Cyrus Cassidy #45437 Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 A comment in another thread made me think of this. It happened probably 15 years ago. I was at my gun club zeroing my .30-06 for the upcoming hunting season. This was in the middle of the week, so I was the only one on the range. I was a cop back then and had weird days off, so this was my weekend. Keep in mind, this gun club has been in existence for over 50 years, and is on every map, etc. I had the bright orange range flag flying in accordance with NRA range rules. The berms, target frames, shooting benches, overhead cover, etc. are all pretty standard for an outdoor shooting range, just like you've seen at every range you've ever been to. This place is no secret despite the fact I was the only one shooting. A National Guard helicopter pilot was out flying around in a Blackhawk, getting in his flight hours (NG pilots get more than "one weekend per month" because they require so many flight hours, so they often fly during the week). As I was looking through a 9X scope at my target, suddenly I realized the rotor sounds were way too loud. I lifted my head off the stock and used my eyes to see, rather than the scope, and realized the helicopter was hovering about 50 feet off the ground, directly above my target, which was only 100 yards away. The cockpit was facing directly at me, so the pilot could definitely me and a centerfire rifle sitting at the shooting bench. Whisky Tango Foxtrot, over? I sat there patiently waiting for him to realize how stupid he was and fly away, but this jackwagon didn't want to leave. I waited...and waited...and waited. Ten minutes went by, with me just staring at the pilot with "are you F-ing stupid" plastered all over my face. I couldn't see his facial expressions, but I wonder if he thought this was a big joke. Leaving the rifle on the sandbags, I got up and tried to wave him off. He just continued hovering directly over my targets. "This is ridiculous" I told myself repeatedly. Finally, after numerous attempts to get his attention, I got sick and tired of his stupidity. I sat back down at the bench, moved the rifle's safety to the "fire" position, looked through the scope, and planted a .30 caliber bullet directly in the bullseye of my target. Wouldn't you know it, he flew away rather promptly after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perro Del Diablo Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 Some people take more than a subtle hint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Harley, #14153 Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 Shame you couldn’t have got his tail number. He would have lost his wings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 Even if you didn't get his tail number, you might have contacted the National Guard base and asked who was flying at that time and place. They might not have been able to determine who it was, but I bet there would have been a loud briefing to all helo pilots to avoid the area...period! You were responsible, but somebody else might have done a much stupider thing and taken a shot at him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 What a maroon! I wonder what that dipstick thought he was doing? Cyrus, you may have allowed him to experience what it’s like to hear gunfire directed towards the location of his aircraft. Perhaps he needed to get going so he could change his drawers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 The events which I will describe below were always coordinated and planned, never random. I just post it because I think some of our members might like to read it. around 2000, a local govt contractor, BAE, was developing a device that could be carried on a helicopter and would identify the source of gunfire and return aimed fire within seconds. As it happens, there was an adjacent F&G club with a 500 yd range. the Army would fly a chopper up from Bedford, Ma; load the experimental device and fly somewhere off the end of the range while test persons would shoot at targets. Engineers with the devices under development would conduct experiments on the helicopter. yes, there is a degree of danger involved. we, the club, would not actually rent out the range but BAE made a donation to our treasury every year in lieu of rental. Having a range so conveniently accessible saved them a ton of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus Cassidy #45437 Posted January 27, 2021 Author Share Posted January 27, 2021 9 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said: The events which I will describe below were always coordinated and planned, never random. I just post it because I think some of our members might like to read it. around 2000, a local govt contractor, BAE, was developing a device that could be carried on a helicopter and would identify the source of gunfire and return aimed fire within seconds. As it happens, there was an adjacent F&G club with a 500 yd range. the Army would fly a chopper up from Bedford, Ma; load the experimental device and fly somewhere off the end of the range while test persons would shoot at targets. Engineers with the devices under development would conduct experiments on the helicopter. yes, there is a degree of danger involved. we, the club, would not actually rent out the range but BAE made a donation to our treasury every year in lieu of rental. Having a range so conveniently accessible saved them a ton of money. If this guy was testing such a device, he could have done so without hovering directly over my targets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 2 minutes ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said: If this guy was testing such a device, he could have done so without hovering directly over my targets! Yes, of course. All of the testing was done observing range protocols. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 Dang good thing the helo moron didn't shoot back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus Cassidy #45437 Posted January 27, 2021 Author Share Posted January 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Eyesa Horg said: Dang good thing the helo moron didn't shoot back. It was a Blackhawk...no guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 Probably lucky for him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Harley, #14153 Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 2 hours ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said: It was a Blackhawk...no guns. Not normally, but one of the beautiful traits of the Blackhawk platform is the hard points for hanging all sorts of toys. Machine guns. Mini-guns. M-2s. Spare fuel tanks. Even 2.75” rockets and Hellfires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485 Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 How much "windage" do you need when the wind is straight down? How fast is the air moving under a helicopter any way ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgavin Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 When we lived in San Diego, we saw a LOT of low flying helicopters right over the beach... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Harley, #14153 Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 9 minutes ago, bgavin said: When we lived in San Diego, we saw a LOT of low flying helicopters right over the beach... Navy pilots checking out the bathers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus Cassidy #45437 Posted January 28, 2021 Author Share Posted January 28, 2021 3 hours ago, bgavin said: When we lived in San Diego, we saw a LOT of low flying helicopters right over the beach... Probably not over an established rifle range, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 4 hours ago, bgavin said: When we lived in San Diego, we saw a LOT of low flying helicopters right over the beach... 3 hours ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said: Navy pilots checking out the bathers. 23 minutes ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said: Probably not over an established rifle range, though. ......................... perhaps not an established rifle range; .... but certainly a "target rich" environment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 Before I owned the property next to me I would put a cone in the trail coming into the end of my range. The cone said STOP Range active. My mom's cousin got mad and drove it over -right into my scope as I was getting ready to shoot. Couldn't hear him coming with muffs on and bad ears. Then he wanted to argue about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 21 minutes ago, Michigan Slim said: Before I owned the property next to me I would put a cone in the trail coming into the end of my range. The cone said STOP Range active. My mom's cousin got mad and drove it over -right into my scope as I was getting ready to shoot. Couldn't hear him coming with muffs on and bad ears. Then he wanted to argue about it. I trust you were able to convince him of the error of his ways...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 Just now, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said: I trust you were able to convince him of the error of his ways...? Oh, most certainly I did. Most stubborn man I ever met though. Definitely related to my mom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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