The "Minnesota Machine gun"

[northerndave]

Hey guys, new poster here, I'm happy to have the opportunity to exchange thoughts/ideas ask questions within the hub of the tristate area.

I frequent other forums mostly on hunting topics & hunting rifle topics & I often run into the term "Minnesota Machine gun" reffering to the remington semi auto deer rifles.

I don't know why but it gets under my skin a little, the phrase sort of suggests to me that no other hunting rifle exists in MN & that Mn hunters in general are of the "spray & pray" practice & this sort of thing...

I finally have a chance to toss the question out there within the appropriate group.

Is the state of MN populated with an over abundance of Remington semi auto rifles for deer hunting, more so than other states/areas? Or do people just like to say "MN Machinegun" because it sounds catchy/funny?

Personally I just don't see that many semi auto deer rifles period & the ones I know of that get hunted are more often a BAR rather than a remmy.

I see mostly bolt actions... some levers, some singles & a few semi autos & lastly a pump here & there kind of in that order.

What's everybody else seeing at different camps & within different groups throughout MN?

Dave

[Cooter]

They're all over WI and plenty of other states, northeast part in particular.

[Scott K]

I have 2 semi auto remington deer rifles, and 1 semi auto remington shotgun, some bolt actions, pumps, and even a couple single shots. I have never heard the term before now. I hunt with the semi auto, but I usually only take 1 shot anyhow! Its the first shot that counts. As for the rest of my hunting party, bolt action and pumps.

[BobT]

In my group I use a bolt, my brother uses a pump, my nephew uses a pump, and my daughter uses a single shot. No semi's in this group.

I think the term could come from the occasional hunter that thinks it works to his advantage to send as many rounds as he can in the direction of his target, hoping one connects. I can't help but laugh every time I'm out there and hear 5 or more rounds go off in rapid succession. Like he's really on target with more than the first one. Not too many hunters can shoot that fast using a high-powered rifle and actually remain on target. What's worse is that it is very dangerous for the rest of us and any non-hunter/anti-hunter that is in earshot gets a boost to their cause.

That's precisely why my daughter is shooting a single shot. I want her to learn to make that first shot count and to be sure of her target every time. You don't need more than one shot if you follow that line of thinking. My own personal experience has proven that time and time again. I don't recall ever requiring more than one shot to take a deer. I may have missed some opportunities to take a deer on occasion simply because I didn't feel the shot was sure enough but I'd rather do that than wound an animal or accidentally shoot another hunter.

Bob

[Scott K]

Quote:

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They're all over WI and plenty of other states, northeast part in particular.

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I hunt in NW Wisconsin, my first year there I hunted public land, between Stone Lake and Hayward, let me tell you those werent semi autos, atleast un-modified. Every since then I hunt private land, much safer!

[northerndave]

ok, got some good feedback rolling in, thanks guys.

I'll just sit back & read now, this has been on my mind for quite a while now, wondering if there was anything to the nickname or if it was just crazy talk.

[c&amagn]

In our group of hunters, there are no semi-auto's. Mostly bolt's, a few pump's and lever's. However durring all the years out hunting and countless hours of stand sitting, a person does hear quite a few semi's SPRAYING the woods and area, not sure if the person is actually hititng anything or not but I'm glad I'm no where near that person with the semi-auto, and I've hunted in several different areas over the years and there always seem to be one hunter with the semi-unloading his 5-rounds day in and day out.

[northerndave]

I hear a lot of that rapid fire too. I think a lot of guys drag along a cheap SKS every now & then... Hopefully just once then they see the light & leave it at home... My dad did it once.

I think he felt pretty silly about it afterwards & I never saw him try it again.

[lawdog]

First of all, I've never heard the term before your post.

Second, I've been hunting with a Rem 7400 for years and seldom need more than one shot but have used more than one many times too.

Third, the SKS, in the right hands is a pretty accurate gun and can effectively kill a deer. I've never used one, but I've shot targets wtih them and while they are cheap, than are pretty accurate, at least the one I shot was...

I guess my opinion is, just because someone shoots a bolt or a pump or a single shot or an semi-auto you can't evaluate anything as to what kind of hunter they are and if you judge someone based upon that, you are using the same mindset as the Chuck Schumers and Diane Feinsteins of the world...

[Shack]

I have heard of the Minnesota Machine Gun Shoot in Princeton

MN. It is fun and a great place blow things up. They give tank rides and as far as I know it is the only place in the US, were a regular person can drive a tank.

As far as Minneaota Machine gun name being given to the rem auto, I think it goes further. During my deer processing years, I had seen many blown apart deer from auto slug guns to rifles. I would coin this term to an over egar, unguntrained and a danger to all Minnesota hunter with any rapid fire gun.

P.S.

Welcome to FM Northerndave!

[Grant Pearson]

My main gun for deer hunting in WI is an A-bolt, along with the rest of the group I hunt with. When I started hunting, I started with a semi auto, but was only given 1 round. Lesson? Make that 1 round count. Now, it's an extremely rare event that I need anything more than that 1 round.

[northerndave]

Quote:

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First of all, I've never heard the term before your post.

Second, I've been hunting with a Rem 7400 for years and seldom need more than one shot but have used more than one many times too.

Third, the SKS, in the right hands is a pretty accurate gun and can effectively kill a deer. I've never used one, but I've shot targets wtih them and while they are cheap, than are pretty accurate, at least the one I shot was...

I guess my opinion is, just because someone shoots a bolt or a pump or a single shot or an semi-auto you can't evaluate anything as to what kind of hunter they are and if you judge someone based upon that, you are using the same mindset as the Chuck Schumers and Diane Feinsteins of the world...

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I have to be careful that I'm not coming across the wrong way, especially being the new guy here & all. I'm not judging anyone... my question is simply to do with a nickname I've heard on other threads from out of our area which i took a little bit of offense to.

the part that offended me was the idea that all MN hunters spray wildly & carelessly like some of the others here have mentioned.

I think we will always run into some of that & that's what I was talking about when I said I think some guys try it once & hopefully see the light, I meant the rapid fire thing.

you just can't get shot placement with that sort of shooting.

I got no beef with the rem semi autos. One of my good friends hunts with a BAR because he's more comfortable having that follow up shot immediately available. It doesn't make him careless, he still takes responsible shots & focuses on shot placement.

I was just put off by the idea that rem semi autos are as common as a brown dog & it's all that we as a majority purchase & hunt with so we can bang away wildly at a deers rear, guts or what ever we might be lucky enough to connect with.

[Scott K]

So now that I own 3 remington autos, I am classified as a wild and aimleesly hunter? I know a few people with pumps and bolt action that can rattle off shells faster then I can. The fact I hunt with a semi auto doesnt mean I dont aim, very seldom do I take 2 shots! Its the hunter that pulls the trigger, that is the reckless one. I hunt with a scope, if the deer isnt in the cross hairs, I dont pull the trigger, if it is the cross hairs, that means I have a deer down!

[big drift]

Dave out stirring the pot

Around here go walk thru the pawn shops and little gun huts and you'll see the 742, 7400 and ilk, quite a bit. I think the semi auto craze was bigger 10 + years ago or so but things are rolling around to bolt guns. I know of several groups where the 7400 reigns supreme and several where they are very frowned upon.

The Minnesota Machine Gun phrase is just one picked up on as it rolls off the tounge easy.

[northerndave]

Hey Drift!!

thanks for putting me onto this forum, very cool.

yeah I shouldn't start out fresh in a forum with a pot stirring topic eh? Didn't mean to.

I just had to see if there was something to the phrase, something I was missing or not seeing up north here & over on the range.

[Scott K]

No offense taken , I knew it was just in question on your part. You never called us the MN machine guns. I was saying that because some of us that own them actually aim. I have been in the woods many times shaking my head after hearing 5-15 rounds fired off in less then 5 seconds. And was stating just becuase some of us that hunt with semi autos use our heads to shoot a deer, and not our trigger fingers.

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

They were very popular in Michigan when I was growing up. Nobody I know here in Mn uses one. I always heard they had a bad rep for jamming but as a Rem semi shotgun owner I can only assume that comes from not taking care of the guns and letting them get dirty. I use a bolt as do all the guys I hunt with. One shot, one kill. Hopefully......

[northerndave]

It sounds like for the most part most guys never heard the term.

must just be a flashy phrase like big drift said, fun to say, with little meaning.

[mille lacs muskie bum]

i have to agree in saying that many people in wisconsin use full automatics. every year i hear at least 3 of them.

[Muthagoose]

Good humor.

The Ol'e closetmaster Ive got one, not a problem keeping the coffee can rolling at 200yds without whimping out from recoil...

Strange how WI is mentioned concerning autos...Hummmmmmm

[Whoaru99]

I took my SKS with me to stand one time. The deer I shot with it dropped the fastest I've personally ever seen. Literally dropped in it's track and didn't flinch a muscle. Now, don't take that to mean I think the SKS is a great deer gun, it's merely what happened that time.

The bonus is that the bayonet worked good for last minute shooting lane cleanup.

[echotrail]

I have not heard the "MN machine gun" term before now either. I bought a Rem 742 in 1976 and use it today. I can recall only once needing more than two shots. I had used a lever action 30-30 prior to that and found out I could throw rocks further. (I was a kid then) I must have got one of the good rifles as my 06 never has never jammed or given me one problem. I think some of the rapid firing we hear every year are hunters using up ammo they don't want to save for another year.

[BoxMN]

My WI buddy calls his slug gun the "pumpkin launcher" and I know he shoots lots of shells through it at running deer. I don't deer hunt with him - not cause I don't want to, but I just don't hunt in WI.

Never heard of MN Machine Gun before...

Our group has one semi-auto, most bolts or lever. We do drive in afternoons, so I can see the usefullness of a semi auto. I was against driving until I hunted with my friends in farm country, with a short season (4 day). I have a more open mind to different hunting tactics since. I don't think an SKS style would fly in my group, but they did look at my synthetic 700 funny when I brought it in at first, but now there are a couple other black synthetic stock in the group as well. They are pretty traditional.

[Ely Lake Expert]

We have a few remingtons in our crew, but they are all bolt actions including my .280. In 12 years of deer hunting I have never taken more than one shot at a deer.