Bob,
I don't know how many displays you do.......but as a guy who likes to
display and play..as a M5 Stuart Commander...with a live 37mm and 3-.30
MGs...with live M3A1 AT gun and lots of other pieces of US
History...Papered, Legal.......as well as other well armed mvs...I can't
remember one instance of intimidating anyone!
Having run a WWII convoy down city streets with weapons bristling....all I
saw were enthusiastic crowds waving and shouting..........Loving it! Never
have I heard the word "Militia" or "are these guns real"...never! Memorial
Day, July 4th, Veterans Day....Sunday runs to the winery........for
lunch......Never! Always a crowd gathers and everyone enjoys it.
I think most if not all people know we are driving WWII and other post war
vehicles...and think its pretty cool...not wondering if they are going to
be shot!
I have done custom car shows as well..and EVERYONE brings the Coolest stuff
they have ...and thats the time to do it...My stuff is in a "special
Interest" category.....All I ever hear is "Ohhhhsss and
ahaassss"......."How interesting"....wow, can I have a ride?
I don't know where you live..but it kinda sounds scary..........I don't
want to have to hide my hobby.......Its counter productive...and how do you
know if its a live or dummy weapon???? from 20 feet...if its a good
one..like the M2s that Terry Spencer makes.......the finest around......do
you put big orange barrels on them or possibly aircraft type safety flags
on them?
If people don't understand...they never will..remember there are plenty of
people out there that don't want you to have a custom, gas guzzling, air
polluting camaro much less a M3 Scout car.......so.....don't worry about
it..........
I also get requests from the Army locally...to put up Weapons displays...at
public functions...they love to show off the vintage weapons long gone from
their inventories...Thompson MG...M3A1 Grease Gun...M60 MG.....M1D Sniper
Garand.....M79 Grenade Launcher....they love it..and so does everyone who
sees them and handles them....
I once was asked to bring a M2HB and tripod to Jefferson Barracks...for a
celebration commemorating a battle in Italy in WWII.........the base
Commander looked at it and commented it looked pretty real...when he
discovered it was...he shook my hand and thanked me for preserving history
by keeping such a fine weapon live...and operable....he was amazed!.
As far as keeping my guns...you bet.....I will......I am a pretty
conservative guy...and know what my rights are. I do not trespass nor do I
discriminate...I just want to be free to do as I please...and I do!
Good luck...because it sounds like you have to be too careful to pursue you
hobby where you live.....
I respect your opinion.....but thank God that "concerned attitude" has not
been a problem here......
Jon......In St Louis
>I think common sense should prevail depending on where you are showing your
>vehicle...
>
>Don't take your live weapon anywhere unless you plan on shooting it. I still
>tend to think in the ways my dad taught me about gun safety... "if you don't
>want to kill it, your gun shouldn't be pointing that way". Temporarily
>disable your live weapons. It is typically not a difficult thing to remove a
>firing pin or some other essential part without effecting the outside
>appearance. And you don't have to worry about some goof bringing a live
>round to see if it works. Of course, law enforcement generally does not
>think that way, so bring your paperwork if it is necessary for your piece.
>
>- If at your MV club rally or similar, by all means bring out the weapons.
>Folks at these kind of events are of the same mind, attitude and outlook.
>
>If you are taking your vehicle to the local car rally, where folks from the
>area bring their suped up Camaros and old run of the mill civilian stuff
>like that, it probably is not a good idea to bring your rocket launcher,
>recoilless rifle or your Plutonium P-32 Space Modulator. If you really want
>to bring something to that kind of show, get a dummy that is demonstratively
>inactive. The last thing you want for yourself, as well as our hobby is to
>be ejected from the rally and in effect be barred from the mainstream. I
>personally enjoy these types of rallies because people who rarely see
>something so neat as an old GPW really go nuts. Its lots of fun to park next
>to the most beautiful car in the show and take away all his thunder with
>your "relatively" cheaply restored vehicle vs. his no expense spared cherry.
>
>Don't drive around with your weapons, dummy or not, hanging out on its
>pedestal, in the windshield rack or at the ready. Put it out of sight so you
>are not intimidating other people. Don' attract a lot of unwanted attention.
>I know alot of you folks won't agree with this, but I really think it is
>common sense to not be seen as the least bit intimidating to other drivers.
>Remember that the general public is usually ignorant about most things
>military, and view most people dressed in camouflage or driving around in an
>army truck with guns bristling as slightly off kilter or part of a militia
>group. We all know otherwise, of course.
>
>Mainly, what I am trying to get across here is that as MV collectors and
>restorers, we have the added responsibility of preserving history as well as
>educating the general public. We shouldn't have attitudes that only amount
>to scaring people away.
>
>Again, many folks won't agree with me but I think that where the general
>public is concerned, it is better to put your best foot forward and
>demonstrate your ability to fit in with the social norms of the times,
>rather than to rabidly push the limits of reasonableness. We don't live in
>the Old West and unless the Mexicans invade, there just isn't a justifiable
>reason to be tooling around town with your live fire guns hanging out.
>
>This is only my opinion. It probably reflects attitudes in my geographical
>area. It probably reflects my upbringing. It probably reflects my education.
>In short, it is my opinion, and I am free to form it and tell you about it.
>You don't have to follow it, but I wish you would. I would like to keep my
>guns.
>
>Have a nice day,
>
>Bob K.
>'42 GPW
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Kenneth J Mock [mailto:empire.builder@juno.com]
>Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2001 11:52 PM
>To: mil-veh@mil-veh.org
>Subject: [MV] M1 Carbine
>
>
>Hi All,
>
>I have a question. What problems would one have in displaying a real M1
>Carbine in the
>holder on a M38 jeep at shows IF the bolt has been removed????? I'm
>asking because
>I hope to have my M38 restored in time for a thresheree this coming Sept.
>and would like
>to have something in the rifle carrier if possible. Don't really want to
>spend money on
>an imitation weapon when I already have the real thing.
>
>Have a great day,
>Ken & Charlotte Mock
>KC's X-TRA Custom Railroad T-Shirts
>1952 M38
>1948 John Deere 'M' tractor
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Mar 05 2001 - 07:58:31 PST