Discussion»Questions»Recreation» Have you ever shot a gun? If you have, what's the biggest gun youve ever fired? If you haven't, would you, given the chance?
I initially neglected to say thank you, that's all. But I'm not gonna lie. I think, yet again, you have inspired me. (We'll decide at a later date if this particular inspiration is a Good Idea. Lock and load)
You know? Im surprised at how many people have actually fired a weapon. I thought the majority would be people like you. Not disregarding you in any way. Just an observation. ) Thanks.
I did my national service training in 1956 and at that time we were still using Lee Enfield .303 rifles, Bren guns, and Owen sub-machine guns. I fired all three, of course, but the Bren would have been the biggest.
Even so, it's a funny thing about size: if you don't hit what you're aiming at the size doesn't count for much. Of course, you could always try a shotgun:
I was never in the service. I did spend a few summers, as a teenager, at a summer camp where there was a rifle range. I shot a .22 rifle during those summers. I did so again during a 6 week Riflery course in college.
Really? I wonder if that would be an activity easily found in summer camps today. A Riflery course, eh? Did they teach you to shoot? Or was it more like history and stuff John? Thanks for responding btw. I appreciate it.
You say your ex loved them. You know? I heard a lot of people say that, and to an extent I understand, but I see them more as a tool. Like a hammer or a glue gun. Just a little deadlier. ) Thanks for responding WW
Yes. the handle is heavy and the barrel is a fine handle for using it as a hammer. Only problem I see is those very sensitive triggering mechanisms, if it fires when hitting the nail you will probably shoot yourself in the stomach.
I've fired many weapons of varying types and calibers, the majority of which during my three tours of duty in the US Marine Corps. The largest weapon I've ever fired was the M-60E Machine Gun, 7.62mm NATO round. I've also fired the M-203 Grenade Launcher, 40mm. As far as size reference between the two, being different types of weapons, it's difficult to say which is "bigger", because the machine gun is larger, longer and heavier than the grenade launcher (which itself is mounted on the M-16A1 Semiautomatic Rifle, but the grenade launcher's impact differs in blast radius.
(I may have also at one point fired the M-2 Heavy Machine Gun, .50 cal., but I don't remember for sure.)
Oh man, that's about right there Randy. At one point or another, I carried one of those. Started with the A2, then on to the 40 Mike Mike , and as the biggest guy, ended up with the 60. I loved carrying the 60. It is , to me, the signature combat weapon. It has a sound like nothing else. Cha cha cha cha cha cha cha cha, you know? Compared to the thud thud thud thud thud thud thud of the 50. Too bad all that exists only within the context of combat. Thank you Randy. Seeing that sixty, gave me a weird feeling in the stomach.
This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at January 9, 2017 8:14 AM MST
My father was a Navy man, he joined in '39 and was part of thef flotilla that escorted the bomb in '45. He died when I was 16. I remember him telling me about being hit by the Kamikaze. The engine room was like something out of Dante, I remember him saying, so few things now. He became a marine engineer when he decommissioned. Always a Navy man though.
That's a very touching answer, L, the bit about the things you remember him saying now. If the question in all its silliness had any value, was for you to share that. That's what the whole thing is about. Thanks My dear friend.
That would depend on your definition of "biggest" gun that I've ever fired.
If you're talking about shoulder-fired or hand-fired weapons the largest barrel id would be a 10-gauge, 3-1/2" magnum shotgun. Handgun would be either a .45 ACP semi-auto (SIG Sauer P220) or a .445 SuperMag revolver (Dan Wesson). The .445 is a LOT more powerful than the .45 ACP, an old favorite of pin and silhouette shooters.
Some of the more unusual guns would be a bolt-action, single-shot .22-caliber pistol chambered in .221 Remington Fireball: Remington XP-100, mid '60's vintage, weapon was available later on in a number of other calibers that were also traditionally considered to be "rifle" cartridges including .308 Winchester (almost exactly, but not quite the same as the 7.62 NATO round (used in "battlefield", as opposed to "assault" rifles), although the two calibers are apparently interchangeable. A VERY accurate, and deadly "varmint" pistol. A number of Kennedy assassination conspiracy "theorists" speculate that the "second gunman" was using one of these in Dallas too.
Then there was that .22 caliber rifle chambered for a Wildcat cartridge, the .220 Swift. That bullet left the barrel at almost 5,000-fps, ACCURATE range of almost a mile with that 30-power scope. GREAT for varmints, bullet would literally explode after penetration (a LOT of hydrostatic shock caused when the "target" slowed that bullet down that quickly). Just don't hit a twig or blade of grass . . .
Also have fired a couple of single-shot, break-action 68-gauge shotgun pistols. (.410 caliber shotgun for those unfamiliar with that discrepancy in the shotgun sizing system). If I remember correctly one of the two was an over/under that sported an upper rifle barrel chambered for .22-caliber long-rifle.
Benedict Arnold 