Checked on the Invincibles this Morning

[Bill Murphy]

I had a gun to check out, so I dropped in on the Petersen guns this morning. As most of you know, the three Invincibles, an Annie Oakley Parker, AAHE #100,000, and a nice 20 gauge vent rib A-1 Special, all Robert Petersen guns, are housed together in the Beretta Gallery at the National Firearms Museum. In addition to the Rudy Etchen display, which houses Rudy's "stuff" as well as some guns on loan from local Parker guys, there is a fairly recent display of bird hunting guns and paraphernalia. Lots of nice Parkers in both the Etchen and the bird hunting displays. The entrance area is under reconstruction, but the museum is up and running, including the shop. Free, Free, Free. No admission charge, open every day.

[Autumn Daze]

Bill,How far from the Vintager's is the NRA museum? My son and I are thinking of visiting there and maybe the Antietam National Battlefield on the way home.

[Bill Murphy]

Vintagers to Oakton, VA, 77 miles. Not hard to get back on route to Antietam from Oakton.

[Autumn Daze]

Thank you very much Bill...

[Bill Murphy]

I screwed up the rest of my post, Dave. Oakton to Sharpsburg is 60 some miles cross country through Virginia without any exposure to suburban D.C. or the D.C. Beltway. It sounds like a great plan. You won't be far from our pigeon club on your route, but we won't be scheduling any events the week after Vintagers unfortunately. Our fearless leader and many of our members will be winding down from the Vintagers.

[Autumn Daze]

Bill,Thanks again for the additional info. Sounds like it should be fun.

[Kevin McCormack]

Dave, if you are going to come west from the Vintagers to the NRA Museum, then north to the Antietam Battlefield, keep in mind that the Manassas (Bull Run) National Battlefield Park is only another 20 minutes west of the museum, and that the Gettysburg Battlefield National Park is not far at all from Antietam. You could do a tour on your way home and hit all of them.

[Autumn Daze]

Thanks Kevin, Danny and I did Gettysburg after last years Vintagers. It was fabulous! I had been there many years ago but the Park Service has done a wonderfull job renewing the battlefied and the new visitors center is great. Maybe we should do both Antietam and Manassas. I heard Manassas has a great public shooting facility also and that it's worth a stop for a couple of rounds of wobble trap etc.Maybe we will have to save some shells....

[Bill Murphy]

Yup, Bull Run Shooting Center is not far from Manassas, just off Route 66. I would choose to shoot at the Prince Georges Trap and Skeet which is on the way between the Vintagers and the National Gun Museum. Both Bull Run and PG are open to the public, but PG is run a bit more professionally and has a nice sporting clays range as well as 14 trap and skeet fields. Of course, PG is not where you would stay over for your historic destinations.