Thread: 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