Militias at campgrounds

[Davidg]

Originally Posted by Katydid

I will say, they were militia for sure. They all had camo with matching patches and had assault weapons . They piled the weapons in a teepee fashion. No shotguns or rifles with scopes. Several had side arms as well. Husband is a carry and conceal so it not a fear of guns for us...just so many assault weapons in one place was new to me. They appeared to be carrying maps and GPS equipment too. I guess a new lesson for us! Thank you for the input and suggestions, next time we may just move on and find another spot!

Katy...I'm not picking on you, but I would venture to say that there was not a single "assault" weapon in the mix. There might have been a few AR-15's, but those are not assault rifles. Only the military (and a very few private collectors with special tax stamps) can possess true assault rifles.

I just hate seeing the term misused, because it gives gunowners that like to build their own Ar's a bad name.

[Herk7769]

There are many flavors of folks who use RVs. If I stumbled on a camping place full of fishermen walking around with their tackle and poles I would not even blink.

I have to admit, stumbling on a camping area full of local militia on maneuvers, would have me rethinking my choice of spots. I support their right to enjoy the outdoors in any legal way, but I would also want to be camped in a place where an inadvertent discharge would not endanger my family.

I would probably move on; just saying.

[lugoismad]

Originally Posted by 325BH

Because federal or state land is only for your use?

Agreed. I don't really see an issue. They weren't breaking any laws.

Thats pretty normal for militias to do, they'll get together, camp out, practice skills like wayfinding and target shoot.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Davidg

Katy...I'm not picking on you, but I would venture to say that there was not a single "assault" weapon in the mix. There might have been a few AR-15's, but those are not assault rifles. Only the military (and a very few private collectors with special tax stamps) can possess true assault rifles.

I just hate seeing the term misused, because it gives gunowners that like to build their own Ar's a bad name.

Absolutely correct. The "AR" in the AR-15 comes from the initial manufacturer Armalite. It does not stand for "Assault Rifle" as many would like you to believe. All the current hullabaloo is over how the rifle "looks" and has almost nothing to do with how it operates.

Here is a tongue in check graphic that shows how you can take a regular old 22 rifle and make a CA Illegal "Assault Rifle".

[SilverArrowPro]

I told my boyscout troop not to go there, sorry.

[f5moab]

Originally Posted by DaGrinch

My DW would have probably joined in!

It is kind of strange to have such "maneuvers" going on around a campground, I would believe. If it is normally used by campers, seems there should be some restricted activity. Depends on who owns the land.

But, if'n they ain't hurtin' no one......

On the other hand, if you hear one of them say, "Hey Billy Joe, hold my beer and watch this!".... I'd be runnin' for cover!

When I camp it is in a BLM or Forest service campground; other than that it is dispersed on BLM or Forest service lands. And guns are normal. Last year at a FS campground in Shoshone NF, Wyoming, I'll guess that 90 percent of the people either had holstered weapons in the open; and a few were sitting around the campfire with shotguns. I'm guessing due to the high warnings about grizzlies in the area.

When I was setting up the trailer, an LE ranger stopped by and asked if I knew about the possible bear problem and said if the sightings get more frequent they might close the campground to soft sided trailers; he noted my holstered .44 and saw the shotgun in the back of the PU truck and said I appeared to be ready and walked away.

Only real restricted activity is it is illegal to shoot in or within x-number of feet of an official campground, across a road, across a river unless for self-defense reasons. So most will take their target practicing far away. Besides, we never want to upset those from states were guns are basically banned.

And I have to sit back and laugh...Assault rifles?

[Davidg]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

Absolutely correct. The "AR" in the AR-15 comes from the initial manufacturer Armalite. It does not stand for "Assault Rifle" as many would like you to believe. All the current hullabaloo is over how the rifle "looks" and has almost nothing to do with how it operates.

Here is a tongue in check graphic that shows how you can take a regular old 22 rifle and make a CA Illegal "Assault Rifle".

Exactly right. I missed an opportunity to explain the meaning of AR. Thanks for posting that. I still have an old Armalite.....still shoots as good as ever, although I have changed barrels on it twice...lol

[Iwannacamp]

Originally Posted by Davidg

Katy...I'm not picking on you, but I would venture to say that there was not a single "assault" weapon in the mix. There might have been a few AR-15's, but those are not assault rifles. Only the military (and a very few private collectors with special tax stamps) can possess true assault rifles.



I just hate seeing the term misused, because it gives gunowners that like to build their own Ar's a bad name.

As another note...the AR-?? doesn't stand for Assault Rifle as most think it stands for Armalite Rifle. FWIW

Another note...I was pretty proud of my Colt national match trophy gold cup 1911. Beautiful gun.

[Iwannacamp]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

Absolutely correct. The "AR" in the AR-15 comes from the initial manufacturer Armalite. It does not stand for "Assault Rifle" as many would like you to believe. All the current hullabaloo is over how the rifle "looks" and has almost nothing to do with how it operates.



Here is a tongue in check graphic that shows how you can take a regular old 22 rifle and make a CA Illegal "Assault Rifle".

Lol. Too late for my post

[SeaDog]

I have a somewhat different take, to me that may be the safest place to be you can bet you wouldn't have some crack head accosting you in that camp. I don't worry about open carry or folks training.

[Davidg]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

I have a somewhat different take, to me that may be the safest place to be you can bet you wouldn't have some crack head accosting you in that camp. I don't worry about open carry or folks training.

Yep....I agree. The gunowners that I hang out with are incredibly safe with firearms.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Davidg

Yep....I agree. The gunowners that I hang out with are incredibly safe with firearms.

Accidents do happen. The OP stated the gun handling was in the campground area; not cased till at a safe location. I would still move.

[Katydid]

Thank you for your responses... I guess I didn't communicate well...it was a federal campground, no services so that I guess is dry camping? I guess the weird thing was the organization of the group ( I am lucky if I can match two shoes when I hit the door ) not the weapons so much. We love the idea of being away from the crowds and when a large organized group showed up we were surprised... Someday I will learn to carry myself, but for now just learning as we go.

[JeffandLori]

Definitely, next time you see something like this, go talk to them. Be as respectful to them as you would want someone being to you who asked you about staying in a rolling box instead of a nice hotel. Do that with an open mind and be prepared to walk away with new friends.

Oh, and some of you should listen to "This cowboy's hat" by Chris LeDoux https://youtu.be/nxBqqAZ9PwA

[tkarper14]

Just out of curisosity, was there even any live firing taken place. Even when I was in the Marine Corps, most of the training was without live ammo even though we were never further than an arms length from our rifles. Live fire was reserved for the safety of a live firing range. I would venture to bet this group was doing the exact same thing. There are many skills a military (Malitia) organization can work on without firing a round.

I fully respect everyone's opinion and if it makes you feel uncofortable, politely move on. We also have to remember to respect their opinions and allow them to carry on with the activities they probably have permission to do. No need to stereotype the group and express your displeasure or call them cowboys.

[SpringerPop]

I suspect at least one of the detractors, far above, made some incorrect assumptions based on a pre-conceived bias.

"Incorrect" is just another word that still means "wrong".

Pop

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by SilverArrowPro

I told my boyscout troop not to go there, sorry.

Where? Southern Illinois or Indiana? LOL.

Wearing the same uniforms with patches sewn on? Maybe it was a group of boy scouts working towards rifle or shotgun merit badges.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by ManlyMan

The few so-called militias I’ve seen are usually a group of overweight good ol’ boys who have rather radical ideas. I would have moved on and then expressed my displeasure with the appropriate authorities on how federal or state land is being used.

You’re sure it was a militia and not a group of deer hunters camping together right?

I know that it may not have seemed so in the previous 8 years but this IS STILL a free country.

If they are not violating laws then those militias are perfectly within their rights to use State and Federal land!

It belongs to them for their use just as much as it does to you!

[ManlyMan]

This isn’t about the 2nd amendment or the fact that campers had weapons. This is about camping next to a fringe group of people armed with tactical weapons that think they are the last “guardians of the constitution” and will save us from government oppression and tyranny.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not an anti-gun advocate and I’d bet I own more firearms than any of the members on this forum but I do have issues with armed fringe groups (private militia) being in the same campground I’m in. I would have moved in a minute, and notified authorities so they might investigate the group to insure none of those tactical weapons had been converted into automatic assault weapons. Nope I wouldn’t camp next to a private militia.

I think it’s hilarious that campers complain about kids cutting through their campsite, a noisy camping neighbor, a neighbor with a smoky campfire, etc., but nutballs with tactical weapons pretending to be soldiers…that’s OK. They’re just exercising their 2nd amendment rights.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by JeffandLori

Definitely, next time you see something like this, go talk to them. Be as respectful to them as you would want someone being to you who asked you about staying in a rolling box instead of a nice hotel. Do that with an open mind and be prepared to walk away with new friends.

Oh, and some of you should listen to "This cowboy's hat" by Chris LeDoux https://youtu.be/nxBqqAZ9PwA

Loved the song; thank you.

Before we get too far afield, the remember the thread is whether you would move your campsite if you felt uncomfortable with a large group of campers doing something that made you, well, uncomfortable.

Would it make a difference if it was a biker gang?