Milsurps at the public gun range

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Uncle Nubbs

Uncle Nubbs

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Mar 24, 2014
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Rowlett, TX
So I had the chance to get over to my local rifle range today. Don't have any SP for my "new" Garand so I snapped up my 1914 SMLE and a couple boxes of Priv Parisan SP in the oh-so-poetic sounding "three-oh-three". I just love this rifle. It had been sporterized and I put it back as a labor of love.

So, let me just say, this rifle attracts attention! Each time people have approached me about it and today I was nice enough to let a gentleman put a few down range with her. The range master even stopped to look her over during ceasefire even after scolding me for walking with my bagged rifle during ceasefire, which admittedly was a stupid mistake to make.

So I'd love to hear from any of you milsurp guys about your own experiences at the range with a piece of weaponry others don't get to see every day. By the way, that SMLE shoots pretty well. I've had to fiddle a bit with the rear sight but I'd say it'll do.

Here's my last target. 50 yards. I'm no marksman by any stretch but I'd say I'm a fan of dancing with this old gal. Oh, I like to think the little fliers belonged to the other guy. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1429473161.542155.jpg
 
Luckily,

I live near a small town in Central Ohio where there are many farms where the owners will give you permission to shoot your rifles without all the BS people have to put up with at a gun range. They will happily agree to let you shoot all the whistle pigs you want and some will pay you for the ammo you expend while doing it. A sow and litter of piglets can destroy acres of corn and soybean shoots in a short time.
 
Most fun I had with Milsurps at the range is with my Ross Mk III straight pull. Most people don't know what it is and never heard of one. A few people would recognize the name, but remembered that they were supposed to be unsafe to fire and unreliable. They were the latter, but not for the reasons usually given. The problem was corrected, too late to save the reputation of the gun. They were as safe as any other rifle as long as the soldiers using them did not do what they were TOLD not to do; disassemble the bolt.

The criticizing and skepticism ceased when the rifle would shoot inch groups at 100 yards all day long.
 
I shoot mil surps most of the time at the club. Most times someone will ask a lot of questions and if they ask nice, I'll let them pop a few rounds.
 
The more common milsurps around here may get a private conversation started a few benches away. If it is a less common mil-surp, people may actually come and talk to you about it.

The biggest reaction I ever got was firing black powder out of a 1860 replica cap and ball gun. I don't know if they thought 6 rounds of thick smoke was cool or just in the way of their line of sight. Either way, anyone nearby wanted to know more about the gun. :)
 
chicharrones said:
The more common milsurps around here may get a private conversation started a few benches away. If it is a less common mil-surp, people may actually come and talk to you about it.

The biggest reaction I ever got was firing black powder out of a 1860 replica cap and ball gun. I don't know if they thought 6 rounds of thick smoke was cool or just in the way of their line of sight. Either way, anyone nearby wanted to know more about the gun. :)
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I like that. Something tells me that if that massive smoke drifted down my way, I'd simply pause and let it pass. More than likely, I'd leave you be but if the opportunity arose? Yeah. I'd probably ask you just what in the heck was that!
 
Claymore1500 said:
I once had a man try to argue with me about my FN49, He was quite convinced that it was an M1 Garand, and was not willing to accept any other answer.
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I've had several folks ask if the SMLE was a Mauser. Haven't had anyone argue the point that it was. Not sure how I'd handle that other than to politely disagree.
 
Any time I'm at the range with a mil-surp I have a little extra ammo...just in case. I really like to hand one to a new shooter. The look when they first feel the heft of a WWII era rifle is good to see. It always has that "this is heavy" look.
I got to shoot my first SMLE .303 by swapping a few shots from my .30 Carbine. That was so cool I was hooked. I cannot say no to a few shots.
That is part of what makes the "shooter brotherhood" so good!

Mark
 
Hardtarget said:
Any time I'm at the range with a mil-surp I have a little extra ammo...just in case. I really like to hand one to a new shooter. The look when they first feel the heft of a WWII era rifle is good to see. It always has that "this is heavy" look.

I got to shoot my first SMLE .303 by swapping a few shots from my .30 Carbine. That was so cool I was hooked. I cannot say no to a few shots.

That is part of what makes the "shooter brotherhood" so good!



Mark
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I completely agree. I had a nice couple of guys at the station next to me nice enough to lend me their spotting scope. I was happy to share after they asked about my rifle. I'd happily trade a few .303 Brit shots for a turn on that M1 carbine!! Now there's a fun gun!
 
I've had several folks ask if the SMLE was a Mauser. Haven't had anyone argue the point that it was. Not sure how I'd handle that other than to politely disagree.
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Which is exactly what I did, but he insisted I was wrong until I showed him the manufacturers name on the rifle.
 
Be extremely careful if you have two different milsurp rifle types near each other.
Even very seasoned, careful shooters in their 30s or 40s at a private shooting club will get confused and try to load your 8x57 Mauser ammo in your .303 Enfield, or vice versa.
 
Ignition Override said:
Be extremely careful if you have two different milsurp rifle types near each other.

Even very seasoned, careful shooters in their 30s or 40s at a private shooting club will get confused and try to load your 8x57 Mauser ammo in your .303 Enfield, or vice versa.
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I don't know about you fellas, but I only bring one rifle to the public range at a time. Lately it's the .303 because I can find SP fairly easily. If I want a smorgasbord it's usually up at the family farm but I can see how a loading mistake can happen. Thusly the point is noted and appreciated.
 
Taking my recent two (bought) handguns to the range was kind of rewarding in a different way.

Two very seasoned handgun guys who seemed to know nothing about Warsaw Pact handguns tried the DA trigger on both the EG Makarov and CZ-82. They were surprised at how smooth they are.
So hooked now on the Mak that the CZ needs more time there.

So glad that solid fans of Glock and other modern guns seem unaware of these! It really helps when favorite guns are chambered in the harmless 9x18.
 
Military rifles are a great way to show gun ownership in a positive light and a chance to have a little history in your hands.
People always seem interested in "those army rifles". Also its nice to meet up with someone who used the type of rifle I'm shooting during their time of service.
I haven't met anyone who used a 1883 dated Trapdoor yet... LOL
Andy
 
Andy2 said:
Military rifles are a great way to show gun ownership in a positive light and a chance to have a little history in your hands.
People always seem interested in "those army rifles". Also its nice to meet up with someone who used the type of rifle I'm shooting during their time of service.
I haven't met anyone who used a 1883 dated Trapdoor yet... LOL
Andy
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Thumbs up on this. Couldn't agree more. Had one young guy asking if the rifle in my OP "was there". Told him I really had no way of knowing if it was issued in The Great War or possibly WWII but it very likely was. I'm a huge fan of fellow travelers in the world of firearms enthusiasm of all stripes but hold the milsurp preservationist and collector in the highest regard. A certain kind of respect is held for saving these objects that I can't really articulate. Maybe an homage to the men who carried them once. We give them a second life as we enjoy them as shooters and care for them. I really think that keeps the history alive.

Maybe to a novice shooter, seeing one of these in action at the range might even inspire them to consider purchasing one of their own.
 
The ongoing joke at my rifle range when I show up is "Don't you own anything younger then you are?" My Mosins get a few looks, the one with the PU scope more so. My K31 get's some stares and some "How the heck does that even work" comments. No one really even looks at my K98 Sino-Soviet SKS or Yugo M48a anymore. By far the two that get the most stares and comments are my Winchester Trench Shotgun and my .45-70 Springfield Trapdoor rifle... Trench gun is a favorite with one of the RO's who carried one in Korea, and the latter one it's usually "He's gonna fire, when he's done we'll repaper the range while the smoke cloud disappears"
 
MilsurpShooter said:
The ongoing joke at my rifle range when I show up is "Don't you own anything younger then you are?" My Mosins get a few looks, the one with the PU scope more so. My K31 get's some stares and some "How the heck does that even work" comments. No one really even looks at my K98 Sino-Soviet SKS or Yugo M48a anymore. By far the two that get the most stares and comments are my Winchester Trench Shotgun and my .45-70 Springfield Trapdoor rifle... Trench gun is a favorite with one of the RO's who carried one in Korea, and the latter one it's usually "He's gonna fire, when he's done we'll repaper the range while the smoke cloud disappears"
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Now this is what we're talking about. K31 could be next on the list. Big rack of them over at a Gander Mountain near me
 
I once had a man try to argue with me about my FN49, He was quite convinced that it was an M1 Garand, and was not willing to accept any other answer.
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This cracked me up. I just had a similar experience. My .44 mag Marlin 1894 was "Most certainly a 30-30" this last weekend at the range.
 
Schwing said:
This cracked me up. I just had a similar experience. My .44 mag Marlin 1894 was "Most certainly a 30-30" this last weekend at the range.
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This really happens? Wow. I have to think it'd be pretty bold to challenge a shooter on the platform he/she was holding. I learn a little something every time I hit the range or hang out at some of our LGS. The shooter know-it-all archetype deserves its own thread.
 
I like ‘unusual’ guns and at the range people often inquire about them.
When I invite them shoot a few rounds the biggest grins are achieved by …
1. PPSH41
2. Steyr AUG
3. H&K MP5
4. Martini-Enfield .303
5. IMI Galil .308 SAR
 
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