The Albany Rifle and Pistol Club's Winter '99 Fun Shoot
December 13th, 1999 - Just got back from a weekend of fun (and a very long road trip) up in Albany, Oregon, for the Albany Rifle and Pistol Club's Winter '99 Fun Shoot. Oh my, talk about FUN!! This is the second time that I've made the trek, nay, pilgramage, up from the PRK (People's Republic of Kalifornia) to one of this club's full auto shooting events. I just can't say enough about how nice the people are that run, participate, and attend these events! A quick note about these pictures. They were taken with a Sony Mavica FD-7, not one of the newest digital cameras on the block, but what the heck. Also, you'll notice alot of blurred faces. One of the rules of the event is no faces without permision, so those folks that I don't know have their faces obscurred. Now, on with the show! (Video to follow as soon as I can get access to a vid cap system).
This is the full-auto director of the club, Mark Cook, giving the safety briefing to the event's RO's (Range Officers).
Mark passing along the safety briefing for the shooters & spectators over the PA system.
Me getting ready for the opening salvo of the day with Mark's MP5. Nothing quite like starting the day off with a salvo from about 20 or so SMG's =) Due to use-permit restrictions, only pistol caliber firing was allowed until 10am...
which was fine by me as I had Mark's MP5 in my 'wittle hands!
Mark and wife Lori, with their MP5, talking about something or other. RO, and fellow Kalifornian Doug Berry is on the left. Doug made the road trip along with myself and another friend of mine.
Lori shooting her (yes, HER) new toy, a Spanish Destroyer. This is a bolt action, integrally suppressed .45 caliber carbine that uses G.I. .45 magazines. About all you hear when firing this is a soft >krak<, which is nearly all the trigger and hammer mechanism, and the >WHACK< downrange when you hit your target.
Me shooting the Destroyer. I was getting pretty good with it, hunting balloons at the 100 yard line.
Mark about to do his Rambo imitation with his HK21 belt-fed =) Notice how far forward he's braced....
and how far back he get's pushed by a burst of about 10 rounds at 1,100 rounds per minute!
Unfortunately, this is how the '21 spent the rest of the day, as it just refused to keep cycling after that first belt. I was pretty bummed as I looked forward to shooting it again after last May.
A McMillan (?) .50 caliber sniper's rifle. Reach out, reach (WWWAAAAYYYY) out touch someone, as the old commercial jingle goes.
One of the highlights, at least to the testosterone laden men, was a group of girls that came out from "Stars Cabaret and Steak House". I'm guessing they were from the Salem location, as that'd be the closest to Albany. Needless to say, they had quite a crowd around them most of the time. A couple of them REALLY enjoyed shooting. "Snow White", as I called her because of the jacket, was having a grand ol' time with a SPAS-12, Mark's MP5 after some instruction from Lori, and also Mark's GP100 (?) revolver. You really have to see the video for the full effect, as she was truly having a blast (pun intended :)
This girl, whom Mark dubbed "Linda Hamilton" after her resemblence to the actress from the Terminator films, was rockin' with this Benelli M3 (think that's what it is anyway), and later a WWII era German MG43. Lookit that smile! Video caps are below.
Okay, so I took more video of the girls firing than
anybody else. What's your point?
Toys....
And more toys! I think I got dehydrated from all the drooling....
Doug firing Adrian's (a Range Officer) M16 Commando, with me videotaping in the background.
"Wow, that was fun!!!"
Checking out a pair of German tactical radios for sale.
Gah...
Urk...
A 7.62 x 39 Valmet
BIG gun! Unfortunately, they were having all kinds of problems with this particular M2 Browning .50 cal.
A BEAUTIFUL, classic WWII era BAR.
Another "Ma' Duece", or Browning .50 caliber HMG.
Drool...
Mother...(in best Bugs Bunny imiation)
[heavy breathing]
[drip, drip, drip of drool on concrete]
WWII German MG43 (?)
[more drool]
[>>THUD<< as I faint at the site of the HK G36K, Steyr TMP, and HK MP5PDW all sitting together]
[recover, >>FWAP<< faint again]
Rambo, eat your heart out.
I could tell you his name, but then I'd have to kill you (or he'd kill me). He's currently part of a Special Forces team, and a good friend of mine. Notice Mark giving the Rabbit Ears :)
Don't know who he his, but he's shooting one of my favorites, an HK MP5PDW.
I told you, I can't tell you who he is, now hush!
Not sure why this picture is so crappy....
MG42 in the foreground, with an M2 right behind it.
M2 again.
A CLASSIC Maxim MG.
Stand mounted Browning .30 caliber.
Again, with a different shooter.
One of the vendor's tables.
GAH!!! Who allowed him to touch MY (in my wet dreams) HK G36K?!?!?!
The Maxim firing.
He just finished hip firing a belt from the MG42. Note wood stocked FN-FAL at his feet.
[>>thud<< There I go, fainting again....]
This M2 was interesting, in that it had a gigantic Holosight type sight on it! I'd never seen one like that.
Another PDW, this time with an ACOG site mounted on it.
Doug with the MP5 again.
End of the day, looking at a shortened HK33 or 53. This thing was only as long as an MP5, and had a gigantic muzzle flash and report, as you can see in the video.
Well, that was it for the Winter Shoot. Once again, many thanks to Mark and Lori for graciously allowing us into their homes and out to their club for some truly righteous shooting!! Can't wait 'til next May!!!!!!
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It's just nice seeing women enjoy shooting. Too many are brainwashed
by the popular media presentation that firearms are evil and only redneck
men with IQ's of grapefruit like them.
