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Thread: Hello from the U.S.

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Foothills of Appalachian Mountains
    Posts
    2

    Hello from the U.S.

    Some may choose to start hating me sooner rather than later but hopefully will be able to contribute some to the group. Just turned 55 and received my first rifle at age 10, by 12 had my first handgun and a centerfire rifle and was reloading on borrowed equipment and got my instruction by our local Game Warden. By age 13 had my first centerfire handgun, by 15 had my own reloading bench set up for casting bullets, loading multiple handgun plus rifle cartridges and begun collecting firearms. Purchased my first AR 15 at 17 and building custom 1911's by age 18 so firearms have been a large part of my life. Only things that put before guns now are God, family and country.

    Spent most of my life rock and ice climbing with a long career in high altitude mountaineering till had two motor vehicle accidents (both rear ended by housewives text messaging while driving) broke my back and then my neck in 2007 and 2009. Also raced bicycles from my teens till the motor vehicle accidents racing up to Catagory 2 a few years. Now that my back doesn't allow humping a ruck sack to base camps and high camps in the mountains and doctors tell me a severe whiplash injury from long lead fall rock or ice climbing my love of firearms fully fills my spare time. Have moved the 50 BMG, 338 Lapuas, 35 caliber magnums and such to rear of vaults and try to keep 7mm Practical as my big rifle most times need such. Otherwise have learned to leverage newer cartridges like 6XC for 1,000 meter target shooting, alternative cartridges like 6.8 in AR 15's to save wear on the body from overusing my L1a1's, FN FAL's, M1a's, H&K's and other full size battle rifles though still keep adding to the collections but AR 10's in 7mm-08 do almost everything a 308 battle rifle does with 30% less recoil.

    Outside of shooting sports I enjoy Ham Radio with a U.S. Extra Class license and commercial MROP, GROL and radar license. Enjoy all sorts of other electronic hobbies from robotics to Tesla Coils, drones and more. I own my own company which consists of three companies, first a multi generational commercial sign company along with a commercial tower and telecom severe where we do everything from emergency power to equipment installation and tower work. My last "sideline" is working in HVAC industry where specialize in green energy solutions and indoor air quality. Normally we are the folks that show up when client has called other companies and not satisfied yet. That said, have a machine shop, metal fabrication facilities, all process welding in-house and on site, wood working with both hand and CNC equipment and paint facilities.

    Other past hobbies include steam traction engines, antique tractors and high performance antique cars but again my bad back has taken the fun out of anything super heavy so purged the toys that had more work than fun attached to them. Still build and ride motorcycles (Harley-Davidson) and have bikes from 1948 to 2007 with quite a few 1950's through 1970's motorcycles. I guess age is catching up as wisdom to step away from some hobbies has overcome my stubbornness to push through. I live in Northeast Georgia on the north end of a 55,000 acre lake located at the foothills of the Appilachian Mountains. Takes me 90 minutes to get to Atlanta Airport in moderate traffic and 90 minutes to be at the summit of a 6,000 foot mountain where it could be 60° F in Atlanta and 20° F with a foot of snow at 6,000 feet on same day. Actually a wonderful place to live if on the east coast of U.S.

    In my home state of Georgia we are a "must issue" of concealed weapons permit if citizen has no criminal background. All citizens are allowed to carry handguns or rifles openly if they are not a convicted criminal. It's very common to see people in grocery store or department store carrying a handgun on their waist. Unless there is a manned security line where a facility is posted "no weapons" we can carry most anywhere including many government buildings. Unlike the west coast and northeast the southeastern states are very firearm friendly and pretty much anything is allowed if have correct permits including full auto (expensive), suppressors and even military hardware like mortars though the $200 per shell tax stamp plus cost of round burns about $500 U.S. every shot. We have a lot of people who still enjoy black powder weapons from 36 caliber flintlock to cannons. My adopted son has lived in Australia for past five years and makes trips to New Zealand fairly often for both work and vacation. Nice to meet all y'all.
    Michael
    Gibo, Marty Henry and takbok like this.

  2. #2
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Scotland
    Posts
    123
    Very interesting, sounds like you've got a lot of hobbies. Thanks for the intro.

  3. #3
    OPCz Rushy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Nor West of Auckland on the true right of the Kaipara River
    Posts
    34,249
    Welcome Michael.
    It takes 43 muscle's to frown and 17 to smile, but only 3 for proper trigger pull.
    What more do we need? If we are above ground and breathing the rest is up to us!
    Rule 1: Treat every firearm as loaded
    Rule 2: Always point firearms in a safe direction
    Rule 3: Load a firearm only when ready to fire
    Rule 4: Identify your target beyond all doubt
    Rule 5: Check your firing zone
    Rule 6: Store firearms and ammunition safely
    Rule 7: Avoid alcohol and drugs when handling firearms

  4. #4
    Member 40mm's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    North Auckland
    Posts
    5,921
    Im jealous, I had to get myself into shooting. how is the building industry over there??? need a builder?
    Use enough gun

  5. #5
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    christchurch
    Posts
    17,992
    i have relatives in arkansas, they sure love their toys too!

    a few of them came for a visit a few years back and wanted to try hunting here, soon as they saw nz bush and realized they had to walk in it they gave up, a quick stroll on a farm shooting rabbit wiped them out.

  6. #6
    Sending it Gibo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    The Hill
    Posts
    23,480
    Welcome

  7. #7
    Member Mathias's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Canterbury, home of the big Rakaia Red Stag
    Posts
    4,513
    Welcome aboard Michael

  8. #8
    Member Scouser's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    JAFA
    Posts
    4,900
    Welcome Michael, great into and nice to see you have a wide range of hobbies & interests,

    im a mountaineer too, my highlight was the summit of Denali in 1999, 22 days on the mountain, awesome climb, west rib route......
    sako75 likes this.
    While I might not be as good as I once was, Im as good once as I ever was!

    Rule 4: Identify your target beyond all doubt

  9. #9
    Member Driverman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    HUTT VALLEY
    Posts
    461
    Read a bit of your posts on the cast boolits site , in particular reloading 7.62x39 with steel cases and the lee molds. Any developments from 2015

  10. #10
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    BOP
    Posts
    4,025
    Welcome, always good to have people from other countries to share their knowledge and experiences.

  11. #11
    Member Daithi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Tauranga
    Posts
    332
    Welcome mate. Always nice to hear how folk in other countries do it. Sounds like you've got a lot of experience and interests. Can't beat that full-auto fun!

  12. #12
    Member 300CALMAN's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    NZISTAN
    Posts
    5,232
    Hey nice hobbies, Welcome to the forum.

  13. #13
    Member Marty Henry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Tararua
    Posts
    7,088
    Wow youve done a bit, welcome aboard

 

 

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