Anybody else (Illinois & Indiana) going to "Winter Wars IV" this weekend?

[DonP]

This Saturday the ISRA is holding their Winter Wars IV event at the range in Bonfield.

Anybody here, besides me, crazy enough to go lay in the snow in below zero weather to shoot their WWII Mil Surps at 200 yards? 3 courses of fire, 10 sighting rounds, then 10 rounds each per battle timed at 60 to 70 seconds each; prone, sitting or kneeling and offhand.

Last year we had about 50 people turn out with everything from Springfield '03's and Arisakas (Battle of Wake Island) to Mausers and Mosin Nagants (Battle of Stalingrad), to Garands. M-1 Carbines, Enfields, Carcanos and and just about anything else of WWII vintage that went bang (Battle of the Bulge).

Good chance to do more than just talk guns for us couch potatoes.

 

[fletcher]

That sounds like a fun event, being mil-surp only.

 

[Cosmoline]

Gotta take a Finn Mosin to this one.

 

[scout26]

Hopefully I'll be out taking one last shot at Bambi this season. (Really need one more for the freezer.)

 

[El Tejon]

Nope, will be in Boston *Baaawwwstan*. Sounds like fun though.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

Late season antlerless--sounds awesome though!

 

[dmftoy1]

Hmmmmm . . . . .garand and tons of greek surplus . . . . .10 degree daytime high . . .garand and tons of greek surplus . ..10 degree daytime high . . . .must fight urge . . . ..


Is there a heated place to hideout until your relay?

 

[dmftoy1]

So, if a Garand owner was dumb enough to show up in 10 degree weather to shoot his cherished CMP Garand . ..would he need 2 round clips to be able to compete? I think that's the only thing stopping me right now. (The significant other just informed me that I'm free Saturday morning and the deer hunting clothes are all cleaned and ready to be don'd)


Have a good one,
Dave

 

[DonP]

"So, if a Garand owner was dumb enough to show up in 10 degree weather to shoot his cherished CMP Garand . ..would he need 2 round clips to be able to compete?"

Not really. I shot one of my Garands there last year and didn't need a 2-round clip. I mean they are nice and make it a lot easier, but a couple of the guys on the line that shoot at Camp Perry every year showed me how to load a standard clip with just two rounds.

It involves holding the slide back, inserting a clip with the two rounds crossed at the back of the clip, then pushing the clip all the way down with the rounds held at the top of the clip and releasing the slide. It sounds more complicated than it really is. It's hard to describe the technique but pretty easy to do once you get the hang of it.

You just load the two rounds for your first 2 shots, then a standard 8 round clip for the rest of the shoot.

Oh, and it won't be 10 degrees, more like 2 or 3 degrees and it looks like we'll get some snow tonight and tomorrow.

But then again, my late grandfather, who was a driver for a bird colonel and wound up leading a small "fighting force" consisting of cooks and mechanics for a few days, told me that Bastogne in 1944 was "the damndest cold winter he'd ever seen" and since nobody is shooting back at me here, it can't be nearly as bad as what he and his buddies went through there. Every winter near Christmas when the cold and snow came he'd remember it like it was yesterday.

Lots of good stories from folks on the line. My flight last year had a guy I scored for shooting his late fathers M1A1 carbine with the original folding stock. His Dad went in on D-Day, 82nd Airborne I think (?), and carried an M1A1 through the whole war.

 

[dmftoy1]

Well hopefully someone can teach me if my 2-round clips don't make it here from Midway by friday!

I've pulled down the long underwear and mittens and I'm planning on being there.

Have a good one,
Dave

 

[scout26]

If you can't make it this weekend, the Aurora Sportsmens' Club in Sugar Grove, IL is having their CMP Winter Fun Shoot next Sunday, 27 Jan starting at 10: 00am. Bring your your battle rifle out and have fun. I haven't heard what the "theme" is this year, but some of the ones in the past have been Battle of Bulge, Frozen Chosin, and Stalingrad.

See: www.aurorasc.org for directions.

 

[DonP]

Well guys, it looks like it could be well below zero Saturday.

According to some of the old timers, we may have to pee on the Garands to make them work in really cold weather.

Please remember, just wait till the guy next to you puts his rifle down before you start to help him out.

Hope I see a few of you there.

Double insulated long-handled skivvies, check.

Insulated Red Plaid Elmer Fudd hat with ear flaps, check.

Thinsulate L.L. Bean hunting shoes, check.

Hand warmers from ice fishing, check.

Large thermos for hot coffee, small thermos for soup, check.

Double gloves with shooting mittens, check.

Plenty of 30.06, .30 carbine and Mosin-Nagant ammo, check.

Wife going out of town so I can stage all my stuff on the kithcen counter the night before, check.

I'm ready.

 

[dmftoy1]

Mittens with pockets for hand warmer packets - check

Spam can of 30-06 - Check

M1 Garand - check

2 Round EnBloc Clips - check (according to UPS anyway. )

Long Underwear - check

Saint Bernard with small flask of brandy hanging from his neck - Damn . where did I put that dog anyway?