The Gun Counter

Guys we need everyone to help out for the Fiesta as best they can, this is the thread to post what you will be able to bring to help out with the setup and take down of the range.

Things people are bringing:

JimTX wrote: So, to start it out, here's my list:

6 gal compressor & hose.

2 heavy duty extension cords.

12" mitre saw & stand.

7-1/4" circular saw.

3/8 VSR corded drill & bits.

Hammer n' nails.

2 folding chairs & one adjustable height shooting stool.

4' pvc folding table (via Sam's club) for shooting bench.

12'x12' pop-up shade canopy.

5 gal. water Igloo.

48 qt. cooler w/ ice & consumables. (everyone needs to max-up on bringing ice !!!)

1 4'x6' sheet plywood (trailer won't hold a 4'x8')


Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX

Rod wrote:My SUV has a built in air compressor, don't know how well that'll work with other equipment though. Think it has a universal connection.

Buying Tannerite targets

Reactive targets (milk jugs, etc)

Hand tools

4 foot folding table

2 lawn chairs

Two ice chests

Can be there on Thursday if you can use a non-skilled worker.

The Wizard wrote: Things I know I can get or already have:

Marking Stakes
Flagging tape
Hand Tools
5 Gallon Air Compressor
Air Horn (For cease fire)
Some Paper Targets
Hot dogs and Hamburgers for the grill
BBQ Pit (at least one medium one maybe a large one)
Ice (there is a place to get bulk ice in Alvin for those who are going to need bulk quantities)
Ice Chest

Some Things I can Probably get:
Trash Barrel

Things We Still Need:

Generator - (Very Important) Does anyone have one they can bring?
2"x2"x8' and 2"x4"x8' lumber (for target frames)
Framing nailgun (standard NPT fitting) and box of nails
Reactive targets (steel flippers, tin cans, milk jugs, etc.)
Chainsaw (dunno if we need one, would suck to need one and not have one)
Tables
Chairs
Shade
Drinks
Ice
Food Stuffs
Porta Potty


For those that can't or don't want to bring food or drinks with them there are several places around to pick some up

If anyone thinks of anything else that we need or if you can bring some of the things listed please feel free to post it

If I'm able to make it (Turns out we've got a go-live for Epic around then, so my time off is provisional at the moment), in addition to basic hand-tools, I'll be bringing a post-hole digger for setting up the target stands & a skeet-thrower.

Okay guys assuming I can make the shoot....

I know I can bring the following:

Cordless drill, 2 cordless circular saws,cordless sawzall at least some wood 2x4x8', triangle and pencils for marking wood.
Coolers. 1 large, 1medium and 1 small.
7x14' trailer (maybe - gas hogs my jeep like nobody's business)
maybe a reloading press and some components for testing loads for those interested.
Propane lantern.
Chronograph


I'm keeping a weather eye out for:
A generator. What wattage do you think we need at a minimum?
Metal clangers, I'm thinking of the 3/8" ones from wideners.
Whatever else I can scrounge up to make it more fun than a trip to see marty moose.

Fastrope, thanks..... looks like a good list.

For the genny, I'd think that 3kw would be an absolute minimum, and 5kw to be much more useable. More, of course, is always better. Oh, and FR.... don't forget the rechargers for your cordless batteries!

I've got a 4'x6' trailer I will be bringing with my "list" pretty much loaded thereon.

Just fleshing out a bit more of the stuff to bring for a successful weekend here:

TARP. I've got an 18'x18' "blue tarp" I'll bring. Useful for shade, dust control and misc.

SEATING. One thing I didn't think of is seating! Bring chairs, people. Metal folding chairs, nylon "fold ups", webbed beach chairs.......just bring 'em! (I'll bring three nylon, folding camping-type chairs, more if I can get 'em.)

LUMBER. 2"x2"x8' and 2"x4"x8' will be vital, but will serve for most purposes. For target backers, I'm thinking to make large frames that'll hold a 4'x8' sheet of construction sheathing, or the corrugated plastic that Zane had up at the Austin range. Yes, we can also build some single-target frames for various IDPA stages.

FIREWOOD. Wiz..... is there some scrap out there we can burn? If not, here's the request for a truckoad of firewood. One good truckload oughta last the weekend. We'll need something like a steel fire ring, or rocks, and something like a grate for those who want to heat something up over flame if desired.


SHOOTING TOOLS that'd be nice to see out there?

CHRONOGRAPH. FastRope has already mentioned that, but more than one could be handy?

SHOT TIMER(S). Yes, please!

LAZER RANGEFINDER. An absolute must when we're setting up for longer ranges. Sure would be nice to know that "600 yards" really isn't 582 yards?

TIPTON (or similar) RIFLE VISE. The bees knees for true boresighting and scope zeroing. If I have the funds, I'll buy one, but if someone has one, please lug it along?

SANDBAGS. The more, the merrier!

STAPLERS & STAPLES. Enough is NEVER enough!

SPOTTING SCOPES. Amazingly useful things, these.

GUNSMITHING TOOLS. Not that we'd ever break a gun. No, really!


ODDS n' ENDS

FRS RADIOS. I'll bring one pair.

FIRST AID KIT(S). Because sometimes, defecation occurs.

CORDAGE. Bring your best Boy Scout skills, too. Stuff might need to be tied down, up or sideways out there!

FOUR WHEELER. Anyone got a quad they can bring? Conversely......anyone want to WALK out n' back to distant rifle targets? (ordinary pick'emup truck might work if the ground is firm enough and mowed low enough.)

FOOD. The Wizard says that we *might* have the loan of a portable BBQ rig. It'll need wood. It'll need recently murdered herbivores (four legged variety) upon the grate. If that one's not available, then does anyone else have a good sized grill they can haul-in? A Big Char-Broil oughta be enough; I'm thinking a giant tournament unit would be overkill.

MONEY. Yeah, dirty word. But, The Wizard and I are both scouting to hire a brush-hog contractor to mow a fairly large area, to include initial access, parking area, 100' (or wider) general pistol range/firing line, out to 25 yards, with longer, narrower shooting lanes mowed in staggered ranks and widths, out POSSIBLY as far as 1,000 yds. The 100 yd. line would be what...six benches wide, then decreasing down to only one spot for the max distance target.

That mowing ain't gonna be free. We MIGHT get it cheaper though, by being sure to invite the contractor to join in the fesitvities. But, he'll still need at least recompensation for fuel burned, and likely, a bit more.

Also, there's that Porta Potty we're going to need. One ought to suffice, but I damn sure can't imagine any of your wives, girlfriends or daughters being "ok" with "behind that bush over there", can you?

So, if anyone can bring any of the above, just please speak up and be heard! The more that people list here, the better we'll enjoy the shoot in relative comfort, with a minimum of frustration.

And hell yes, any other ideas out there to add to the mix, throw 'em in here!


Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX

I can bring:

1 corded jigsaw
1 corded belt sander, if that would be useful
1 cordless 1/2" drill with spare battery and bits
a pound of 2.5" coarse thread drywall screws (Good for all kinds of construction with studs!)
Miscellaneous nails and other fasteners?
A proper felling axe, not that any sane person wants to use one when chainsaws exist
Some other... manual brush clearing implements.
I'll bring my combination square, tape measure, various hammers,etc.
A small but comprehensive first aid kit.

I can probably generate firepit(s) onsite with local materials... and if not, there's always blemish/second pavers from Generic Chain Home Improvement Store.

I have grill grates, but only two small ones... not enough to cook for more than a few people.

Oh! Wait! I only use one of the racks from my oven, I could totally bring the spare. You can cook for a BUNCH of people on those.

Not bringing folding sawhorses anymore, sorry. I was tossing tee hinges in my cart at Home Depot when I realized that they alone were gonna cost like $40, which is more than a pair of plastic Stanley sawhorses cost.

Other than that, I can bring a 13-gallon ice basket, a broken nylon folding chair, a "2-person" tent that actually sleeps 1.5 midgets or a large dog, a small blue tarp... basically, I can provide for myself for three-four days of roughing it, but that's about it. Disadvantages of being an unemployed graduate student trying to make ends meet out of student loans.

What I CAN provide is myself ahead of time. By then I'll have put in a week's worth of Saturdays on my church's Habitat house, so I'll have some fairly recent semi-skilled construction experience, plus all the, very rusty, skills possessed by any Eagle Scout I'm happy to show up Friday or Thursday to help set up. Just tell me where to go and when.

Does somebody need to bring a carpenter's level?

SHOVELS/SPADES. I can bring an e-tool, but a couple of these will probably come in handy.

I would like to second the request for a decent SPOTTING SCOPE. Some of us don't enjoy walking 100-300 yards over broken ground to see if we're putting holes in paper.

If no Porta-Potty is forthcoming, it is possible to BUILD a latrine, you know. Or at least, that's what my Scout Handbook says!

We (Jennifer and I) won't make it and that's final. We are broke, broke, broke at the moment. In fact, don't expect us to show up anywhere fun for a while.

Sorry to hear you won't make it. Wish we could help in some way.

I just put together a small armorer's kit I'll bring. Proper hammer, center punches, jeweler's screwdriver set, small vice, couple of other things. Also got a 6 x 8 tarp, useful for ground cover or, with some scrap wood, shade. Harbor Freight had some metal cans, I need to go back and look at them for water cans. I'll be looking at medical supply stores in my area for a first aid kit that would meet our needs.

Oy. Alright folks, I am going to be in South America until the 15th so it's going to be cutting it close. Ya'll want to shoot for one day or two? I was thinking just Sunday the 17th, we can get to Houston/Austin on the 16th and coordinate set up.

CC, just so y'know, The Wiz and I had discussed going out to the site a day or three before the shoot, just to get most of the setting up done in advance. Certainly, any mowing is going to have to happen well ahead of the festivities.

From reading earlier posts, from this thread and the original, it seems that there might be a camper or three intending to OCCUPY SHOOTING FIESTA! And, while that very concept might well violate Relativity and the Space~Time Continueum, their presence (until the universe implodes) would lend a bit of security to the site in the off hours.

So, if you're able to hustle on down after completing your out-of-country-experience, the hope is that you'll find a site which is pretty much up to speed for the intended purpose(s).

I'd imagine that both Saturday and Sunday will be big-time shootin' days. The sooner that you're able to arrive and add to the festivities though, the better!

All that said though, might you have any special requests or ideas you'd want to see be in the set-up?

And finally, have any of you who are traveling-in made any hotel arrangements in either Pearland, Alvin or Manvel as yet? I do know of a blindingly good BBQ place in Pearland, very near the intersection of S.H. 35 and F.M. 518.

Of those three towns, Pearland will have the most to offer, Manvel will be closest to the festivities (but with fewest hotels or restaurants) and Alvin ain't a bad "Plan-C". For that matter, Galveston is only about 30 min. from things, for those of you who want a little sand n' surf in your weekend. Still, if most all the travlers would agree on a locale, it'd make the post-shooting eatin' rendevouz that much easier to juggle.

Finally, everyone? Don't let the locale or the efforts going into the set up put you off from joining this year. Weather permitting, having a well arranged, "free range" at which to shoot, sans "range nazi" factors, and other restrictions on draw-from-holster, rapid fire, etc.... this promises to be the benchmark Shooting Fiesta until............next year's?

Pawn your kids if you've got to! (kidding! I know pawn shops CHARGE for taking in children!) But, you do get the idea. If there's any way you can possible rob Peter and charge Paul the interest..... make the trip!

Looking forward to seeing everyone there!


Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX