Posted: 10/3/2011 12:05:41 PM EDT
[Last Edit: bwaites][Edited]
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The Alexander Arms Meet and Shoot was held Friday and Saturday, the 30th of September and the 1st of October at the High Power Range at Rattlesnake Mountain outside Richland Washington. The range sits up a dry, narrow canyon from the highway, about a mile of very narrow, 1 1/2 lane graveled road. Once up on the flat, the range consists of a very well put together 1000 yard range with 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 800, 900, and 1000 yard firing lines.
Bill Alexander flew in, as did a few other members and guests. Bill sent representative samples of Alexander Arms rifles, including Grendels in several guises, the impressive Beowulf, and the 17 HMR. The weather was September gorgeous, temps in the 70's with mild breeze. We had a nice sized group of about 15 show up Friday afternoon. They included forum members from Washington and California, as well as a group of new people to the Alexander Arms stable from the local area. We decided that the 200 yard line was a reasonable compromise for the 3 different calibers, so we set up there. Everyone got the opportunity to shoot the various rifles, then we had a very nice gentleman show up who allowed us to shoot his version of a .50 caliber handgun, a Contender. 
Thats a .14 Flea on the left, then a .50-.70 with .50 ball round, then a .50 cal Amax 750 grain bullet, then a Beowulf round! The Contender had a massive 12 inch barrel with a huge muzzle brake. Bill Alexander managed 3 well controlled rounds, but I don't think anyone else shot more than 2 rounds. 1 was plenty for me! We spent all afternoon shooting, talking, laughing, and generally acting like a bunch of old friends. At least 3 people are planning on joining the Grendel Hordes based on their experience that day, with several others very interested in the Beowulf and the .17. Some of us then retired to a local restaurant, where we spent a few more hours talking and reviewing the day and our thoughts on the Grendel and its brothers. |
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Day Two or "How to Have a Blazing Success!"
Saturday morning was hazy and gray, but still warm. By noon, when we were scheduled to be on the range, the wind had increased to 10-15 MPH, but the clouds had cleared and it was very pleasant. That wind would play a part in the drama that was to ensue. There was some gustiness, but never close to what Rattlesnake is capable of! We had a slightly smaller group to start, but forum members from Washington, Oregon, and a few holdovers were enthusiastic to get started. We had a few new local guys as well, so we started shooting, encouraging everyone to burn ammunition to their hearts content. 
One intreprid member had even ridden his motorcycle up that graveled narrow road, after riding in from Oregon! Here he was shooting with his bike in the background! People seemed to be kicking along pretty happily for the first 2 and a half hours and everyone was shooting and talking and comparing notes when one of the Range Officers noticed some smoke about a mile behind us, and down the hill. 
Since the wind was from that general direction, our Range Master went to check it out by going back to the 1000 yard line and looking down the hill. He returned almost immediately, and told us the fire was moving quickly and was already to the base of the hill below the 1000 yard line. He recommended we pack it up, and get down the canyon before the fire, so we broke stuff down as fast as we could and headed out. |
We soon realized that it was going to be tighter than we had initially thought.
As we turned down the canyon, we met fire and brush trucks coming up the road, and found that the fire had beat us to the canyon and was burning on the right side as we came down. 
The fire trucks had to work the fire by spraying over us as we came down the canyon, here you can see them starting to spray as the motorcyclist rides down the canyon. |
Bill Alexander likes firetrucks, and we counted at least 17 different rigs, including trucks, big Catepillars, 4 Wheelers, etc. from at least 4 different fire districts. Hanford is the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, and that truck is fairly unique! So, the day ended early, but everyone seemed happy with the 2 days! Special thanks to Bill Alexander for the photos, to JASmith for the photo downloads and emails, and to the TriCities Shooting Association for their help and supplying Range Officers for us. They run a first class operation. A big thanks to Alexander Arms for all their behind the scenes work to get ammunition, rifles, and all the other stuff out here. |
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Originally Posted By Scott_S:
Thanks for the pics and description. Glad you all made it out without getting cooked! Fourteen Flea? What's the parent cartrigde, a necked 9mm? What does one do with a .14 Flea? Thanks Scott! .32 auto if I recall correctly. 4-5 grains of powder at 2600 FPS! If I remember correctly he told us that the solid copper/brass 12 grain bullets would penetrate 1" steel! It's a takeoff on the minicartridges used for European shooting houses in the 1800-early 1900's. He told us that it was such a pain to make brass that he had only shot it 50 times or so. |
| Thanks for the report. If I had known about it and didn't have so much stuff to do here on the farm I might have driven over from Pullman. I'd like to try out my 'wulf on a longer range with some expert oversight. |
And all the powers of darkness tremble at what they just heard .......
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Originally Posted By futuremodal:
Thanks for the report. If I had known about it and didn't have so much stuff to do here on the farm I might have driven over from Pullman. I'd like to try out my 'wulf on a longer range with some expert oversight. AA had information up here and on the Grendel forum, so I'm sorry you missed it! AA is planning to be at the Ironman 3 gun matches in Parma Idaho next spring, and we may have a get together elsewhere in WA/Idaho prior to that even. Come on up to Moses Lake and we'll shoot our Beo's! Bill |
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Originally Posted By bwaites: Originally Posted By futuremodal: Thanks for the report. If I had known about it and didn't have so much stuff to do here on the farm I might have driven over from Pullman. I'd like to try out my 'wulf on a longer range with some expert oversight. AA had information up here and on the Grendel forum, so I'm sorry you missed it! AA is planning to be at the Ironman 3 gun matches in Parma Idaho next spring, and we may have a get together elsewhere in WA/Idaho prior to that even. Come on up to Moses Lake and we'll shoot our Beo's! Bill I might just take you up on that next time the weather warms up. I'm kinda in a holding pattern on finalizing my Beowulf set up aka red dot vs scope etc. |
And all the powers of darkness tremble at what they just heard .......