Snow shooting in Southern California

[rufrdr]

Some friends and I headed up to the mountains for some shooting in the hills. It was partly cloudy and in the high 40s when we left home but when we got to 4,000 ft we encountered heavy winds, snow squalls and dropping temps. We drove into the shooting area as far as we could, the Jeep making it further than the Toyota (yay) so we stopped when the pickup couldn't go any further. It was foggy, snowing and blowing hard, perfect shooting weather! My camera froze up after just a few shots were taken so this is all there is to document it. I was shooting my Mini 14 with Wolf steel case and Olympic brand M855 which I have read is the junkiest 5.56mm on the planet. Both worked just fine for me. I also shot the 1919A4 which also worked perfectly with Tula ball. When finished we policed up our brass, targets, links, and headed on out. Just at that moment the sun came out and the temperature climbed 5 degrees, it stopped snowing and it was great. Too bad we were out of ammo! Headed back down the mountain to temperatures in the 50s, sun and a big clean up job as the firearms and accessories were all wet from the falling snow. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend a Saturday.


Putting up the target frames, watermelons, and plastic bottles filled with colored water. I hit the bottle with blue water in it and got a very nice spray effect! Range was about 75 yards.

Getting set up

the 1919 between shooting relays

[Chuck]

You do realise that posting these photos and such like makes you unpopular :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

looks like really good fun, how cold did it get anyway. Keep em coming.

Chuck

[ovenpaa]

It looks like a perfect day, snow wind and cold is always challenging so it has to be done

Was the M1919 full auto and are you limited to the length of belt you can feed in one go?

[majordisorder]

I thought CA was one of the most unfriendly gun states, how do you manage a 1919?

I shoot in SF on an indoor range a couple of times a year and get a bit frustrated with the 10 round mag limit. Looks like a whole load of fun up in the mountains.

[Porcupine]

If it's CA I assume the 1919 is a semi-auto. And of course, being belt-fed, it gets around the 10-round mag limit in the People's Republic.

[Michael Sproul]

Don't 'spose you require an adoptive son?! I'm not ginger and can wipe my own bum and everything!

Seriously though, your pics always seem like you're out having a great time at the back of beyond, it never feels like you really get far enough away from people in the UK.

[rufrdr]

It was about 30f until the sun came out as we were leaving. It was amazing how quickly the temperature climbed. The paved road that were snow covered on the way in were wet and running water from the snow melting on the way out.

Yep the 1919 is semi auto and limited to a 10 rd belt unles you had a longer belt pre 2000 when the magazine capacity law was passed. The state government thinks they are smarter than the shooters and passed all sorts of restrictive laws that the shooters read, legally circumvent, and poke a thumb in the eye of the DOJ. It is great sport but as dangerous as teasing a lion tied with a rotting rope. Shooters here have to be sure they meet all of the rules becuase the DOJ loves nothing better than to swoop down on a shooter for some silly infraction and display his firearms on the evening news as those confiscated from a potential madman serial killer. They've gone as far as following cars with California plates at out of state gun shows and stopping them at the CA border to seach for contraband.

[Porcupine]

limited to a 10 rd belt

Didn't know that! :cool2: