Live Fire Tests

Jason tells me we’ve gotten to the point in the magazine project where we’re ready for a live fire test. There’s only one problem: we need a place where we can both shoot and film. There’s a range near us that allows full-auto, but it does not allow cameras or recording equipment, I’m guessing because of people’s tendency to do stupid things with guns when cameras are turned on them. At my club, we could film, but we couldn’t fill the magazine, and definitely could not shoot the machine pistol on full auto. So I need somewhere within 20 or so miles of Philadelphia that will allow full auto and for the experiment to be filmed for posterity. Anyone know of such a place?

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23 thoughts on “Live Fire Tests”

  2. I thought about them, but it’s one of those things, I kind of don’t want to ask. Because “Can I fire this experimental magazine at your range,” might be kind of scary. The other option is a pair of those sunglasses Joe has which have a camera built in.

  3. Targetmaster? They have full auto and I don’t see anything about cameras on the range rules they’ve placed online. On the other hand the place is run by assholes so who knows?

  4. Targetmaster is scary… I once witnessed such an egregious breach of gun safety there, by one of their staff, that I never went back. Basically I witnessed staff down range fixing something while people on the far side were still firing. He did not properly clear the range before going down.

    The risk of getting hit was probably minimal, but that’s was putting quite a bit more faith in other people’s ability to not be total retards than I ever would have. Plus, the rules exist for a reason.

  5. Come to NJ. We’re the most freedom friendly state in the Union! I’m sure you can find places all over NJ that would allow you to shoot full auto and film. /sarcasm

  6. You could come and shoot in my backyard all you want. Oops, wrong state.

    I’d consider giving that first range a call if you haven’t already. If “Don’t you know who I am!?” doesn’t work, I’d let them know you have a big, fancy, pro-gun internet site and are trying to do a experiment to make all the anti-gun politicians look like morons.

  10. OK, this is hilarious. Building of what would be an illegal mag in some states can’t get tested because the “criminals” are unwilling to break the rules of private clubs in their area…

    Gun owners are anally law abiding.

  12. Well, the fact that I’m an officer at that club would look particularly bad :) As it is, I would vote to eliminate the rules that bar my behavior, but to the ordinary club member it would seem hypocritical. I’m not going to ask for an exception to a rule they’d kick anyone else out for breaking, and I’m definitely not going to just break it. Thought, if I were looking to resign with a particular flourish, this might be rather high on my list of ways to go out.

  13. What Wes said. Many ranges have blanket rules posted that no recording equipment is allowed. The NRA HQ range certainly does. But in all cases they usually use it to keep reporters from showing up and filming.

    Dollars to donuts, if you call them up and say you want to film for a specific purpose at a specific date and time (schedule it for the slow part of the day) I bet they allow you to do it.

  14. There is a place in Schuylkill county where full auto and filming are not a problem. In fact, full auto is quite common there. It is about hours from Philly, so it’s outside the 20 mile zone. It’s also an outdoor range.

  15. NRA range officer made the guy next to me stop using a camcorder as a spotting scope when I was down there at Thansgiving. He was not allowed to take the media out, he had to bag it. Dunno if someone had whizzed in the RO’s cheerios earlier, though

    OTOH, most of the “no filming” rules I’ve seen have a “without prior permission” clause.

  16. “There’s a range near us that allows full-auto, but it does not allow cameras or recording equipment, I’m guessing because of people’s tendency to do stupid things with guns when cameras are turned on them.”

    Have you asked them?

    That was the blanket policy at CCA, but if a sane adult came up and asked for an exception and explained why, I usually gave it to him.

  17. If you’re so stuck you want to drive about three hours, I have a place in the Poconos near the NY border where you could do it.

  19. Ian,

    the NRA is pretty strict about the rule at HQ Range. However, if you go when its not busy and you ask – or ask in advance – you can often time work somethign out with them.

  20. Since the range rules say “without prior permission” I figured that permission could be had and this guy didn’t get it.

  21. Long drive but you could come to Big Springs Range near Searsboro, Iowa. Brownells tests govt mags, full auto, every month and have filmed several shooting things there. :)

  22. I’d let you do it at my house all I’d ask is to run a mag through after the testing, but I’m in Minnesota.

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