Who got peanut butter on my chocolate? Or better yet, who put a Ruger SR-762 on my Yamaha Grizzly? That’s exactly what happened this spring when Dirt Toys traveled to Gunsite—an elite tactical training facility 30 miles north of Prescott, AZ.
For three days we mixed chocolate with peanut butter … or better yet, shooting assault rifles and riding ATVs (although we did mix it up a bit by riding some side-by-sides and shooting pistols).
Although this mix of outdoor activities initially sounds like “strange bedfellows,” crossing markets and expanding the user base has been a strategy of Yamaha Outdoors in recent years. So it actually seems sort of natural for Yamaha to mix gun enthusiasts and ATV riders at an event in the high desert of Arizona.
For three days nearly two dozen journalists representing gun magazines and ATV publications (including Dirt Toys Magazine) mixed it up shooting Ruger firearms and riding the new Yamaha Grizzly ATV and Yamaha Viking side-by-side, all while being instructed in tactical defense by the staff at the Gunsite Academy.
This gave the gun enthusiasts a chance to experience the motorsports world and the dirt enthusiasts a chance to put holes in paper. Ruger provided the use of its SR45 and SR-762 for the shooting end of the event. Yamaha had the 2014 Grizzly and Viking for the riding end of the event.
Also taking advantage of this mixed group of journalists, Garmin, manufacturer of GPS systems, added its tactically-inspired ABC wrist worn GPS watch and VIRB HD camera to help us find the targets and record the action.
And since firearms don’t go “bang” without bullets, Hornady offered all the ammunition necessary (and with 20 journalists firing semi-automatic weapons at paper targets, there was a lot of lead flying).
Just as Yamaha isn’t your ordinary ATV (see the product reviews on the Yamaha Grizzly and Yamaha Viking in this issue of Dirt Toys), Gunsite isn’t your ordinary shooting range.
This facility, which is spread over 2,000 acres and 20 uniquely designed shooting ranges, has trained thousands of responsible gun owners, including law enforcement, military and special operations professionals, for more than 37 years. Its mindset is “safety first” followed by providing gun owners with a unique mindset and confidence that will change their lives. They evolve from potential victims to first responders in a crisis event.
Three Days of Training
Unlike the other model introduction rides that we attend several times a year, Yamaha’s Gunsite experience was more about training and less about product information. For those journalists who knew little about ATVs, special training was provided to make them safe and comfortable while on the trail. For those journalists who knew little about firearms, special training was provided to make them feel safe on the shooting range. For all, special instruction was provided by Garmin on the use of its GPS system and camera. Experts from Hornady and Bladetech (manufacturer of holsters and other shooting accessories) were available to discuss specific product information.
During the three days there was plenty of time to ride, plenty of time to shoot and some extra time to mess with the Garmin products.
When it comes to safety, Gunsite is unsurpassed. You can’t even go to the restroom without being reminded of the safety rules: 1) All guns are always loaded, 2) Never let the muzzle cover anything which you are not willing to destroy, 3) Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target, and 4) Always be sure of your target.
Since we were doing an abbreviated training, our instruction was focused on rifle and pistol presentation and shooting. For example, we carefully walked through the five steps from removing the pistol from the holster to acquiring the target in sights and shooting. This was drilled over and over under close supervision of the Gunsite staff.
Yamaha had both the Grizzly (ATV) and Viking (side-by-side) Special Edition Black Tactical models available for riding. Some of the training with firearms would cross over with riding these utility vehicles to the range site for shooting. Garmin utilized its Tactix GPS watch to help participants locate targets along the trail.
The Ruger SR-762 assault rifle used is an ergonomic .308 cartridge that comes from the Ruger family of lightweight, two-stage, piston-driven sport rifles. The SR45 is a large .45 caliber centerfire pistol with a trim ergonomic profile.
The pistols where holstered in a top quality Bladetech holster which kept the weapons safe and secure when not being fired.
When you are shooting high quality firearms, it only makes sense to use high quality ammunition. Hornady ammo features high quality brass and loaded to ensure optimal pressure, velocity and consistency. Both powder and primer are carefully matched to individual loads for consistency and reliability.
Finally, Garmin’s involvement in the event was two-fold. First, some of the events were centered around using the Tactix wrist-worn GPS to find the targets. Second, journalists had an opportunity to video record their riding and shooting experience with the Garmin VIRB HD action camera. VIRB Elite is a 1080P HD action camera with Wi-Fi and GPS built-in to match your shot to your location. This camera is compatible with your Garmin Tactix GPS watch and home computer.
The Tactix watch features high-sensitivity GPS with automatic calibrating altimeter, barometer and three axis compass. It offers a tracker feature with 1,000 waypoints, 10,000 track points, TracBack capabilities and much more.
When we weren’t at Gunsite, we stayed in Prescott, AZ, at Springhill Suites. We had a chance to experience this quaint Arizona city for three nights.
