i will bring target frames,duct tape and 55O CORD, I PLAN ON MAKING A 40 BOTTLE CHARGE THIS YEAR. JASON IN VA 757 715-4689

Ya know, I'm not sure 40 are that much more impressive than 20.  Say 3-5 is a nice blast, 6-10 is 10% more impressive, 11-20 is 20% more impressive etc.

Guess we will find out next weekend.  

Anyone have stakes to string wire above the ground to hang the charges?  I will try to bring a few more dell boxes and we can probably put a few charges on top of those to keep them elevated off the ground.

It's down to the hours now.  See y'all soon.

Who's all going from NoVA?  Care to caravan down?  We're near Occoquan and can meet up near Rt 66 in Manassas. My wife and I are coming (we don't own any Title II) and don't really know the way to Hite Hollow.

I'm leaving NOVA around 6am to arrive around 9am.  Should have one truck following already.  If that is too early, I can post more detailed directions.

I'll be coming from Charlottesville. Whats the best way to come? When is everyone getting there? Thanks

Here are the generic directions.  

Hite Hollow Shooting Range: Near Augusta Springs. This range is open from sunrise to sunset every day for firing rifles, pistols and shotguns at stationary targets. Moving targets such as clay pigeons and bottles are prohibited. From Staunton, take Route 254 west to Buffalo Gap, then Route 42 south about eight miles to Augusta Springs. Take Route 845 about a half-mile to Forest Development Road (FDR) 82, and follow this road about one mile to the range. (Deerfield Ranger District, 540-885-8028.)

Look on something like mapquest to find exact directions.  You should be fairly close.

Most people showup around 9-10:30.  We ususally take awhile to get going.  Anyone with a ribbon or something so we can have a firing line to stay behind?  I guess we can probably use spray paint and paint a line in the sand grass.  

I hope you guys don't mind a newbie from Winchester joining you.

Bomber

Ok, I have set my schedule and will be coming up with Oliver. See you guys there.

Quoted: Who's all going from NoVA?  Care to caravan down?  We're near Occoquan and can meet up near Rt 66 in Manassas. My wife and I are coming (we don't own any Title II) and don't really know the way to Hite Hollow.

What time are you looking at going down?  I am leaving Fair Oaks about 7ish.

I'd like to leave at 7am also.  So that would put me in Manassas at 7:30-7:40am.  I used my Microsoft Streets and Trips 2004 to get a little better directions.  I kinda know Staunton I have to go through it to get to West Augusta where I go hunting.

Quoted: I'd like to leave at 7am also.  So that would put me in Manassas at 7:30-7:40am.  I used my Microsoft Streets and Trips 2004 to get a little better directions.  I kinda know Staunton I have to go through it to get to West Augusta where I go hunting.

I can meet you at the Sheetz at exit 40 if you want to follow me down.  Just let me know when you would be there.

I'll be hunting in the morning at Little North Mountain WMA, across the road from the range. Maybe I'll stop by after noon.
Also, I have access to a large number of railroad tie plates (1-1.5"thick cast steel about 12"x8"). Those can be hung up with ropes and shot if anyone is interested.

Here are a few early images mostly of  the left side of the line. There were many videos and cameras so better images are sure to come............



early pics

CLEAR YOUR WEAPONS ON A COLD RANGE!

There is no excuse for that to happen.  Beltfed guns should have the bolt back and the topcover open.  No excuse.  Glad you and your wife were 10 yards to the right of that round.  I imagine you could almost hear it zip by.  

Impressive 30 charge of tannerite, thanks to Jason.  

I'll checkout my video camera and see what I have.  I know I have the huge tannerite explosion on tape.  

We all had nice weather and a pretty good turnout too. The 30 bottle tannerite charge was pretty cool, and the cannon definitely was different. The M2 definitely draws attention when it is being shot.  Lots of cool toys out along the line. Jason that chopped Barret has to go, or at least to the end of the line.



Thanks to Robert, Ross, and Steve for letting me try some different guns out today. Oliver definitely gets a big thanks for driving me out, and letting me shoot all his guns today. I got to run into a bunch of ARFCOMer's out at the range today too! The only faults I can say about today were the cook-off while Steve and his wife were heading down range. Definitely a bad thing to see happen. I'm just glad that nothing bad came of it. This was my first big machinegun shoot and I was a little dissapointed in the friendliness of the crowd. There were some nice guys around, but for the most part there wasn't the friendliness that is found at the ARFCOM shoots. It definitely seemed like the ARFCOM people were the friendliest group out today.


The photo server still doesn't seem to be working so I can't post my pics yet. I got a couple of good ones though. I will post them when I get a chance.  

I think we got there after the cook-off.  All I can say is what a dumbass.  

Also why in the hell did the guy with the M2 keep spraying the entire outside of the barrel with CLP?  I've probably fired 20 or so USMC .50s and MK19s at Quantico nd have never seen anyone do this for any reason.    

But it was very fun even though I was shooting only Title 1 firearms.  The ARFCOM people were the defniately the friendliest.  Steve, I will be ordering a LEO lower or a LEO Bushmaster M4A3 from you in Sept.  And take delivery of it at BRD after the AW sunset (if thats possible) you can count on that......

Here's some pics of my wife (9x19) and myself shooting at Hite Hollow yesterday.





DOH! my belly is showing

Had fun and glad to see everyone again.  Glad to meet a few more fellow ARFCOMers.
Thanks to Ross, Mike and Jason for letting me play with the good toys.

Steve, glad you and the wife are OK.  I was heading down range with Jason at the other end when it went off.  Made me wait several minutes before going down.

I guess it is time to get some VA ARFCOM gear to recognize all of us.

Thanks to those who helped pick up the brass for the range fund.

The cook-off was pretty scary. I can only imagine how Steve felt. Many Thanks to John for letting me try out a few of his weapons. My buddy Alan shot more than 1.5 hours of raw footage. We reviewed most of it tonite. After he edits it, I'm sure he'll make it available.

Bomber

Here are some photos from the shoot. Thanks to Hite Hollow Rangers Larry and Will.
Hite Hollow has been selected to provide the White House Christmas Tree this year!
Will took us to the top of the mountian behind Hite Hollow after the shoot. Check
out the photos on the URL below.  Thanks to Hite Hollow Rangers Larry and Will,
7, TSC, Tammy for the Food!! and great weather!!!


http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-11/64578/HiteHollowSpring2004513.jpg



Click for more Photos

www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?selected=861659

Quoted: Also why in the hell did the guy with the M2 keep spraying the entire outside of the barrel with CLP?  I've probably fired 20 or so USMC .50s and MK19s at Quantico nd have never seen anyone do this for any reason.

I've seen him do it before at the Farmville shoot.  My guess is that it helps to cool the barrel.  Spray clp over it and you also get a pretty nice smoke screen.  I tried that with my 1919 once and afterwards, its a bitch to clean up.  He doesn't have a barrel shroud to hold all the grease after spraying, I did.  

The cookoff was scary.  I have to get their earlier next time as I was on the other side of the guy who let the beltfed cookoff.  Extremely scary.

Great fun though.  Thanks for the boxes to set the Tannerite on.   They worked great.  I let a guy from Manassas PD shoot my Robarm M96 and he hit one that had fallen behind the box.  Very cool.


tt

It was good to see some friendly faces out there. I don't think I stopped grinning the whole time I was there.

I didn't understand the CLP on the M2 barrel either, but I'm Low Speed High Drag.

Can't wait to see Allen's video. I can't believe I forgot my camera AGAIN.

Allen's pics

anybody get pics of the 30 tannerite or the 10 tannerite charges? .jason 757 715-4689

Quoted: anybody get pics of the 30 tannerite or the 10 tannerite charges? .jason 757 715-4689

I'll make sure Allen sends you video of it. It looked great!

Bomber

once again, it was a great time. despite the "mishap".

hopefully i'll see you all in the fall.  jason thanks for bnringing the tannerite.  next time i'll buy a case for the day.

Quoted: There were some nice guys around, but for the most part there wasn't the friendliness that is found at the ARFCOM shoots. It definitely seemed like the ARFCOM people were the friendliest group out today.

The hard part is telling who the arfcom people are. I only saw a few faces that I recognized from the Farmville shoot and the shoots at Fox's place. As I do here, I was lurking in the background,envying other people's nice toys.
The fire started by the .50 tracer cores was fairly mild this shoot.

I was there, late, but made it.......I recognized only a couple folks.  Some were regulars, but without screennames I have NO idea who everyone is.....

I knew 7, sniperm88, gotm4, 9x19, jasoninva, Oliver, and hallmark_ent{and his wife}.......that's about it from the shoot....

Quoted: I was there, late, but made it.......I recognized only a couple folks.  Some were regulars, but without screennames I have NO idea who everyone is..... I knew 7, sniperm88, gotm4, 9x19, jasoninva, Oliver, and hallmark_ent{and his wife}.......that's about it from the shoot....

Man I am telling you we need some ID help for the next one.  I wanted to meet you.  I meet gotm4 and his wife (9x19) .  I was the one helping Jason mix all of the tannerite.

My picture was in my bio before, but with the switchover and the photo server being down, well -- it's not there now.

Maybe we boys in VA could start the PHOTO Virginia Roll call........

Quoted: My picture was in my bio before, but with the switchover and the photo server being down, well -- it's not there now. Maybe we boys in VA could start the PHOTO Virginia Roll call........

OH.....HELL NO!
You don't want to see my mug, I'm much uglier in person.  The camera just doesn't do me justice! j/k

Quoted: Quoted: My picture was in my bio before, but with the switchover and the photo server being down, well -- it's not there now. Maybe we boys in VA could start the PHOTO Virginia Roll call........ OH.....HELL NO! You don't want to see my mug, I'm much uglier in person.  The camera just doesn't do me justice! j/k

Regardless of how ugly you are.......a pictorial would help us recognize each who each other were at the shoots.

When my bio pic comes back I'm covered but some of you other guys need some photos up........

Let me start by saying I started posting this event over 3 years ago. It has always been posted as a non organized non sponsored event. I invited only people who I knew and met at shows that had machine guns. That is what this event was.A MACHINE GUN SHOOT, not an AR15 shoot, not a semi shoot, not a place for AR15.com members to meet at, it is a MACHINE GUN SHOOT!!!!!. A place for people who own machine guns to come and get together and do some shooting and get to know each other and have a good time. It has grown to be a little big over the past few years and people have seemed to invite other people who have invited even more people. I always keep in touch with the park ranger to assure everything was OK with us doing this at their range. We had a good relationship with them and were always invited back. The last thing I ever wanted to happen was for things to get out of hand. Not for me, I have a place to shoot. For all the people who depend on this range to shoot their machine guns at. There are a lot of good people who have no place to shoot their machine guns. People who live in northern VA use this place as there range as it is all they have. I would hate to see things turn bad and have the machine guns not welcome there as it is at many ranges around VA. Ranger Larry had concerns with the Tannerite blowing holes in the ground and sending rocks and other objects flying back toward the shooting line where someone could get hurt. This year I sent out a e-mail to all who have attended the past shoots and for the first time we had a few rules to follow. I never intended for my e-mail to you to be posted on these boards, I never invited anyone who wanted to come with there semis to come and take up room on the line so that the people who came with machine guns would get stuck up in the corner of the woods or brush without a place to shoot. We asked for anyone wanting to shoot tannerite to place it at least 100 yards out as it says on the bottle, I noticed that as soon as Larry left the shoot the tannerite ended up at the 50 yard line and it was being placed on the ground, exactly what you were instructed NOT TO DO. I also noticed someone just had to shoot tracers knowing darn good and well the possibility of setting the woods on fire when doing this. You knew not to do this and you did it anyway. Who ever you are you just could not admit you did it. Well, you did it all right, you went and set the woods on fire. Then to top it all off we have someone with enough balls to leave a loaded belt in a MG and have a cook off with people down range. This was just careless and uncalled for. If this were a private range the person would have been escorted away from the range and never invited back. I have been approached by several people who have had safety concerns about the shoot and I have said many times, I am not in charge of anything, note " non sponsored non organized event" This is a public range in the George Washington National Forest. If someone does something you don't like tell them about it. I have about as much authority to tell someone they can't shoot here or to leave because they have done something stupid as you would have to pull someone over for speeding down 95. This event has been a lot of fun for most all of us in the past, but it has now become an event to bitch about. I just can't help but to think how rude we were, me and Ross both asked, and were asked by many people if they could shoot one of our machine guns and we gladly let anyone shoot anything we had with us as much as they wanted to shoot. Some of them offered to pay us or supply the rounds for the gun and our only reply was keep you money or your ammo and lets get you to the line with a machine gun and have some fun. Then we were so rude to have brought enough food and drinks for 80 people, how unthoughtful of us to have just gone and done that for you guys. I guess we should have gone and charged you for the food so we could have been a bunch of ass holes on top of being rude. Well, my rude rant has finally come to an end, and all I have to say is I will no longer try to get this event going again, this is the end of the Hite Hollow machine gun shoot. It is over as far as I'm concerned and I will never try to get it going again.
Mike @ TSC CO.

Mike,

I don’t think anyone was calling you rude personally, the fact is there was simply a different atmosphere at that shoot than most others with no fault of any one person. I simple compared it to the many shoots I’ve thrown and tons of shoots I’ve attended over the years.

As far as semis go, well not everyone is wealthy enough or have as much disposable income as some, that’s no reason for them not to be able to come and shoot with “machine gunners”, it is a public range. You could have pulled up to the range to find 15 guys taking up all the spaces shooting black powder rifles and they would have as much right there as you or I.

The only person setting tannerite was Jason and I believe he was hanging in your group of folks same goes for the .50 tracer that set the fire.

John

Quoted: As far as semis go, well not everyone is wealthy enough or have as much disposable income as some, that’s no reason for them not to be able to come and shoot with “machine gunners”, it is a public range. You could have pulled up to the range to find 15 guys taking up all the spaces shooting black powder rifles and they would have as much right there as you or I.

Couldn't have said better myself John.  
It is a public range and I don't own any Title II maybe if I didn't live in NoVA I could afford them but I'm not bitching about it..  I liked the shoot and I didn't say anyone was rude.  Most were friendly some more than others I was offered food but kindly turned them down (I'm on Atkins and the cookies would set me back ) but they sure looked good.  

I even had a bolt action there with our semis, our .338 Lapua AR30 and let a few people shoot it who showed interest in it.  

This fellow and his son returned the favor and let my wife and I shoot their Mac 11.  



for some reason the picture won't show.  If you right click on it to view pic it'll show.





We gun owners need to stick together not divide.

i went out to the range yesterday (as i have every sunday for the past 4yrs) there are some holes at the 50 and 100yd line.  but not too bad.  there was also a little more trash than usual.    i didnt know there was a fire, must have been before i got there.  what did larry say?  

mike im sorry you feel that way,  you let me shoot some of your stuff last year and i appreciate it.   it was fun while it lasted.  maybe i'll see some of you guys individually at the range.  

Mike,
I am sorry you feel that way.  There are several replies here thanking you and Ross and your wife for the food and for the sharing of the full auto's.  This is a get together for people to meet and get to know each other just like you yourself said.  It just happens that alot of them are ARFCOMers.
Thanks for the two good shoots that I came to. Hope to see you around some time again.

Mike, all I can say is that your post leaves me confused.  You started your post bitching about the ARFCOMers and semi shooters that showed up at your semi-private shoot. At least you admitted later in the post that it is a public range and you have no say in who shoots there. As far as us lowly semi-auto shooting ARFCOM members go, usually if we can afford a machinegun we eventually buy one. Somehow I doubt your first gun was a machinegun. Everyone starts out small in the shooting game.

You then complain about some small problems that occured during the shoot. The tracer round was a silly thing to do given the range conditions and hopefully that individual learned from it. The cook-off came from one of those great machinegun shooters you seem to prefer to hang around. There was only one person doing the tannerite that I saw. If there was a problem then you should of said something since you were the supposed organizer of this event. That's right you can't seem to decide if you were in charge of this or not.

You try to finish off by saying what a great guy you and Ross are for letting people try your stuff out, and for bringing food. I personally tried one of Ross's guns out and appreciatted it very much and thanked him in my post about the shoot. I don't recall seeing anyone bash you or Ross one bit. I posted that I thought that the overall atmoshpere of the shoot wasn't as friendly as other shoots I have been to, and had the opportunity to host. I will say that the start to your last post leaves me with the impression that you were unhappy with semi-auto shooting ARFCOM members coming out to shoot. Maybe this was the overall attitude with most of the machine-gun shooters that came out and that is what made the shoot seem less friendly then other shoots. Since I can't speak for the other machinegun shooters that came out, I can only guess.

Here's a hint for you, if you want to play the role of the one that has been insulted, don't start off by bashing those people who don't own machineguns and showed up at your/not your shoot. Since you did/didn't have control of the shoot, I guess someone else could always put one on.

I'll just end this post by saying that I'm glad that you are the first machinegun shooter that I have met with this crappy attitude. Everyone else I have met up to this point has been friendly. Just because you have a lot of mahineguns doesn't mean that you are somehow special. It just says to me that you have a lot of money to spend on guns. Having a expensive gun collection doesn't make you a better person then anyone else.

Mike,


I was a newcomer this Saturday. The only class III I brought was a silenced Walther.22. I did shoot a semi AR15 on the line. I shot maybe (4) 30 round clips. I only came to the line when a position was open and returned to my seating area behind the firing stations as soon as I dumped a mag. I certainly went out of my way to be inconspicuous and no trouble. I brought my own lunch and took away my trash. I met several great people. One was nice enough to share some of his weapons. I thanked him him repeatedly. I also used my own ammo with his M16 since I had 5.56 ammo with me. All in all I had a great time and want to thank you for your efforts.

I was however none of the things you described. I feel bad that some one made you feel the way you do. I'd be happy to volunteer my time and or money to help put on another shoot.

Thanks,

Harlan aka Bomber

Mike:

I honestly couldn't pick you out a group of two people.  I am a little flabbergasted that your post is so hostile.  I originally shot at Hite Hollow with a group of Arfcommers, non-machinegun oriented but with some machine guns there.

I have often returned to shoot by myself.  My bolt action rifle.

I was invited a couple years ago by one of the "machine gun faihful" to the first machine gun shoot I ever attended.  Because of this experience and the generousity and kind nature of ALL the shooters at my last 3 or 4 shoots there I did everything I could to find an M16 for purchase.

I have it paid for and coming, hopefully by the end of this year.

So I guess I could just write this post of yours off, since I will now officially be in the "cool clique", but quite honestly, I really couldn't let this post lie.

It's a shame that you have chosen not to "organize" a group of shooters to show up and randomly waste ammo, but I guess the logistics were too much for you to bear.

I'm sure someone else will step up and post a "machinegun shoot" link and arrange with the Rangers to keep it under control.  I think 7 did this at least once before....

Quite simply the guy who looked like he was RSO is the guy who I understand used the tracers to set the woods on fire and also the guy acting who provided the bulk of the Tannerite.

Apparently the guys who came with the semi-auto rifles caused no appreciable problems.  Maybe you should address ALL your anger towards the FULL AUTO boys who couldn't listen to your requests.

Congrats on the Bah-humbug of the year.

Ed

well I get I put my 2 cents in. I fired the 50 cal spotter round that started the fire and I went and put the fire out with larry. I also said I would not shoot that type of ammo again, I fired this type of ammo last year without any problems. the tannerite at the 50 yard line was tired to a rope and not placed on the ground and larry did not say anything about it.  .at the 75 yrd line tannerite was put on top of the flour and not placed directly on the ground, I sold 7 cases of tannerite at the shoot and was not the only one doing tannerite. when I and a couple other people cleaned up the range when it was over we noticed the 19,10 bottle charge [holes] and other ones from last year and did not see any newer ones. the 30 bottle charge was placed at the 110 yrd line and was approved by larry because he walked up there and saw it placed there . ok I have confessed my sins. thank you for everybody that showed up ,if you have any questions you can email me at [email protected] or call me 757 715-4689

Quoted: Let me start by saying I started posting this event over 3 years ago. It has always been posted as a non organized non sponsored event. I invited only people who I knew and met at shows that had machine guns. That is what this event was.A MACHINE GUN SHOOT, not an AR15 shoot, not a semi shoot, not a place for AR15.com members to meet at, it is a MACHINE GUN SHOOT!!!!!. A place for people who own machine guns to come and get together and do some shooting and get to know each other and have a good time. It has grown to be a little big over the past few years and people have seemed to invite other people who have invited even more people. I always keep in touch with the park ranger to assure everything was OK with us doing this at their range. We had a good relationship with them and were always invited back. The last thing I ever wanted to happen was for things to get out of hand. Not for me, I have a place to shoot. For all the people who depend on this range to shoot their machine guns at. There are a lot of good people who have no place to shoot their machine guns. People who live in northern VA use this place as there range as it is all they have. I would hate to see things turn bad and have the machine guns not welcome there as it is at many ranges around VA. Ranger Larry had concerns with the Tannerite blowing holes in the ground and sending rocks and other objects flying back toward the shooting line where someone could get hurt. This year I sent out a e-mail to all who have attended the past shoots and for the first time we had a few rules to follow. I never intended for my e-mail to you to be posted on these boards, I never invited anyone who wanted to come with there semis to come and take up room on the line so that the people who came with machine guns would get stuck up in the corner of the woods or brush without a place to shoot. We asked for anyone wanting to shoot tannerite to place it at least 100 yards out as it says on the bottle, I noticed that as soon as Larry left the shoot the tannerite ended up at the 50 yard line and it was being placed on the ground, exactly what you were instructed NOT TO DO. I also noticed someone just had to shoot tracers knowing darn good and well the possibility of setting the woods on fire when doing this. You knew not to do this and you did it anyway. Who ever you are you just could not admit you did it. Well, you did it all right, you went and set the woods on fire. Then to top it all off we have someone with enough balls to leave a loaded belt in a MG and have a cook off with people down range. This was just careless and uncalled for. If this were a private range the person would have been escorted away from the range and never invited back. I have been approached by several people who have had safety concerns about the shoot and I have said many times, I am not in charge of anything, note " non sponsored non organized event" This is a public range in the George Washington National Forest. If someone does something you don't like tell them about it. I have about as much authority to tell someone they can't shoot here or to leave because they have done something stupid as you would have to pull someone over for speeding down 95. This event has been a lot of fun for most all of us in the past, but it has now become an event to bitch about. I just can't help but to think how rude we were, me and Ross both asked, and were asked by many people if they could shoot one of our machine guns and we gladly let anyone shoot anything we had with us as much as they wanted to shoot. Some of them offered to pay us or supply the rounds for the gun and our only reply was keep you money or your ammo and lets get you to the line with a machine gun and have some fun. Then we were so rude to have brought enough food and drinks for 80 people, how unthoughtful of us to have just gone and done that for you guys. I guess we should have gone and charged you for the food so we could have been a bunch of ass holes on top of being rude. Well, my rude rant has finally come to an end, and all I have to say is I will no longer try to get this event going again, this is the end of the Hite Hollow machine gun shoot. It is over as far as I'm concerned and I will never try to get it going again. Mike @ TSC CO.

Still just floored......

Quoted: ...snipped...Mike @ TSC CO.

I'm shocked and I'm not sure if I can add anything that won't be seen by some as bullshit.

I have always enjoyed the Hite Hollow Shoots; and if I was considered a 'leader' in the VA/NC/MD firearms community, Class 3 in particular, I would love to make a shoot or shoots happen. Since I'm not, I have to rely on the generosity of people like Mike or Oliver to arrange things.

Until this last shoot, I wasn't one of the chosen few with a full auto. The prices are outrageous and continue to climb everday; I'd venture to guess that the average shooter can't afford to put down $1000's of bucks for one item, not to mention the approval process and getting that all important CLEO signoff. I can't even begin to count the number of folks who have wanted a Class 3 item that I have had to basically turn away since I know their CLEO won't sign for Jesus himself.

However, at the previous shoots that I attended, I and those that came with me  (including on my roommate and my girlfriend on separate occasions or together) were treated courteously by those who were there. I remember shooting a Beretta AR180 full auto; something that in a semi-auto version is fairly rare.

If another shoot is held, then maybe it needs to be said that the Ranger will ask people to leave if they are unsafe and that no tannerite is allowed.

I have been at that range after everybody had packed up and left from the 'machine-gun' shoot and it was myself, my roomie and my girlfriend shooting and had some locals show up and attempt to go hot with myself and my roommate down range. Talk about a leemer! Thankfully my GF is a NRA range instructor (no shit [she teaches at the local Boy Scout summer camp]) and managed to use the RSO voice to tell them to cease and desist. (good thing; I hear that shooting people is lots of paperwork ) Everybody needs to relize that if one person at a function is unsafe, that makes the function unsafe.

Mike, I'm sorry you feel that way and I am sorry to see the shoots come to this end.

Rick

You know while I was there the guy firing the full auto 50, which was BAD ASS btw, ripped in to the tree line at 150yds, and also lit the top of the berm at 50yds up with about 40rds....but no mention is made of that....I've also seen strings of fire go less than perpendicular to the berm, which never seems to be a concern....lots of stuff going on, to single folks out is kind of wrong -- on various levels.

I'm not sure who placed tannerite in the 50yd berm, but it wasn't Jason -- that I saw anyway.

You know, the guys who want a prime spot on the firing line, single semi or full, should get there early.

You show up late, TO ANYTHING, and you get the picked over spots.....

Last year, we had NO fires with the spotter/tracer or with the API 50BMG....from TWO shooters.

Truth be told, EVERY vid I have EVER seen from machine gun shoots ends up with some sort of fire that needs to be put out.......from what I understand the shooter and the Ranger put the fire out.  Shit happens, and could have happened to anyone at any time.

The machine gun shoot would be better served with fire extinguishers for 3 people than food for 80....FWIW.

Not that all your efforts were in vain Mike, I really appreciated all your past hospitality, but I don't like being looked down on by machine gun snobs....it's kind of like a pissing contest really....you can piss 20yds uphill, but I can write my name........who fucking cares??  It's a gun range and we were mostly all shooters.

I hope you come around, and I hope at some point you can find it deep down to attend the shoots that you made such great events in the past.

If you can't, well then so be it.......

The size of the shoot doubled this past year.  With alot more people comes greater chance of bad things happening.  A few things could have been resolved with one or two people acting as RO's and switching during the break.   The last bulletfest Campy required open bolt indicators on all firearms.  Belt guns, bolt back and cover up.   Tracers, API, etc are banned at the range if memory serves.  I'd only think about shooting them if it was raining or had rain'd alot the past few days.  Probably best to just use ball and AP which is what I was shooting.

During the fire I ran out to my car and grabbed my fire extinguisher I carry.  The fire was out by the time I got back to the firing line.  Guess we should ask people to please bring extinguishers "just in case"

I think Mike just needed to vent.  I know a few people who seriously pissed off after the cookoff.   Another 30 seconds I would have probably been down range.

Hope people donated to the range fund.  With vandals attacking the range, we need to do everything possible to keep it open.

Come September or October... as Arnold said...  I'll be back.

Quoted: Hope people donated to the range fund.  With vandals attacking the range, we need to do everything possible to keep it open.

You know there are folks in all kinds of lines of work, anyone think they can line up a new door for the outhouse???

I'd be willing to specifically donate towards one.....I might even have enough armor plate left to cover it so vandals can't do SHIT to it........

I am serious about the door......not so serious about the armor plate.

Let me first apologize to Mike for posting the contents of an email announcing the event, in the past the event was also announced on www.subguns.com, therefore I made the assumption that it would be permissible to also post it on other publicly read forums. Lack of clarity in the interpretation of what was private or public was my only mistake.

That being said, I wish everyone could put there differences aside and band together in order to preserve one of the few public ranges that allow full-auto fire.  I understand Mike’s point that an informally scheduled event to allow individuals to fire their machineguns could get quickly squashed if the event got “too big”, that I believe is Mike’s only concern.  I am sure there is a happy medium for all.

Since the event is on public land, and the range is open to all with no organizing authority it can be difficult to regulate individuals that do not measure up to the standards of the attending community.  However there are safety rules posted and it seems to me, in absence of any community enforcement, that it is up to the stewards of the property, the park rangers, to enforce any infractions.  I also feel it is up to the individuals in attendance to make sure they operate in a safe and courteous manner.  As I demonstrated after a major safety incident there is and can be an adult way to approach and reprimand the individual.  However since the range is public, I had no authority to govern the person’s removal.  I was disappointed that the person did not take what I thought a responsible attitude to correct the issue.

I was happy to see some new faces at the shoot, many of which have their first NFA firearms in transfer and just wanted to see what an event of this type is all about, sorry if it appears to have ended on a sour note.  I am also looking forward to shooting and socializing with many of you in the future.  I was so upset after the safety incident that I didn’t give myself the time to talk shop with many of you.  Some in attendance had firearms that are rarely seen outside the covers of firearm periodicals and I was hoping to talk to the owners, maybe next time.  My wife was so excited that she has finally met another woman that shares her enthusiasm of the shooting sports and she is looking forward to shooting with her again.  Thank you for attending.

I feel the firearms community in Virginia can rise above the rhetoric and preserve one of the few places left to enjoy a hobby appreciated by few but enjoyed wholeheartedly by those that involved.

If anyone has anything further to say to me, please call me at 804-986-7409.  I will not respond to emails or Internet forum posts regarding this matter.  

Once again, let’s stick together and fight the good fight, preserving the future to enjoy this hobby of ours.

Steve

Edited to add:  In order to bring much needed closure to this issue, I suggest the community let my post be the last.  A new topic should be started if interested parites wish to start something to help keep Hite Hollow Range operating.  Reminding everyone Hite Hollow receives NO federal funding, it operates soley on the generousity of those that wish to help.

Too much talk.   Time for photos.  Kaboom style.