Knob Creek?

[cookie]

OK guys, who's going?

So far it looks like UZI Talk will have at least two representatives :silly there, Sturmgeschutz (http://www.uzitalk.com/forums/member.php?action=getinfo&userid=174) and myself.

I'll be pretty easy to spot, as I look just like the photo in my avatar. I may even wear the same hat. :D

[RoverDave]

I'm going this year but decided to go in the fall. The spring shoot is the weekend after the Tulsa show and I can't do both.

This year will be first time at the Creek. For those that have gone, tell us in explicit detail what happens at the Creek. How much time is open shooting on the lines? How much time are there competitions? How big is the vendor/gun show area? Blah, blah, blah... We want details!

[osprey21]

I'm arranging my schedule around the spring shoot, hope I can make it work.

Knob Creek (http://www.machinegunshoot.com/general_information.htm)

[Richard Cranium]

If I go, I will also be easy to spot. Because I too look like the photo in my avatar. I might trim my gote though.

Tucson Dick

[RoverDave]

osprey21, thanks for the Knob Creek link. I've been to their site before and it gives some info but I'd still like to hear first hand accounts from those that have been there.

[UZI SBR AWC]

I have not been since fall '93 I think it is. Definitely a blast. I think they was still using dynamite when I was there. When the main range goes a firing, war zone don't begin to describe the sounds. The night shoot on saturday is a spectacular event, I seen a 500 round burst of solid 7.62 tracer from a mini-gun, then all hell broke loose,,,, This was after dark, about 2 seconds and the fireballs and heat felt from the exploding drums of highly combustible liquid is nice.

There was a 20 mm cannon, think it was Cieners, went to run, barrels revolved, and ammo went thruogh the chute, then locked up. I had walked around the pole barn, lots of stuff all over.

Definitely take a camera, or a video recorder. I need to get back, only 2hr drive for me.

[Mario_FAMO,Inc]

Yes, it is too late for a hotel/motel room for this April, but the KOA is only about 20 minutes or so away. I've stayed there a few years without problems but pick your site well, I saw a guy get flooded out last spring.

Parking at the 'Creek is difficult. Get there early enough to park on the upper lot. If you end up in the lower lot and it rains you will be there until the fall shoot. I got stuck in there on Friday last spring and had to get pulled out by an ATV with a snatch strap.

The gun show is probably 500 tables or so, but there just isn't as much stuff there as there used to be. I guess that is to be expected. Parts and accessories are plentiful and it is nice to see all of those items in one place for comparison.

Competetive matches are usually pretty good, but short. They are held in the adjacent ranges on site and they are small. They include handgun, shotgun, auto rifle, subgun, old military bolt rifle and maybe one or two more.

Firing positions on the main range are locked up with the "usuals" and getting a chance to shoot there is impossible unless you have an "in". For any amount of personal trigger time you need to go down onto the lower range and pay by the hour with the rest of us less fortunate guys. There is no pyro on the lower range.

Go here to see pics I took there :
http://www.PictureTrail.com/gid1615991

Mario

[Dan0341]

Here's my experience. It's kinda long, but may provide insight for someone who hasn't been there before.

I've been to Knob Creek only once and that was in April 2002. I had a great time. The gunshow is pretty cool and you can get some deals on parts and accessories. For example: AR15 Orlite magazines for $2.50, IMI Uzi mags for $10.00, G3 Mags new in the wrap for $3.00, and etc... Many of the vendors who advertise in Shotgun News are there. It's really cool to hand-pick your stuff through pallets of merchandise. Lots of ammo at mail order prices. But I noticed that many of the Machineguns were priced higher than internet prices. There are no "deals" on machineguns. If there were, they were already gone. Probably bought by other vendors.

I made the four hour drive and arrived Thursday night and met friends at a hotel (hotel rooms were booked about six months in advance). The next morning, Friday, we arrived about 8am for the gunshow that opens at 9am. The best time to "buy" is Friday morning (less crowded than Saturday and more of a selection of merchandise). In the afternoon, we had lunch there. Food is priced higher than normal and not really that good in my opinion. It reminded me of eating at a carnival-type event. We stayed all day and left late afternoon to go out for dinner and beers. Saturday, the following morning, we arrived about 8 or 8:30am. Some of the guys I went with were signed up for the subgun match so we went directly to the subgun range. If you don't sign up in advance (check out the Knob Creek website for details), you may not get the chance to shoot in the event. I didn't shoot during this time period, but I've already sent in my check and application for April 2003.

During the entire day, I recommend eye protection. During the subgun match, myself and another guy were hit by pieces of bullet. Also, a 30 caliber bullet landed at our feet at the subgun range (it was still very warm when we picked it up). It had obviously ricocheted from the main line. Nothing serious whatsoever, but it reminded me of why I was wearing eye protection. Also, keep your ear protection handy, because you will use it off and on all day.

The main line is cool to watch. There is a good assortment of weapons, although I thought the firing line would have been bigger with more weapons. If you want to rent a machinegun, you can. If I remember right, it was about $20 or $25 for a thirty round mag from an assault rifle or subgun. Or, $1.00 or $1.50 per round from a 30 cal belt fed. It's not cheap, but where else can you do this? The crowds are larger on Saturdays because Saturday evening has the big night shoot. Someone said that 10,000 people had showed up on Saturday. If this wasn't true, it seemed like it. If you want a good seat on the bleachers (for the night shoot), you better get your spot a couple of hours in advance. The tracers were fun to watch and I was suprised how intense the explosions were when they went off. As the night shoot was winding down, we left so as to get out of the parking lot (mud pit or swamp is a better description) in a timely manner. Both cars we arrived in got stuck and the guys on the 4 wheelers pushed us out. Needless to say, parking is a huge pain in the ass when it rains! Chances are, it will rain on you while you're there. Better bring rain gear. Bring shoes/boots that you don't mind getting soaked and muddy.

Sunday morning we packed up and left for home. There's nothing going on Sunday that you hadn't seen on Friday or Saturday. I'll be there this coming April and will participate in the subgun match Saturday morning. I'm sure I'll get my butt kicked by others, but that's not going to stop me from giving it a try. Of course, I'll be using my Uzi with AWC MK9. If anyone wants to meet up during this time period, just post a followup reply.

Click on the link to see some videos I had taken from last year. If you're on a dial up like I am, it may take a little while to download. But it'll give you a taste of what it's like.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/djb0341/files/

[Mario_FAMO,Inc]

Dan0341,
Good vids, they bring back some good memories.
Mario

[RoverDave]

Thanks for all the info guys. Dan0341, your detailed report was very helpful and your videos were awesome! I can't wait to go. I hope to hear details from anyone that goes this spring.

[Tb]

I'll dovetail into what Dan said. I'm working on # 9 to KCR so I have seen the heat, rain, dust bowl , cold , $475 HK auto sears and $2900 NIB MP-5 sear guns. (Let me stop crying and I'll continue).

As with every trip to KCR I always make it a point to take with us someone new and I encourage everyone to do that. Last year it happened to be my buddy Dan. But he's tainted goods now. We had a great time though.

So here are Todd's list of things needed to compliment the 5 P's
(proper planning prevents poor performance)

1) Bring Rain gear, no matter what you think the weather man and the NWS believe is the correct weather
2)Wear shoes that you would feel comfortable standing ( not sitting) for appx 15 hrs.
3) Bring a small day pack, you will be amazed at how much and many small items weigh after 3 hrs or carrying in your hands.
4) Bring a camera or video camera ( KCR charges $5 for bringing in CAMcorder). no one at home will believe you otherwise
5)Handy wipes - 20 port-a-jons and one sink in the whole place, you do the math.
6) If you buy ammo in quantity, then buy all your going to at once, hire a mule ( THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE TYPE) to take you and the ammo to your car. I've seen people who bought an ammo can full try to carry it all day then try and get it to the car with arms 3 inches longer than when they woke up.
7) EYES AND EARS PERIOD. you can be stupid, but don't be blind , deaf and stupid. Dan was correct, last year we were about to start our run in the subgun match and heard a thud. Turned around to see a smoldering ( sizzling in the wet grass) .308 tracer round that came from the main line which parallel to the subgun range and 300 yards plus through the woods and over a hill.Also when the main line opens up, you can't hear a thing.
8) CASH, CASH and more CASH
9) pen and paper : after walking through once you find you can't remember where all those cool IDF UZI slings were or the $5 IMI UZI mags. All the tables are numbered, write it down. Not everyones memory is as long as their johnson.
10) SHAMELESS PLUG : stop by and buy an NC NFA Defense Association t-shirt to help support a Pro-nfa group, Table A-7 or A-8 I believe
angelfire (http://www.angelfire.com/nc3/ncnfada/)
11) If you want to shoot an UZI and don't feel like paying $25 a mag , Come to the subgun range ( not the lower rental range) on Saturday and I or someone in our group will let you shoot the bowling pin match with an UZI. Just bring good factory loaded ammo. S & B , Winchester etc ( NO WOLF or anything else off the wall). We shoot on the TASK team and seem to gather around a big red Kawasaki MULE. Not to hard to find .


If enough of us show up, we need to take a group pic for the website. Any suggestions anyone ?


Todd

angelfire (http://www.angelfire.com/nc3/ncnfada/)

[Tb]

PIC of the UZI talk board members who show up for Spring KCR :slap

Ok then Cookie are you going to be there in the spring ?

[RoverDave]

Todd, excellent info. Thanks for the post. I'm going this fall so I won't be able to connect with you guys this spring. Tulsa is calling me in April and I need to make my annual pilgrimage down there.

[Dan0341]

Ditto what Todd said. If you want to blast away with an Uzi, I'll have mine available too. I agree, it would be cool to meet some of the members here and take a group pic.

Dan

[cookie]

Originally posted by Tb
PIC of the UZI talk board members who show up for Spring KCR :slap

Ok then Cookie are you going to be there in the spring ?

Yup, I'll be there, along with my know-it-all son.:cool

[1]

I'm going to try hard to make it again... :thumbs_up

:uzi

[tommygun2000]

good to have, is one of the FRS radios, with PL tones. Many people use them there, and it would be a good way to hook up with others at a specified time, like on the hour or half hour net call up on a specified channel/pl.

I attended the fall Creek last year. It was muddy alright. Had been raining nonstop for a couple of days. It ws also very crowded. I envisioned a much larger place. The pole barn was ridiculous to navigate. Isles were narrow and people were cheek to cheek in there. Not my idea of a really good gun show/sales place. Maybe I just wasn't with it, but for the prices paid, I think theres much room for improvement. They must need an armored car for the gate take alone.
Took my stepson and two grandchildren. They loved watching the beltfeds on the main line. I took them shooting the next day, they had a blast. We did some tannerite targets and they were amazed at the noise.
Bought some ammo, and a few other items. Next time I promised my grand kids we'd camp out there. I'll have to get them geared up for a weekend there.
Radios are a must with them in case one strays too far. Don't think there would be any problems with all the responsible adults around, just good to have contact.

I recommend everyone go at least once. I think I'll do the fall so I wont have to bring a lifejacket too.

[cookie]

Just thought I'd post a follow-up:

My son and I will definitely be there (next month), and we were even able to make reservations at a (cheap) motel within 20 miles.

I'd like to ask that if you're attending, please contact me beforehand. I plan to take a couple of Motorola Talkabout radios, and of course will wear my ever-present cell phone.

[osprey21]

I'll be arriving Thursday evening and staying in Shepherdsville. When you see this logo;
http://www.machinegun.com/frontmain.gif

I'll be close by.

[cookie]

We're getting closer. Anyone else going?

[JIMBO]

Can you guys tell me what it is ? Is it a FA annual event for anyone ? Thanks for a brief idea of what the get together is.

[cookie]

Originally posted by JIMBO
Can you guys tell me what it is ? Is it a FA annual event for anyone ? Thanks for a brief idea of what the get together is.

Basically, yes, but it's held twice a year (April & October). Here's the official link: Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot (http://www.machinegunshoot.com).