Draft:Lake Martin Machine Gun
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Lake Martin Machine Gun (also marketed as Lake Martin Gun Club) is a privately owned shooting range and full-automatic firearms experience facility located in Eclectic, Alabama, United States. Founded in 2016 by David McGirt and Jodie McGirt, the facility operates on approximately 90 acres near Lake Martin in Elmore County. It is one of a small number of facilities in the United States licensed to offer the public the opportunity to fire fully automatic machine guns under the National Firearms Act (NFA) Title II dealer classification.[1]
History
Lake Martin Machine Gun was established in 2016 by David McGirt, and his wife Jodie McGirt, a NRA-certified firearms instructor.[1] The facility was conceived with the stated mission of making historic fully automatic firearms accessible to the public in a safe and educational environment. In an interview with Alabama Living Magazine, David McGirt described the founding concept: "The genesis of the shooting experience was to bring some firearms from history back to life and allow people to experience shooting those firearms in a safe, educational environment. Most people only see these firearms behind glass in a museum or on TV and in movies."[1]
The facility initially focused solely on the machine gun experience product. In 2019, Lake Martin Machine Gun expanded its operations to include a member shooting range, allowing visitors to use the facility with their own personal firearms. The expansion was covered by the Tallassee Tribune.[2]
In November 2019, the facility was featured in a "County Road 12" segment on WSFA, the NBC-affiliated television station serving Montgomery, Alabama.[3]
In 2026, the owners announced a rebranding under the umbrella name Lake Martin Gun Club, with Lake Martin Machine Gun continuing as the name for the full-automatic experience product within that brand structure.
Facility and operations
The facility occupies approximately 90 acres in Elmore County, near Lake Martin, one of the largest manmade lakes in the southeastern United States.[4]
Machine gun experience
The signature product is a guided full-automatic firearms experience. Customers select from a collection of more than 30 historic and modern fully automatic firearms. Range specialists conduct a safety briefing and provide historical context on each selected firearm before customers fire. The collection includes firearms spanning approximately a century of military history, including weapons from World War I, World War II, and subsequent conflicts.[1][4]
Notable firearms in the collection have included the M2 Browning .50-caliber machine gun (known as the "Ma Deuce"), the Thompson submachine gun, the Heckler & Koch MP5, the AK-47, the M4 carbine, and the M134 Minigun.[1][4]
Member shooting range
Following a 2019 expansion, the facility operates a member shooting range with pistol lanes to 25 yards, rifle lanes to 50 yards, and long-range lanes at 100, 200, and 300 yards. Both annual and single-visit memberships are available.[2]
Regulatory status
Lake Martin Machine Gun operates under the National Firearms Act as a licensed Title II NFA dealer, which permits the facility to offer customers the experience of firing fully automatic machine guns that are registered to the business. Under U.S. federal law, civilian ownership of machine guns manufactured after May 19, 1986 is prohibited, but licensed dealers may maintain such weapons for demonstration and rental purposes.[1]
Founders
David McGirt is the co-founder of the facility. He serves as primary spokesperson and range specialist.[1]
Jodie McGirt is a NRA-certified firearms instructor and co-founder. She founded the Lake Martin chapter of A Girl & A Gun Women's Shooting League, an organization focused on advancing women's participation in shooting sports.[1]
Recognition and coverage
The facility has been recognized by multiple regional and statewide outlets:
- Featured in Alabama Living Magazine (2019), a statewide publication distributed to approximately 450,000 electric cooperative consumers in Alabama[1]
- Featured in a "County Road 12" segment on WSFA, the NBC affiliate serving central Alabama (2019)[3]
- Listed on the official Alabama tourism website alabama.travel as a recommended attraction[5]
- Featured in Explore Lake Martin, the official tourism publication of Tallapoosa County, Alabama (2021)[4]
- Featured in Elmore County Living magazine[6]
- Cary W. Cox of the Elmore County Economic Development Authority was quoted in Alabama Living: "Elmore County is honored to be home to a place where people can actually touch history."[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Felsher, John N. (October 31, 2019). "A chance to touch (and fire) pieces of history". Alabama Living Magazine. Retrieved June 2, 2026.
- ^ a b "Lake Martin Machine Gun expands to allow range memberships". Tallassee Tribune. 2019. Retrieved June 2, 2026.
- ^ a b "County Road 12: Lake Martin Machine Gun". WSFA 12 News. November 15, 2019. Retrieved June 2, 2026.
- ^ a b c d Beck, Shaylee (January 31, 2021). "Lake Martin Machine Gun: The Thrilling, Hidden Gem You Are Missing Out On". Explore Lake Martin (Tallapoosa County Tourism). Retrieved June 2, 2026.
- ^ "Lake Martin Machine Gun". Alabama Tourism Department. Retrieved June 2, 2026.
- ^ "A Burst of Adrenaline". Elmore County Living / Lake Magazine. Retrieved June 2, 2026.
External links
Category:Tourist attractions in Alabama Category:Elmore County, Alabama
References
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