Machine Guns - A New Understanding

by Paul T. Craven


It sounded like a war. At least what I thought a war would sound like. Having never fought on the battlefield or even fired an automatic weapon my knowledge of these things was limited. One pleasant fall day in New England I found myself at The Pumpkin Popper Machine Gun Shoot & Gun Show in New Boston, New Hampshire. I didn't know what to expect and was even more surprised at what I found.
To be fair I must confess that I had many preconceived notions about 'gun enthusiasts', probably the result of too many 'Rambo' movies. Don't get me wrong. I used to hunt with my father and owned a few shotguns, even a single action .357 Ruger. Its just that as time passed so did my interest in guns. So I fell into the mainstream of non-gun users; it was OK, just not for me. The thought of a day of shooting with a bunch of gunho, paramilitary types wasn't as appealing as a day of golfing. What I learned is when you get to the root of it there isn't much difference.
The Pumpkin Popper Machine Gun Shoot was sponsored by the Minuteman Shooting Club. It was held October 5, 1991 in Scott's sand pit out in the middle of nowhere. We arrived about 9:30am to help setup a dealer table. The surprises began as soon as we arrived. I turned into the sand pit and was stopped by a clean cut young man of about 20 yrs. He smiled and said , "Good Morning, Sir, it is a great day ". I don't remember the last time I was greeted so politely. He informed me it cost $1.00 to park and directed me to the parking area. As I drove away he said, "You have a good time today, Sir". I was impressed. I had expected some hulk of a man in old dungarees and a ball cap saying, "Park over there and give me a dollar".
After setting up the table my friend David and I decided to walk the grounds. What we saw was simply fascinating. By this time there were about 300 people on the grounds. The firing range was set in a low area facing a sand berm of about 100'. Scattered throughout the firing area were old car wrecks, big wooden wire spools, bowling pins and of course PUMPKINS. On the firing line were some of the most interesting looking weapons I ever seen. Modern day and antiques or collector's weapons. They were spread over 20 firing positions. At every position there was a small crowed of people busily cleaning, assembling and loading their weapons. There were M16's, AK47's, UZI's, H&K's, Thompsons, M60's, 50 caliber machine guns a WWI BAR's and a Japanese WWII T96, everything imaginable. At least so it seemed. The weapons were fascinating but what struck me the most was the people.
These were not "gunho paramilitary" types or even macho hulks in cammo. There were men and women alike on the firing line. They were very careful and conscientious about their actions. There was no booze, no rowdiness and except for one demonstration with four or five M16's and an M60 no 'Rambo-like' performances. Everyone was alert to the dangers. During one demonstration a spectator noticed someone down range. They were down range, about 150 yds away and 180degrees; to the line of fire. But the demonstration stopped until they moved.
As we walked the line we had the opportunity to talk to several people. They were the same people you would find at any gathering of enthusiast. I spoke with a lawyer, teachers, housewives, grandmothers and a variety of people. All out for a day enjoying their hobby. At times it reminded me of an Auto Show or a Boat Show. Collectors with their unique example of the art were there talking and demonstrating their special interest. There were contemporary weapons and collectors items. It was just as easy to imagine they were talking about a 1930 Packard or a classic sloop.
The people were friendly and obliging. My lack of experience didn't seem to bother anyone. In fact everyone was more than willing to educate me on the intricacies of their particular weapon. My friend and I had a great time firing different weapons. We tried a Panther (9mm South Africa), with suppresser, courtesy of Jim Ballou. I'm told it is one of only six registered in the U.S. We both shot a WWI BAR and decided we were glad we didn't have to do so on a regular basis. The MP5 was fun, though 30 rounds didn't last very long. You're supposed to be able to fire one shot at a time, even on full-auto; I couldn't fire less than three round bursts.
To say I was impressed is not enough. My attitude changed. My friend and I both came away from the shoot with a new understanding. There is no difference in this weekend and going to an auto race, football game or a day of sailing. These were law abiding citizens out to enjoy their 'recreational pastime'. The fact that they were shooting machine guns is secondary. These were not 'gun nuts' who would shoot up the nearest restaurant. No more than any high performance car enthusiast would drag race on a city street.
Having realized this it started me thinking about all the fuss that is going on about gun control. It didn't make a lot of sense before and even less now. Gun control would be no different than telling Chrysler they can't manufacture high performance engine parts. It is simply penalizing a special interest group for what seems to be very superficial reasons. I have heard the argument about the threat of automatic weapons to law enforcement officers. The fact of the matter is that in the last ten years 1/500th of 1% of the officers killed in the line of duty were killed by automatic weapons.
To sum it all up, a few days after the shoot, while describing the experience to an acquaintance, I was asked, "Why does anyone need a machine gun?". This was my answer... For the same reason that people need cars that go 120 mph when the speed limit is 55 mph, or 180 proof alcohol when 3% beer is enough, or cigarettes when everyone agrees they kill; personal freedom. It is the basis of this country's foundation. If we start denying the expression of personal freedoms of any special interest group because of the irresponsible acts of a few people then there is a long list of things to ban, not just guns.