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A military gun range?

A#1

Junior Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2018
Messages
57
Location
Traverse City, Michigan
Can anyone help ID this as a military gun range?

Would have been between 1913, and 1960, when the aerial was taken.

I have also found multiple 30-06 FMJ, military projectiles at the southeast end.

I suspect that it is, but can find nothing to confirm it.
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Hard to say, but looks like something was going on there with those straight lines and rectangular shape.
 
If it was a military range there would be more than a few casings at one end and the range would be littered with lead. If either end has so much cases or lead it's impossible to hunt you could be on one. Or, they might have scrapped up the topsoil when they left but judging from what happened closing bases around here that's not very likely.

It could also be a training site. I've been on some of those that have 30.06 cases laying around in bunches with some blanks and unfired rounds mixed in but nothing too organized.
 
Well, it was dwfinately some form of gun range, but I still cant make sense of it.

I found brass, projectiles, and feagments of artillery shell all in about a 50 foot circle.

And now that the ground is frozen.....I'll find out more in the spring.

I actually think these guys are shooting on it.
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I wasnt really figuring I would, but I bet those guys had some pocket change. The whole thing is an "aside" to a ghost town and lumber camp, and long range shooting spot that are right there too.

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I personally live on the ass end of an old ww2 Artillery range.
I have found multiple projectiles and about 50 lbs probably of artillery shell fragments. My historic photos look very similar to yours.

Occasionally people around here have found Live Artillery Shells, so do be careful when digging.

Back after the war when they went to close operations in the area they did do some bulldozing in the area to bury any remnants of activity. and before the range was implemented they actually went and put over 6 feet of top soil over the local cemetery and laid down the headstones to appease the locals.

I have also found that you can somewhat date the 30.06 cases by looking at the head stamp as back then the manufacture and year of date were stamped.

Good luck !!
 
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