Local range puts machine guns in your hands
The newest attraction to storm the community comes in the form of adrenaline, innovation and a rare opportunity to stare down the barrel of an automatic machine gun and feel the power of a forward stream of bullets as it pushes a shooter backward.
Lake Martin Machine Gun provides the Lake Martin area with a controlled outdoor shooting range to experience the thrill of firing historic and unique firearms.
“The mission here of this range is to provide a safe environment, while having a great experience. People have to use our guns and our ammo. We’re not selling anything retail-wise, so the purpose is not to compete with gun shops or local ranges,” said David McGirt, co-owner of LMMG.
The business venture conceptualized as a conversation several years back between McGirt and his business partner and long-time friend Tim Williams. With McGirt’s military background and training in machine gun use, and Williams’ knowledge of the potential these weapons have as monetary investments, the conversation became a reality. Nearly a year ago, the pair received its required ATF Federal Firearms License and began formulating a concrete plan.
“The average machine gun can easily equal the price of a new car, from a basic model to the top luxury brand that the average person can’t afford. From the low end of the mid-teens to the high end of nearly $200,000, automatic weapons are highly regulated, and therefore, hold up their value,” said McGirt.
With 15 weapons available in total, there are three brackets of fully automatic guns for people to use: sub-machine guns, such as a Glock 18, IMI Uzi and H&K MP5; machine guns, such as a Colt M4 and an AK-47; and belt-feds, such as the M249, M60 an M2HB. For those unfamiliar with the nomenclature, an automatic firearm provides continual shooting when pressing the trigger, as opposed to a semi-automatic, which releases only one bullet at a time.
A trained instructor provides 100 percent support for the firearm user and stands with each shooter to assist with the weapons, many of which can be heavy, to ensure user safety for everyone in attendance.
“It becomes much more interactive. People are not only allowed to shoot the guns provided at the range, but there is someone trained and knowledgeable taking care of you every step of the way,” Williams added.
Adventure-seekers can book an hour time slot online at lakemartinmachinegun.com and choose the packages they wish to purchase. The base package offered is $200 and provides the choice of four sub-machine guns and four machine guns with a full magazine for each.
An individual can purchase additional ammunition, extra weapon usage or the choice of shooting any belt-fed – such as the heavy-duty, 100-pound, .50-caliber Browning M2HB – at an a la carte pricing.
“The process to book is very simple, and four people can easily complete a round during an hour time slot, so we encourage people to come with friends or bring a group,” said McGirt.
Another contemporary idea is to use the experience as a corporate outing or a team-building activity among co-workers, as many people in the Southeast are sportsmen anyway, said Williams. As the workplace has morphed and modernized, this activity is one that can be inclusive to all experience levels of males and females, along with various age groups, said McGirt.
The range was built on 90 acres of land in the Red Hill area, which is centrally located to its many surrounding communities. A lot of excavating and reshaping the natural bowl created the earthen berm that is about 30 feet high and packed solid to capture the bullet fragments. There is a layer of straw mats over the dirt to prevent erosion, and the range will be excavated every two years to recycle the lead, along with collecting all the brass casings to be reprocessed.
“It’s actually a pretty green business if you think about it. Also, we chose this area due to its geography, which was just enhanced by the machinery creating the range. Where we stand is about 5 feet below the initial ground surface,” said McGirt.
Most of the weapons are equipped with suppressors to aid in the sound levels of the gunshots, said McGirt. An outdoor range was designed due to the size and power of many of the guns, as opposed to an indoor range that could create occupational health issues for the staff.
“An outside environment is important to what we’re doing. The only other places you will see this kind of thing is out West and places like Vegas, but they’re indoors. We will have bleachers set up so people can come out with a group and take pictures, capture videos or enjoy the experience with others,” said Williams.
When arriving to the 50-yard range, an employee with LMMG will provide eye and ear protection, a safety briefing about the set-up, use of the firearms and explanation of rules, along with a history of each of the guns, such as the iconic Thompson M1, aka Tommy Gun, designed in 1919 and used in the 1920s.
“The historical interest is mostly going to be with the older generations who have used these weapons or want to take their children/grandchildren to see what dad, mom, grandpa or grandma got to shoot back in the day,” McGirt said.
Aside from the natural high and bragging rights of the opportunity, McGirt’s and Williams’ primary intent is to educate the community on automatic weapon history and knowledge of which even the most avid gun lover may be unaware or uninformed.
“In the real world, these weapons are mostly used as suppressive fire because it’s really difficult to aim when unloading that many bullets at once. In military, you’re basically just trying to keep the enemy’s head down, unlike movies where no bullet can miss,” said McGirt. “We’re looking for this to be educational, as well. It’s interesting to hear people’s perspective and reactions after leaving here versus what they initially thought about things previously.”
The owners and employees of LMMG intend to provide a safe environment, regardless of the shooter’s past exposure to firearms, to learn about the history and usage of firearms.
“Like anything in the world, people have seen these things on TV and just want the chance to try it. It’s a bucket list-type thing,” McGirt added.
The range is open Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Appointments may be requested outside of those hours. To fire a weapon, a person must be at least 18 years old, but McGirt and Williams are working on conditions that may allow someone younger to participate, if accompanied by appropriate adult supervision.
Lake Martin Machine Gun is located at 2520 Red Hill Rd., Eclectic. For more information, call 888-660-6462, visit the website lakemartinmachinegun.com or check out the Facebook page Lake Martin Machine Gun.
