50 cal. casings found while hunting?

[wk4036]

OK here it is

 

[C.O. Shooter]

That's really interesting! I'm sure there is some history behind it! Thanks for the picture!

 

[Tikkamike]

I just ask my dad about them and he says as far as he knows it was exactly as stated before, just practice during the WWII era, he doesnt think they were actually hunting coyotes and antelope but surely if they saw one it got fired upon.

 

[wyomingblizzard]

I was talking with a friend that grew up near Jeffory City. He said they used to wach the plane shoot at a target towwed by another plane. He showed me an old sign that says GUNNERY RANGE ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. He said they quit doing it in the early fifties.

 

[wk4036]

I was talking with a friend that grew up near Jeffory City. He said they used to wach the plane shoot at a target towwed by another plane. He showed me an old sign that says GUNNERY RANGE ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. He said they quit doing it in the early fifties.

Would you be able to tell me where that sign is?
Thanks

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I also have one I found SW of Powder River in Unit 74. WWII vintage.

 

[wyomingblizzard]

Would you be able to tell me where that sign is?
Thanks

My friend has it in his garage. I get a pic. next time Im over there.

 

[Bravo 4]

Interesting thread. There is a military range we shoot on that is basically a huge valley. The firing point we use has targets out to 1 mile, they also fire mortars from that point. Out in the middle are old vehicles set out for the local Airforce A-10's, every once in a while C130 gunships. You will see huge herds of deer out there, and some giants that are not hunted. I bet those A-10 pilots get after them from time to time. You can only imagine the damage that 30mm will cause.

WW2?, Korea?
I will check the head stamp when I get home.

The last two times we have taken our Barrett's out there we were issued .50 BMG rounds dated from the 40's. So you never know how long ago those cases that were found had been fired.

 

[shimoda]

In Chuck Yeager's autobiography "Yeager" he talks about hunting antelope with his plane, landing and recovering the game and bringing it back to base for a barbecue.

Amazing man and a must read!

 

[sweetwater]

During 1943 and 1944, General Chuck Yeager and his squadron of USAF fighter planes trained in Tonopah, NV., Santa Rosa and Oroville, Ca., and Casper, WY., before going to war in Europe. If you will look closely at the bluffs of the Sweetwater rim south of Riverton, Wy., and the Granite Mtns north of Jeffrey City, you can see the bullet strafe holes. I have collected and found numerous casing, bullets and clips over the years and have sold the casings to be cleaned, polished and reloaded for private use. gun)Yes, the Antelope population did suffer.
regards,
Sweetwater

 

[wildwarren]

In Jefferson Proving Grounds Indiana back a few years ago,helicopters were, and got into trouble for shooting deer on the north end of the property, so the local stories go. You can still hear A-10's unloading at various times, week and weekends. You cant go in some areas because of "unexploded ordnance". They tested everything there as the stories and history goes.

 

[REDHEAD]

I found them in the South Dakota Badlands while on summer Guard training in 71, 72 & 3. My C.O. told it was used as a gunnery range as well. More peculiar is finding one landing sgear ?

 

[Wyofax]

I have hunted and camped in that same area many times and yea there plenty 50 casings and a few links. I even found a 20 mm out there a few years ago. A friend of mine found a good section of fired linked 50s many years ago out in that desert.

Casper airport was an army air base during WWII and the remote desert was used as a training area. My guess is that a few 20 year old fighter pilots or gunners might have found a little joy and excitement sending a round or two at a few antelope.

 

[MachV]

Just a few of the old cases found last year....about an average year +or-
The big cases are found west of Pathfinder, the rest from wherever.