Category Archives: Boomershoot

Boomershoot is a long range precision rifle event with high explosives as the targets. This is about Boomershoot in general and sometimes just explosives.

Boomershoot cleanup

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No, it is not the cleanup the Boomershoot participants helped with.  Sunday, while Barb was at work, I drove the hour east to Boomershoot country to tidy up a bit in preparation for the next ATF inspection.

After using over a 1000 pounds of my chemical supply (we consumed 864 reactive targets at Boomershoot 2006) I had some room to rearrange things.  I also removed a couple garbage bags full of old milk and soy cartons.  We used to use the cartons for target containers and I had saved them for testing new mixtures.  We discovered the type of container made a difference in how easy the targets detonated.  Future tests will be made with the actual containers used.  This gave me room for the table we set up outside during production on the north side of the Taj Mahal.  This lets us open the door to the magazine without the table being knocked over and gives us better access to the chemical on the south side of the shed.

This same table has been broken for a couple years.  This year during the building of the targets it collapsed with some targets on it.  There wasn’t any danger of the targets exploding from the slide to the ground but it was not pleasant and someone could have gotten hurt anyway.  It needed to be fixed and I have been meaning to do that every year.  I still need to do some sanding, buy the screws, and put them in but I have made a significant amount of progress on this long overdue task.

I was pleased to note that the batteries were fully charged by the solar cells.

I swept the floor which had a couple dustpans full of dirt on it from all the travel in and out with muddy feet.

I ran the generator for a few minutes to warm it up so I could change the oil–which I did at lunch time in my parents shop.

I took the floor mats to my parents place and hosed them off.

I cleaned the air cleaner and put in a new filter.  I burned the old filter which was filled with potassium chlorate dust.

I removed all the miscellaneous mixing utensils we don’t use which have gathered over the years.

I brought home two blenders that “froze up”.  The chemical contact apparently had corroded the bearings (ammonium nitrate is particularly hard on metal).  I’ll see if I can repair them easily, if not I’ll buy at least one more for backup to the two remaining ones.

I did an inventory of chemicals we use (there are some chemical types we have used for testing that I didn’t inventory), and the target containers.  I still need to inventory the remaining stakes.

The following pictures are after clean up and putting all the remaining stuff, including some empty garbage cans, back in.  I’m pleased and I hope Crystal, Sue, or whoever the ATF sends to visit this year is as pleased as I am.

Quote of the day–Ms. Cyborg

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…the beauty of Boomershoot is not just about the big bangs, big booms, or big guys with their big guns. The true beauty of Boomershoot is the daylong happiness you see, everywhere you look. From down range to up range, there’s more laughter and happiness on Boomershoot Day than there is in any comedy club in L.A.

Ms. Cyborg
Post-Boomershoot thoughts from Ms. Cyborg…
May 9, 2006

Quote of the day–Michael Burrows

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Ain’t freedom beautiful?

Michael Burrows
April 30, 2006
At Boomershoot after launching an anvil 100 feet into the air.

How do you deliver a 700 ton bomb?

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From Scripps Howard News Service:

The test scheduled for June 2 will be of a 700-ton conventional bomb. The research could aid in development of so-called bunker-buster weapons, including small-scale nuclear devices, according to the federal official overseeing the test, Doug Bruder, director of counter-weapons of mass destruction technology for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

As near as I can tell the maximum takeoff weight any 747 is about 910,000 pounds which is only 455 tons and that includes the weight of the plane and fuel.  A semi truck is much smaller.  The only remaining thing I can think of is a train and that is rather problematic for a number of reasons.

So this “demonstration”, as some are calling it, of a 700-ton bomb ammonium nitrate (Boomershoot uses AN as the main ingredient) and fuel oil bomb will be more “interesting” than just a big pile of AN detonating.  And although there may be some fuel oil in it my guess is there will be aluminum powder as well as other stuff much more interesting that just fuel oil.  This guy is openly calling it a tactical nuke instead of a conventional bomb.  Tactical nuke?  Sure, that makes sense.  You can deliver those with artillery shells as well as cruise missiles and conventional air dropped bombs.

Iran is virtually begging for someone to attack.  The Israelis claim Iran is only about a year away from having their own nuclear bomb.  Others claim more time is needed, but regardless the Mideast is a very interesting place these days.  Regardless, for us to claim there is too much sand and not enough glass in Iran before we take another hit will be a tough situation politically.  But for us to wait might mean the near total destruction of Israel.  And if we take a nuclear hit on north American soil my bet is that our retaliation will not be so “surgical” as dropping a few tactical nukes as we would prior to taking a hit.  My guess is we would turn not only massive portions of Iran into glass but Medina and few other areas as well.  Mecca would probably have a few bombers in permanent “orbit” around it for several years–just daring any Muslim extremist to set off a pipe bomb in some pizza joint on our turf.

Interesting times ahead…

Update: If you follow the links in Ry’s comments (and here) you will find the people I based my post on were totally clueless.  Which means I was totally clueless when I made the post.  Idiots.  And they made me look like an idiot.

Boomershoot pictures from Xenia

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Xenia posted a little bit about her Boomershoot experience.  It includes pictures by and of Sara and Lexi.

Quote of the day–Stephanie Sailor

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I liken Boomershoot to the state of mind when one is doing yoga. It’s very peaceful.

Stephanie Sailor
April 30, 2006
While at Boomershoot.

Boomershoot 2006 cleanup video

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From Ry


Boomershoot 2006 cleanup. April 30, 2006. 14 MBytes .WMV

As Ry said, “Why weren’t you there?”

Someone else blows up a computer

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At Boomershoot 2005 (last year) we blew up a computer.  Watch the KING5 Evening Magazine video to see it.  Someone else blew up their computer and made a really nice video of it as well.

Quote of the day–SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD

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The mayor asks the state to pass laws that prevent firearms from getting into the hands of criminals. But state and federal laws already prohibit the possession, purchase or sale of firearms for felons, people with a history of mental illness or facing allegations of domestic violence. All commercial sales of firearms require a background check for such disqualifiers.

What else could the state do? An outright assault weapons ban is unfair and unenforceable. Manufacturers supply trigger locks with their firearms and the locks are widely available at no cost.

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD
Gun Control: Blaming the state
May 4, 2006
[This is a huge turn around for the PI.  Add in their publication of the Boomershoot article on Tuesday and I’m a little weak in the knees.  This is really good news.–Joe]

Boomershoot 2006 blogging part IX

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Boomershoot 2006 is over but the blogging doesn’t stop:

In addition to blogging activity the Spokesman Review article was picked up by the AP and showed up here:

Quote of the day–Lee Ellyn Frailey

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Everything’s better with a boom.

Lee Ellyn Frailey
April 30, 2006
While at Boomershoot 2006.

Quote of the day–Steve Joachim

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Wile E. Coyote’s got nothing on us.

Steve Joachim
April 30, 2006
After blasted an 80-pound anvil over 100 feet into the sky, which then buried itself into the ground, for halftime entertainment at Boomershoot 2006.

Boomershoot 2006

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Boomershoot 2006 was the best ever.  No doubt about it.  I’m way too tired to say everything I want to about it now but here are some links to what the Spokesmans Review (a Spokane area paper) had to say about it:

The high point of the event for me was seeing 17 year-old Sara Young (Xenia’s friend and one of the workers for Boomershoot) detonate a 700 yard boomer on her first shot.  Of course she was using the rifle of one the Precision Rifle Clinic’s Instructors and had some expert coaching from him, but it was still quite a thrill for both Sara and I.

Quote of the day–James Hagengruber

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For some shooters, the event is all about marksmanship. Others say they’re driven by politics – how the combination of guns and explosives is the ultimate expression of their constitutional rights as well as a gentle show of force for anybody watching in the federal government.

James Hagengruber
May 1, 2006
Spokesman Review: Boom with a view

Quote of the day–James Huffman-Scott

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It’s an overcast day and vampires could attack at any time. We take safety very seriously.

James Huffman-Scott
Boomershoot April 30, 2006
Explaining the reason for the wooden stakes being given to every participant at check in.  The real reason, which James was not allowed to know, was that each shooter was to get a personal target to put at close (20 to 30 yards) range after lunch. More context from James:

Random person checking in “What’s the stake for?”

Me: “Killing vampires.”

Possible follow ups:

“Bullets won’t hurt a vampire, they’ll just piss it off. That’s why you need a stake.”

“It’s an overcast day and vampires could attack at any time. We take safety very seriously.”

Last post until Boomershoot 2006 is over

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I suspect this will be my last post for a few days.  I’ll either have Xenia post a “Quote of the Day” or back date them after Boomershoot 2006 is over.  I have to work all day today at my new job then drive home to Idaho tonight.  Thursday morning I head out to the Boomershoot range to prepare for the big event.  No internet access from Thursday morning until late Sunday night.  By late Sunday night I will be ready for a shower and sleep.

Boomershoot 2005 video

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It’s not done yet but it’s close.  And it’s nearly seven MBytes.  Boomershoot 2005 history video.

Update: It’s midnight and I just finished it.  It’s nearly 7.5 MBytes now.  I just need to make 100 CD’s with it (and some other stuff) on it.  It’s taking about four minutes per CD so that means I should get to bed about 6:00 AM.

The high resolution version being put on the CD is here (nearly 39 MBytes).

Boomershoot 2006 weather

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Weather reports are looking very good.  From My-Cast (using the lat/long of 46.5422, -116.39128):

DAY   Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon
               
SKY Ptly Cldy Ptly Cldy Ptly Cldy Ptly Cldy Cldy Cldy Cldy
HI TEMP (F) 67 71 73 78 77 73 70
LO TEMP (F) 42 42 46 48 49 49 47

I’d like to believe this will be the best Boomershoot ever.  There is still lots of work to do but things are coming together quite well.

Repressive laws

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It may be there is more to it than what appears in the paper.  And of course the kid is living and going to school in the repressive Peoples Republic of Massachusetts.  What from what I see in the paper, except for the recreational drugs (which should be legal but I would ban them in my house) if it were my kid I would be asking the police, “And your point is?”  Instead they are charging him with possession of bomb-making materials.

STOUGHTON — Alexander J. Wilson, 17, who was charged with having bomb-making materials after an incident in March was ordered held on $100,000 surety or $10,000 cash bail Monday in Stoughton District Court.

…

When police stopped Wilson’s car March 29 in the O’Donnell Middle School parking lot next to the high school grounds, authorities reported finding gunpowder and a pellet gun.

Also found were model “rocket engines, igniters for those, wires and miscellaneous other stuff that could be used to make bombs,” said acting Police Chief Christopher Ciampa.

Most of the materials were in the trunk of the suspect’s car, and some were under the front seat, the chief said.

Police also recovered a small amount of marijuana and marijuana residue in a pipe, Ciampa said.

The problem is that it’s a rare house that doesn’t contain materials appropriate for making a bomb.  People shouldn’t be charged with possession of things that might be used in a illegal fashion.  Only if there is clear intent to do harm to someone else or someone else’s property should they be harassed by the police–which is the way it is in Idaho with explosives.

Boomershoot dinner

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I’m posting this everywhere I think Boomershoot spectators might be checking for information.  There is a dinner on Saturday April 29th the evening before Boomershoot 2006.  Specators as well as participants are welcome. Please get your reservations in soon. Details are here.