Smoke In The Air
The flag, friends and firearms are the emphasis for The Shootout.
That’s Phil framed through the smoker by the flagpole.
Pulling up the long, twisting driveway of Copper Mountain, a faint haze hung on the horizon. Stepping out of my Suburban, the aroma of smoked bacon and sausage wafted through the air, with coffee added to the mix. A large steel smoker, looking like a railroad engine car, was the cause for this olfactory overload, puffing savory smoke out of its chimney.
Don’t get frustrated if you can’t find Copper Mountain in your atlas. It doesn’t exist. It’s the nickname I call my friend Phil’s 68-acre property hidden in the mountains of western Maryland. The reason for the savory smoke? He was hosting his 28th Annual Shootout.
You remember Phil … I’ve written about him a few times now. A retired state trooper, he’s responsible for the get together, being a means of staying in touch with friends, colleagues and fellow dedicated shooters, as well as simply having a good time. The name Copper Mountain comes from the many retired troopers, cops and deputies invited to the social shooting event.
The Beginning
Each year, Phil manages to outdo himself as the event gets better. How that’s even possible, I’m not sure. The Shootout started as an impromptu get together with everyone meeting at a local diner for breakfast then driving to Phil’s to shoot at plastic milk jugs set at varying distances. Lunch was a potluck affair, with grills provided for any meat.
Phil has morphed it into a catered breakfast and lunch affair. The milk jugs have since been replaced with heavy steel targets set from 100 to 800 yards.
The line is hot! Shooters take aim at steel targets from 100 to 400 yards.
Moving to another location allows for shots out to 800 yards.
Details
A combination reunion, gun show, show and tell, eating extravaganza, everyone invited looks forward to the event. Phil has taken it a step even further, having coffee mugs, hats, and sometimes shirts made over the years celebrating the event.
Breakfast starts at 0800 hrs. — sharp! This year was sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, with rolls provided for those wanting sandwiches. Coolers full of orange juice and other beverages were supplied, including, of course, a large cauldron of coffee. It’s hard to believe 28 years have passed since the first volley of shots occurred on the ridge.
Variety is the spice of life. Tank’s modified Ruger America,
a vintage 71 Mauser and a Winchester 1895 Saddle ring carbine
in .30-06. The old ones are more fun and an honor to shoot.
Sharing Spirit
I’ve hunted Phil’s property, as has my daughter. Years ago, Phil offered a friend the opportunity to have his Boy Scout troop do overnight camps on a distant ridge from the house. It’s now called “Scout Hill.” The same friend and troop leader had his ashes scattered on Scout Hill by his son, Scooter, in a casual, personal ceremony a few years back.
The same son and former Boy Scout completed his Eagle Scout project on the property. Scooter has grown up and is a W-5 Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot now, with almost 30 years of service. I had the honor of eating breakfast and lunch with him.
The point being, Phil generously shares his property for worthy causes and friends. He sarcastically states, “it’s amazing how far and wide friends will travel for free food, drinks and a place to shoot.” I’ve noticed over the years, we seem to shoot less, while enjoying each other’s company more.
The telling of stories, catching-up and simply savoring each other’s company takes precedence now. More BSing and less shooting. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of gun talk, too.
Sure, we still enjoy the shooting, but like our bodies, things are starting to shift. Rumor has it Scooter once visited Phil one year while on maneuvers, landing his Blackhawk in Phil’s backyard for a quick visit. But it may just be rumor …
New Blood
The younger set, made up mostly of kids from the original shooters, are into GLOCK pistols and AR-platform rifles. Suppressed long-range rifles are also common. This is good, as anything going bang is interesting to this crowd. It works both ways. The older guys enjoy showing off the cool vintage stuff to the younger guys, too. The exchange of knowledge is always valuable.
A close-up of the 1895 Saddle ring carbine.
Vintage Shooting
This year, I brought a Ruger American in .308 Winchester. I exchanged the factory stock with a Magpul drop-in Hunter Stock. A Primary Arms SLx 1-1-X28 rounds out the conversion for a nifty shooter. Hitting steel at 400 yards was simple enough with this rig.
Shooting John Hoff’s vintage Winchester 1895 Saddle Ring Carbine in .30-06 was a hoot. Also, his 71 Mauser in 11mm Mauser was very cool. He’s the son of one of Phil’s oldest friends. While the modern stuff is cool, it’s the vintage stuff that really tickles my trigger finger these days. Either way, there’s plenty of guns to experiment with at this event.
Final Shot
Who knows how many more years the Shootout will last at Copper Mountain? Phil is past 80, but you wouldn’t know it. He still has his quick-witted sense of humor and a host of friends to keep him young. All we can do is hope for the best. Luckily, we have 28 years of Shootouts to look back on, and hopefully, many more to come.
