Cannons

Cannons

It’s the biggest bang in competitive sport shooting when collectors and enthusiasts roll out their historic cannons to shoot in full power competition. The powder and bullet weights switch from grains to pounds. And they turn out to be much more accurate at 1,000 yards than ever imagined during the civil war. Plus, John Browning’s full-auto solution to the changing tactics of modern warfare. The Browning 1919 is one of History’s guns. And, Mr. Flintlock has a Classic Impossible Shot skipping roundballs off water on purpose.

Gallant Pelham Artillery Shoot

In their day, they were the masters of the battlefield, and their thunder turned the tides of war. The cannon is now a symbolic part of our nation’s history. And that’s why you see so many sitting quietly on our historic battlefields, and in parks and town squares. But thanks to private owners, collectors, and enthusiasts, you can still see, and feel, the roar of those great guns. And once a year, there’s a place where you can truly experience historic field artillery in all its power and glory. It’s as true today as ever. When a cannon rolls onto the field, it makes a statement that can’t be denied.

And on this perfect weekend, twenty-two of those powerful voices have come from all over the country to shake the ground in Pelham, Tennessee.

It’s the Gallant Pelham Artillery Shoot, and this spectacular event is marking its fourth annual gathering.  Steve Cameron from Trail Rock Ordnance is the man in charge.

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Trail Rock Ordnance

History’s Guns - The Browning M-1919

The water-cooled Browning Machine gun of 1917 was the crew served firepower of the first world war, but it was heavy. It really only worked in fixed position firing. But warfare was changing. The Military needed mobile firepower and that would be the second Browning solution, the air-cooled Model of 1919 that is now one of History’s Guns.

When it comes to supporting our returning war fighters, there are a number of ways to do it. One of the most fun is a round of sporting clays. Country super star Tim Montana certainly knows it and the format for his American Thread Charity shotgun shoot is a proven winner. The name comes from one of Tim’s songs, about hard work and strong values, the American Thread that holds us all together. And clay birds are not all that’s flying at the Nashville Gun Club, on the banks of the Cumberland River.

The event raises money to support Special Ops Xcursions, a Nationwide program which helps elite Military operators relax and readjust after they come home from a war zone by taking them, their team members, and their families on hunting and fishing trips, all expenses paid. Country music star Tim Montana is the name out front on this shoot and he says he’s proud to help provide those elite troops with a way to decompress after spending months in harm’s way.

More information on American Thread Shoot  

This little pistol was a foreshadow of something big now, and this is it, this is the Smith and Wesson, M&P-9 M-2.0 Metal. It’s a full size M&P in nine millimeter, with a key upgrade, an aluminum alloy lower. Otherwise, it’s exactly the same as the current full-size M-2.0. And the good news there, all of your accessories and support equipment will work with this new pistol, including the magazines. The first eye catcher is the two-tone aesthetic with black over tungsten Grey Cerakote, that immediately draws your eye to the interchangeable backstraps; these are the same that are found on all M-2.0 full size pistols. And there is an aggressively textured front strap insert. The Metal has the M-2.0 skeletonized flat faced trigger. This one measures just over four pounds consistently. The barrel is four and a quarter inches, and is treated to a protective ammonite finish, that also adds to that two-tone aesthetic. The M-2.0 Metal is optics ready, as given away by the cover plate. The factory three dot white sights are the same as found on the other pistols in the family. The Smith and Wesson M&P-9 M-2.0 Metal has a suggested retail of $899. 

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Impossible Shot - Mr. Flintlock Pond Shots

I think most of us have heard for years, it’s not safe to shoot bullets over water, because you could get a skip off the surface and have no idea where it might go. Well, that’s the safety rule, but we found George Sutton in our library of Impossible Shots, who got the idea he might direct a skipping round-ball to hit a target. A directed skip on purpose. It was an idea that just sort of came to the man we know better as Mr. Flintlock.

WEEKLY EPISODES POSTED ON THURSDAYS.