Hunter Found Rifle 20 Miles From Soldier Hollow, Police Say

The Salt Lake Tribune ^ | 2/5/2002 | Elizabeth Neff

[Utah Girl]

A .50-caliber sniper rifle found by a hunter in the mountains of Wasatch County was more than 20 miles away from the Olympic cross country skiing venue, police said Monday.

Earlier media reports had said the rifle, which can pierce armor and be used on targets more than a mile away, was found Jan. 26 stashed in a metal box some five miles away from the Soldier Hollow venue.

But Wasatch County Sheriff Michael Spanos said Monday the hunter discovered the rifle approximately eight miles into Main Canyon, located just east of Wallsburg. The town is located about 18 miles away from Heber City, and the venue is located on the west side of Heber City, he said.

The rifle was not rusted, Spanos said. Investigators at the Utah state crime lab are analyzing the weapon to see if is functioning, looking for fingerprints, and working to trace its serial number, Spanos said.

Sgt. Doug McCleve of the Department of Public Safety said investigators have not discovered any information to indicate the weapon is related in any way to the Olympics.

The hunter discovered the weapon inside a box labeled "explosives." Inside with the rifle were 386 rounds of .50-caliber ammunition.

[Utah Girl]

This is what I've been hearing locally. And the local law officials up there are scratching their heads about all the ruckus surrounding the discovery of this gun.

[wattsmag2]

Why can't I ever stumble onto the good stuff out in the mountains? I'd love to find and turn one of these babies in and then claim it later if it isn't reclaimed by the owner.

[RogueIsland]

Wow. 20 miles from the Olympic site. Why, that's even a longer range that the VPC credits the .50 BMG for! That's one heckuva cartridge! What's more, that's some marksman who was obviously planning an assassination with a rusty rifle from 20 miles away.

Truly a story beaten beyond reason by the anti-rights coalition bliss ninnies.

[Utah Girl]

Have you seen this?

[Hodar]

Don't know about you folks... but given it's position, the apparent value of the gun, and the fact that is may have been intened for use by unsavory folks.... If I were that hunter, I'd have kept the gun, added it to my collection, and kept quiet. Naturally, I'd have a little private giggle when 'Joe Terrorist' was ready to use the piece of hardware for whatever he had planned, only to find the box filled with a branch and a couple pounds of dirt. But, that's just me...

[AAABEST]

And the local law officials up there are scratching their heads about all the ruckus surrounding the discovery of this gun.

That's because your local LEOs have never encountered the anti-gun spin machine known as the liberal media.

After all, as propagandists, they have to tow the Sarah Brady line that these are terrorist weapons, even though out of the thousands sold, one has never even been used in the commision of a crime.

Facts get in the way of agendas.

[spunkets]

"scratching their heads about all the ruckus surrounding the discovery of this gun."

Why, do folks out there find these things laying around all the time? If so, please keep an eye out for a 378 Weatherby and a Leupold 50mm, vari-X scope if there's one laying around too. LOL!

[Redcloak]

Didn't you know that the .50BMG has a 20 mile range^*?

^*Gun must be attached to a fighter jet travelling at Mach 2.2, with a tailwind, firing downhill. Results not typical. Your mileage may vary. Void where prohibited.

[Noumenon]

Poor job of cacheing, IMHO. I do better than that...

[freedomlover]

The hunter discovered the weapon inside a box labeled "explosives."

Was this Hunter E. Coyote?

Also, I wonder how hard his heart was pounding when he popped the lid on that box?

[balrog666]

the rifle, which can pierce armor

Was it dropped out of a jet aircraft to achieve this too? Doesn't seem that aerodynamically designed to me.

[phasma proeliator]

"Earlier media reports had said the rifle, which can pierce armor and be used on targets more than a mile away, was found Jan. 26 stashed in a metal box some five miles away from the Soldier Hollow venue."

WHAT?? the MEDIA was wrong...?

No way - couldn't be... I just don't believe it.

[dr.cookie]

All this mass hysteria is kinda of humerous.If we are going to do this (300 million for olympic security) haven't we lost to the terrorists?

[Lazamataz]

WHAT?? the MEDIA was wrong...? No way - couldn't be... I just don't believe it.

Well, now that they know they were wrong, expect a huge and prominent retraction. Don't want to be unnecessarily alarmist or anti-gun, now, do they!

[Utah Girl]

That's why I laughed when I heard the initial reports. They were saying the rifle was found by Wallsberg, five miles away from the Soldier Hollow venue. Um, no, Wallsberg is about 15 to 20 miles away, over a couple of mountains ranges and the reservoir to get to Soldier Hollow.

[Redcloak]

A meringue cookie will pierce armor if you get the velocity high enough.

[phasma proeliator]

The media is Amazing....

Amazingly STUPID

[glock rocks]

what amazes me is that the salt lake people's trubune printed this...

i wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the rest of the national "media"
to print the truth, however... even shepard smith jumped on
the "near" an olympic venue bandwagon yesterday... not a peep today. sigh.

[freedomlover]

I've heard of Death by Chocolate but Death by Meringue Cookie just doesn't have the same ring to it. LOL

[Redcloak]

Trust me. You don't want to be in front of a meringue traveling at relativistic speeds.