Treva Crooks, Budget Director Floyd McCadden, Grants Director Duncan Hunter, Marketing Director John Joyce, Publicity Director Terry DeSpain, Range Construction and Maintenance and Open Training Director Steve Sharp, Women's Activities Director Karen Raminha and Youth Activities Director Bill Oliver.
Tom Crooks is newsletter editor, Lee Grover is in charge of range development and Keith Newburn is roads coordinator.
For information contact ECSA at P.O. Box 928, Joseph 97846; online at eaglecapsa.com; or by calling 432-2214.
Mad Mikey
Machine gun shoot in NEO
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