Category: All About Guns
Nearly 40 years ago, The Walt Disney Company first introduced its “I’m going to Disney World” ad campaign to promote its famed theme park. It was an effective marketing ploy that highlighted the family fun that could be had, but it failed to mention the long lines, the crowds, the summer heat, and constant overstimulation.
Supporters of the Second Amendment do have plenty of alternate destinations that should be considered for the summer getaway. Chief among these could be the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico. Spanning more than 33,300 acres – larger than Walt Disney World – it features around two dozen shooting ranges that accommodate virtually every firearm discipline, including trap, skeet, sporting clays, handguns, black powder, and extreme long-range (ELR) shooting with steel targets stretching from 100 yards to beyond 3,700 yards.
More importantly, the center is also much more than just the shooting ranges.
There is no shortage of outdoor recreation and family-friendly activities at the NRA Whittington Center.
“The size and scope of the NRA Whittington Center is absolutely jaw-dropping to folks who haven’t experienced it in person,” explained Nathan Brown, head of advancement at the NRA Whittington Center. “There is truly no place like it on earth for sheer size of a shooting range that is open to the public!”
The History of the NRA Whittington Center
Founded in 1973, just two years after Disney World, the NRA Whittington Center has expanded as much as the amusement park. As the largest shooting range in the world that is open to the public, the center has something for everyone.
Instead of thrill rides and interactive meet and greets, the center is a way for the family to get back to nature.
It offers lodging and camping for those who like roughing it, to accommodations for those who desire much more in the way of creature comforts. This includes primitive tent sites to RV hookups, rustic cabins, and modern lodges. The Brownell Suites offer luxurious, fully furnished private suites with full kitchens and satellite television.
During specific events and organized gatherings, the center features a full-service cafeteria as well as the Shotgun Café, which serves American comfort food.
There are all-inclusive guided hunts, seemingly endless trails for mountain biking, horseback riding, and hiking for visitors of all levels. A portion of the historic Mountain Route of the Santa Fe Trail even runs through the property, and visitors can take in the Van Houten ghost town and mine ruins.
Shooting Range of Activities
As a true pro-Second Amendment destination, the NRA Whittington Center is now built around its 25 shooting ranges, which are divided into specialized areas. This includes its Shotgun Center, which is currently one of the largest in the United States, with 17 Trap Fields, four Skeet Overlays, two Five-Stand Fields, and three Sporting Clay Courses.
In addition, there is a high-power 1,000-yard range for rifles, a high-power rifle silhouette range, which features a life-sized steel “white buffalo” target at 1,025 meters, and the Cooper Rifle Walk Range, a multipurpose, multi-distance back-country range stretching from 25 yards to more than one mile.
In fact, the King of the Two-Mile event showcases specialized firearms and professional shooters who engage targets more than two miles distant. This event started at the Center more than a decade ago and has been the driver of the expansion of ELR shooting into a worldwide event.
A sight-in range is provided specifically for hunters to zero rifles between 25 and 200 yards, and the Coors Benchrest Range was built for precision benchrest competitive matches.
For those who want to put their tactical skills to the test, there is the Practical Police Combat (PPC) range, which offers tactical, law enforcement, and military training from three to 50 yards.
Other specialty ranges include small-bore rifle, small-bore rifle silhouette, hunter’s pistol silhouette, and long-range pistol silhouette.
There is also a static archery range with frames placed from 10 to 60 yards, and a 20-station, 3D big-game animal print target course that bow hunters can loop through in under a half-mile.
“When you include our multiple shotgun ranges and sporting clays, the individual multi-purpose bays, Coal Canyon, and the long-range shooting areas within the backcountry, there’s more like 30 plus ranges in total,” Brown told The Armory Life, adding there is discussion about a dedicated PRS range. The long-range plan may include a large horse arena for Mounted Cowboy Action shooting and other equine events. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way!”
360-Training Course
Brown further highlighted the NRA Whittington Center’s 360-degree training, a dynamic firearm course that utilizes specialized multi-purpose bays to teach dynamic movement, defensive postures, and real-world tactical awareness. Students taking part in the program practice moving, finding cover, and shooting from various tactical positions, rather than just standing still at a bench.
Hosted through the WU Defensive Academy, it offers sources in pistol and carbine handling, and the training is designed to simulate actual, high-stress environments. Instructors even integrate scenario-based training to help students develop muscle memory under emotional duress, while the program covers everything from fundamental defensive marksmanship to lowlight/no-light engagement.
The NRA Whittington Center is also the original home of the 3-Gun shooting events and annually hosts the Rocky Mountain 3-Gun challenge started by Randy Luth, Jerry Miculek and other pioneers of the industry.
There is even a focus on the legalities of using concealed carry firearms.
“With our extensive availability of outdoor ranges and the amazing natural terrain, all Whittington-U courses are taught on 360-degree ranges where dynamic movement, defensive posture, and the fundamentals of pistol marksmanship are emphasized to provide real-world defensive and competitive experience,” Brown explained.
The Thrill of the Hunt
The center provides Big-Game Hunting that is made possible by the facility having almost its own ecosystem. That includes resident elk, mule, deer, pronghorn, black bears, wild turkey, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, and more.
“There is a waiting list for the large game animals, and our new trustees are looking at several new ideas for the management of our wildlife on the property,” Brown acknowledged.
The center currently provides guided big-game hunts, but there are also self-guided opportunities.
“Visitors regularly see deer and pronghorn, and at times, we must even push them out of the way for events,” Brown added. “Contrary to what you might think, the wildlife is very adaptive and has learned to co-exist with our members and visitors to the largest shooting range in the world.”
Size Matters, When Done Right
The size of the NRA Whittington Center is what sets it apart from the average range, and very much in a good way.
Visitors can shoot multiple and varied disciplines in the same day or multi-day trip, while the on-site accommodations allow for wildlife viewing and a truly holistic experience for the entire family.
There are also multiple indoor educational facilities for classroom training and dining.
As a non-profit organization and 501 (c) (3), The NRA Whittington Center serves to provide a world-class shooting and recreation facility for shooters and families from all walks of life, and in support of the Second Amendment for perpetuity.
The Center relies entirely on memberships, industry support, and the generous contributions and planned gifts of donors who want to preserve the heritage of freedom for the next generation of shooters and hunters.
Beyond the ranges and outdoor activities, there is the Frank Brownell Museum. Established in 2008, it is presented as the center’s “jewel box museum” with more than 200 firearms beautifully exhibited in a spectacular 2,750 square foot facility. It serves essentially as an annex to the NRA’s larger museum back east.
“In 2024, a project for an additional 4,000 square foot expansion was completed, giving us over 6,000 square feet. When you enter the museum, you’ll see a set of exhibits around the perimeter of the facility that follows the history of the Southwest,” said Brown.
Free and open to the public, the Frank Brownell Museum allows visitors to be immersed in the long and storied history of the region and the firearms that shaped our country’s destiny, starting with the Native Americans and then the Spanish colonization, Spanish exploration, the conquistadors, the Spanish-American War, the American Civil War in the Southwest, the Old West, and other major historical events.
A Family Friendly Destination
As an NRA facility, the center is very much in support of the Second Amendment, but that doesn’t mean it is just about firearms. As noted, there are trails for hiking and mountain biking, and plenty of other activities for the whole family.
“We have extensive outdoor opportunities and our own ghost town of sorts with the Van Houten mining town remnants on the property,” said Brown. “We also have a frisbee golf course, archery target ranges, shotgun ranges, firearms rentals, and UTV’s are permitted on the main roadways. Our Adventure Camp is an annual immersive outdoor and shooting experience for ages 13-17 that we hold every summer.”
Likewise, the Women’s Wilderness Escape, held annually, is a “one-of-a-kind immersive experience designed exclusively for women ages 18 and older. This empowering event provides a supportive, safe environment where participants of all experience levels-whether complete beginners or experienced shooters—can grow their skills, confidence, and connection to the outdoors.”
The NRA Whittington Center is now exploring grant opportunities and fundraising ideas further to expand its already expansive mountain bike and hiking trails. Additionally, the local area includes the Capulin Volcano monument, the Sugarite Canyon State Park, and Lake Maloya. The cities of Santa Fe and Taos are close by and have many cultural experiences, including ancient Native American and Spanish American culture sites, skiing, and UTV trail riding options as well.
There might not be a fairytale castle or the Pirates of the Caribbean. Instead of the thrills rides, there are the dusty trails, and the adventures are far more real. All of that is what could make the NRA Whittington Center the most Second Amendment friendly family place on Earth.
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I Have This Old Gun – H&K MP-5
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WW II full auto
A Deep Dive Into the Little-Known German Walther MPL, We Analyze Reliability, Ergonomics, and Historical Significance To See Why It’s a Great Submachine Gun!
The Walther MPL is a controllable and efficient close combat tool. Employed by West German police agencies, America’s fledgling Delta Force, and sundry international military and Law Enforcement users, the MPL never got the credit it deserved. (Photo by Will Dabbs)
On September 5, 1972, eight members of the Palestinian terrorist group Black September slipped into the Olympic Village in Munich, West Germany. They were dressed in tracksuits and carried bulky duffle bags containing AKM rifles, Tokarev pistols, and Combloc hand grenades. German Neo-Nazis provided their logistical support.
In their initial assault, the Black September terrorists killed Israeli athletes Yossef Romano and Moshe Weinberg before seizing another nine of their countrymen.
In exchange for the safe return of these captured Israelis, the terrorists demanded the release of several hundred incarcerated terrorists as well as safe passage out of Germany. Faced with the prospect of a political disaster of Biblical proportions, West German police staged an immediate armed rescue.
The post-war German constitution prevented the use of the West German armed forces within the confines of the country during peacetime so responsibility for the rescue mission fell to the police.
At 4:30 in the afternoon, a group of 38 German police officers carrying distinctive Walther MP submachine guns moved into position. Unbeknownst to them their approach was captured by the news media and broadcast to the world as well as the terrorists inside the compound. Their cover blown, the German police officers retreated without firing a shot.
After protracted negotiations the terrorists moved by helicopter to a nearby NATO base to board a waiting Boeing 727.
Five German police sharpshooters were stationed around the area armed with standard-issue G3 service rifles that lacked sound suppressors or optical sights. Sixteen German police officers dressed as flight crew aboard the 727 precipitously decided to abandon their mission without consulting their superiors. This left five German snipers armed with infantry rifles to confront eight heavily armed terrorists holding nine hostages. The result was a bloodbath.
All nine Israeli hostages died in the exchange along with Anton Fliegerbauer, a German police officer positioned in the control tower. German police killed five of the terrorists.
On October 29, 1972, Palestinian terrorists seized Lufthansa Flight 615 and threatened to blow it up unless the remaining Black September operatives were released. The German government complied. Two of these three men were subsequently eliminated during a wide-ranging Israeli Mossad operation titled, appropriately enough, Operation Wrath of God.
The list of regrettable failures that folded into the Munich Olympic Massacre is long. With the notable exception of Israel, nobody really maintained dedicated counter-terrorist units back then.
The Munich operation was therefore a come-as-you-are affair. Within two months the West German government had organized GSG9, the superlative West German police counter-terrorist unit then commanded by Ulrich Wegener.
The Free World responded quickly to this new challenge, and the influence can be felt all the way up to the present day. Nowadays even small American police departments typically maintain some sort of tactical capability.
Despite the many failures manifest during those fateful days in 1972, one piece of critical gear used on that operation has long been under-appreciated. That is the superb Walther MP submachine gun.
An Unappreciated Jewel
Manufactured by Carl Walther from 1963 until 1985, the MP submachine gun represents the pinnacle of open-bolt submachine gun design.
Feeding from a superb double-column 32-round box magazine, this weapon comes in two variants. The MPL (Maschinenpistole Lang) is the longer version sporting a 10.2-inch barrel and weighing 6.6 pounds. The stubbier MPK (Maschinenpistole Kurz) features a chopped 6.8-inch tube and weighs some seven ounces less. Stemming from more than half a century of martial evolution, the MPL is a superb piece of kit.
The balance and ergonomics of the gun eclipse anything manufactured during World War II. The center of gravity rides where it should, and the weapon is finished in a robust dull Parkerizing. The overall chassis strikes a nice balance between modest weight, compact dimensions, and controllability.
Morphology
The gun is manufactured from steel pressings welded together in much the same manner as the M3 Grease Gun.
The upper receiver is a single flat folded around trunnions and welded at the bottom. The lower receiver is formed from two clamshells welded along the length of the seam. The upper and lower are secured via a spring-retained pushpin.
The grips are formed from unremarkable black plastic. The steel forearm is liberally perforated with cooling slots. The WWII-era MP44 assault rifle clearly influenced the gun’s manufacture.
The selector switch is in the same spot as that of an M4 and is replicated on both sides of the gun. However, two of its three positions are reversed from the Colt standard.
Straight back is safe, the first 90-degree notch is full auto, and the reversed 180-degree position is semiauto. The gun’s sedate rate of fire helps reduce profligate ammunition expenditure, so this is appropriate for a pistol-caliber submachine gun.
The magazine well is located just ahead of the trigger guard and is flared for fast magazine changes. The gun’s pressed steel box magazine enjoys a trapezoidal cross section as well as a stiffening rib down its back spine. These two features help maintain orientation in the dark. This same magazine, slightly modified, feeds the American M-10 9mm submachine gun manufactured by Military Armament Corporation, RPB, and others.
The stock is formed from heavy wire with a plastic coating. This device is common to both the MPK and MPL and folds to the right when not in use. Oddly, the stock partially occludes the ejection port when closed and adversely affects reliability as a result.
The bolt design is quite clever in that the modest bit that manages the rounds is quite small. However, this piece is welded to a much larger component that reciprocates within the upper tubular portion of the upper receiver. This substantial mass is what keeps the rate of fire slow and contributes to the gun’s remarkable controllability.
Pertinent Particulars
The non-reciprocating charging handle is spring-loaded and located at the left front akin to that of the HK MP5, the MPL’s primary competition. This makes it imminently accessible by the weak hand when firing right-handed. As near as I can tell, left-handed people seem not to have been invented until the mid-1980s…
The sling swivels are located on the left side as they should be. Unlike the MP5, the barrels are easily exchanged via a knurled muzzle nut retained by a spring-loaded catch. Swapping out barrels or adding a sound suppressor is easily managed at the user level.
The sights on the MPL are quite curious. Both front and rear are heavily fenced against rough handling. There is an open groove both front and rear for rapid engagements.
After a little practice, they are easily acquired. However, there is a second sighting system built underneath the first. This rig consists of a simple front post combined with a rear peep. For precise semi-auto work in the days before widespread optical sights this would have been fairly revolutionary.
Practical Tactical
While the shorter MPK is purportedly a bit of a handful, the longer, front-heavy MPL is a serene and comfortable gun to run. With a cyclic rate of around 550 rounds per minute, the MPL is imminently controllable and fun on the range. Doubles are fairly easy for an experienced trigger finger, and three- to four-round bursts flow forth naturally. Out to fifty meters, or more, such bursts will typically disperse to about the area of a standard tactical target.
Magazine changes are fast if perhaps a bit more cumbersome than those of your favorite M4. Once the gun runs dry the bolt remains forward. Lock the bolt to the rear manually and release the charging handle to slide forward of its own accord.
Drop the empty magazine and insert a fresh one, point the gun, and squeeze. The magazine release is located behind the magazine for easy access with either thumb. The ample mag well just ahead of the trigger guard is easy to find, even in the dark.
If the MPL has a dark side it is its perforated forearm. After two magazines burned rapidly the forearm gets uncomfortably hot. The solution is simply to move the support hand back to the magazine well, but the gun would benefit from a polymer handguard of some sort.
The MPL is not terribly concealable, but concealability is not its mission. This gun is intended to fulfill the role of the wartime MP40, and it remains a superb general-purpose submachine gun. Rugged, accurate, and versatile, the MPL is what all open-bolt subguns aspire to be.
Regarding rate of fire, the MPL runs much more slowly than many competing designs. The gun’s 550 round per minute rate puts it into the same family as the Sten, MP40, and American M3 Grease Gun.
By contrast, a modern M4 or MP5 typically cycles at around 750-850 rounds per minute. For a general purpose subgun to be used in protracted combat, such as that experienced in Europe during World War II, the MPL is a superb tool. For the counter-terror mission in the hands of well-trained operators, a faster-firing weapon might be preferable.
Denouement
The Portuguese used the Walther MPL through their sundry colonial wars as well as during the Carnation Revolution in April of 1974, the largest peaceful civilian evacuation in human history.
This gun saw service in the Congo as well as during the Lebanese Civil War and the various brushfire conflicts in Colombia. The West German police obviously used the gun extensively as well. The most famous users of the Walther MP, however, were also some of the most secretive.
The U.S. Army’s Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta was the brainchild of a Special Forces Colonel named Charlie Beckwith in the late 1970s.
After training with the British SAS, Beckwith returned to America convinced of the need to establish a dedicated counter-terrorist capability within the United States Army. Early Delta operators used American M3 Grease Guns before transitioning to the Walther MP.
Delta used these weapons during the ill-fated attempted rescue of American hostages in Iran. However, soon thereafter HK MP5s and stubby rifle-caliber assault rifles like the CAR-15 filled this role. Ultimately, the HK 416 undertook this mission.
The world’s counter-terrorist units began shifting toward rifle-caliber weapons in the 1980s. Meanwhile, the HK MP5 was selling as fast as Oberndorf could produce them. As a result, the Walther MP submachine guns died a natural death. However, the argument can be made that the Walther MPL was actually the most effective general-purpose submachine gun ever produced.
Walther MPL Technical Specifications
- Caliber: 9mm Parabellum
- Operation: Blowback open-bolt
- Weight: 6.6 lbs.
- Length: 29.4 in. stock open, 18.2 in. closed
- Barrel Length: 10.2 in.
- Sights: Dual-Function
- Cyclic Rate: 550 rpm
- Feed System: 32-round box magazine
- Manufacturer: Walther
- Status: Out of service
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