New Year's Eve Party - Hico, TX

I spotted a perfect good rifle target downrange a few moments later and decided to obliterate it with the Mossberg:





The more I shoot this gun, the more I like it. I went later that day and ordered a few toys for it: Trijicon tritium front bead, an orange follower, and an enhanced metal safety. I think I'll replace the factory plastic trigger housing with an all metal one and call the gun done, and set out on a 930SPX hunt...

 

I snapped a couple shots of Jeff playing Rainbow Six with the suppressed Steyr and rocking the gas mask forum member jetsiphon hooked me up with:





Here's another of my coworker demonstrating how not to shoot an AR-15:



...and another of the same guy shooting the Steyr (and the gun returning to battery):



All in all, it was a great day and a lot of fun for all. We really need to spend some time going over the fundamentals with the new guys before spending another day turning money into fire and sound, but this afternoon had nothing to do with training; we just wanted to welcome in 2010 with a good serving of freedom and fun!

 

Like I said, the photos (mine, at least) were pretty mediocre this time - the videos are much better. Editing will probably have to wait on my new laptop to arrive (about a week), but I'll get them posted up ASAP.

One last picture and a bit of history on the small town that is Hico... The name of this shop used to read Koffee Kup Kafe - I'll leave it to you to connect those (three) dots.



"Never mind the burning crosses, honey - it's a FAMILY RESTAURANT!" I thought it was hilarious that they dropped the "Kafe", but kept the "Koffee Kup" - very slick PR makeover if you ask me :rofl:. Klan ties aside, Hico is a quaint little town with some old-time-y southern charm and lots of empty space to shoot. It's about a 2:30 drive from my stomping grounds, but well worth the trip to rendezvous with fellow shooting enthusiasts to kill an afternoon.

 

I'm sure you're on one of the other cameras... I know you're in a few vids :lol:

 

Thanks! 4-5 hours, IIRC...

 

Video time... I got everything edited except the funny one - that sucker likes to lock my computer up when I try to edit it. My new laptop will be hitting the dock in about an hour, so I should be able to get that up this weekend. In the meantime, here's the rest of the videos:

I finally decided to get over my sissy fear of shooting steel case through the MSAR, so I made a quick video just to prove to all the naysayers that the gun won't fall to pieces if you try:



Direct Link: http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico 2/?action=view&current=Wolf-MSAR.flv

I didn't think to make that video until I was on my last box, so I had to use a 10-rounder. We fed the MSAR Wolf 55gr. steel case, Monarch 55gr. steel case, and a bunch of Brown Bear. All junk, all ran flawlessly on the regular gas setting (I've never had a malfunction with this gun and never even tried retweaking the valve).

This video just demonstrates some of the wanton mayhem that we engaged in. David cutting down a small tree with one of his dad's old shotguns:



Direct Link:http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico 2/?action=view&current=TreeChopping-2.flv

Another of David on the shotgun, this time shooting at a jug of water that someone tossed into the air:



Direct Link: http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico 2/?action=view&current=Skeet-Toss.flv

In keeping with the shotgun theme, this video is of one of David's friends wrecking a target with his Saiga 12:



Direct Link: http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico 2/?action=view&current=Saiga-PB.flv

 

This is the video of the dueling AR-AK thing I described earlier:



Direct Link: http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico%202/?action=view&current=Shoot-Off.flv

And silver x0ne's virgin shot through his uber 11.5" SBR:



Direct Link: http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico%202/?action=view&current=Jon-SBR.flv

All that money and he forgot to buy BUIS... d'oh!

My friend Jeff's first string of rounds through the Stag AR-15 I sold him:



Direct Link: http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico%202/?action=view&current=Jeff-1st-Run.flv

Ya, we really need to unfuck that boy's stance. Next time...

But if you want to see a TERRIBLE shooting form, check out the co-worker's (painful) first run with an AK:



Direct Link: http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico 2/?action=view&current=Jared-AK.flv

Ouch. I told him repeatedly to get that stock on his arm and to lean into it, but there's more than one way to learn a lesson...

 

David wanted to practice his HSLD super zombie assault tactics before returning to Japan, so he geared up with the MSAR and a gas mask:



Direct Link: http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico 2/?action=view&current=David-Zombie-Dodging.flv

Jeff followed his lead with some time on the suppressed Steyr (supersonic ammo):



Direct Link: http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico 2/?action=view&current=Jeff-GM-M9A1.flv

This is probably my favorite video. I didn't have any subsonic ammo the last time we went to Hico, so the guys never really got the chance to experience the suppressed M9A1 in proper form. To demonstrate the supersonic/subsonic difference, I candystriped a magazine with supersonic (Monarch 115gr. FMJ) and subsonic (S&B 140gr. FMJ) and handed the rig to David. The gun is being run wet, and the difference is obvious:



Direct Link: http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico 2/?action=view&current=Super-Sub-Comparison.flv

That video is about as good as I think it's going to get when trying to convey the true sound signature of this weapon using video... It sounds like a .22LR when running supersonic, and more like a nail gun with subsonic. Additionally, I just want to take a moment to note that the gun ran through a box of garbage S&B without a hiccup - I do believe this brand has received 9 kinds of hell in the Good/Bad/Ugly ammo thread.

I wanted to run a box of carry ammo through the can, so I loaded up some Winchester Ranger 147gr. and let the brass fly:



Direct Link: http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico 2/?action=view&current=Quiet-Steyr.flv

Some time ago, I was asked to shoot the suppressed rig from various odd firing positions to see if it would malfunction. I took this opportunity to point the gun straight down and rack of a string of 3, as well as holding the pistol upside down and racking off three more - all rounds fed, fired, and extracted without issue.

 

We all wanted to get a video of the neophyte coworker doing something embarrassing and stupid, so we put him up to letting us shoot a video of him going all gangsta with a M9A1:



Direct Link: http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico 2/?action=view&current=Jared-Gangsta.flv


Word.

No trip to Hico is complete without a firing line video, so we did that as well:



Direct Link: http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico 2/?action=view&current=FiringLine.flv

Suffice it to say, nothing was left alive downrange.

The last video I'll post for now is David's friend strolling around "cleaning up" with his Saiga... I really want one of those!



Direct Link:http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l46/Syntax360/Hico 2/?action=view&current=CleanUp.flv