Olympic Bobathlon Redux

DaleA · February 3, 2018, 06:28 PM

Gentlepersons, I give you the Bobathlon!

Let’s face it, after the start of a bobsled race the other members of the crew besides the driver don’t have much to do. Let’s give them shotguns and let them engage targets of opportunity on the run down the hill!

Can you say exciting???!!!

The start of the race would be the same as usual but after the initial push off instead of just putting their heads down for the rest of the ride, the non-driving bobsled crew persons would unlimber the 12 gauges from the bobsled gun racks and have at the various stationary, pop-up and aerial targets along the run.

Wouldn’t it be a blast (literally) to see a well trained two or four person crew barreling down a mountain run knocking over steel plates and dusting clay pigeons? Come out of one of the turns a little slow? The driver could be helped out with a little extra acceleration by a well timed volley directly to the rear!

Wow!

The concept has left most people I’ve mentioned it to speechless.

I posted the above several years ago and am still waiting for the concept to take hold although I am heartened as other folk have similar ideas. Check out the link below, not my concept but they’re on track to …something.

https://imgur.com/gallery/k8fbA

I've also improved on my idea by considering mounting two, fixed forward firing 12 gauges on the bobsled itself that could be fired by the driver at targets crossing the path of the sled.

Good luck to the USA team at PyeongChang!

Rob228 · February 3, 2018, 09:07 PM

Sounds a bit like how the WWII waist and tail gunners initially trained: riding in the back of a truck with a shotgun shooting at clays.

DaleA · February 8, 2018, 05:50 PM

News from the real world is that the US military has some representation in the sledding events. Four bobsledders, three lugers and two coaches are servicemembers. You can read more about them here:

https://www.legion.org/news/241141/o...ives-them-edge

Good luck USA in PyeongChang!

Armed_Chicagoan · February 9, 2018, 05:57 PM

The bobathlon would be awesome! There could even be style points added for yelling "yeeehaaa" after every shot.

Lohman446 · February 10, 2018, 08:25 AM

The OP is right. I'm left speechless. Ok not really speechless but my internal monologue was interesting. I went from "OMG this is a terrible and unsafe idea" to "in a controlled environment it could be done safely, I think. I mean who hasn't heard of someone being peppered with a little bird shot here or there" to "I wonder how we could set this up cause it could be a tremendous amount of fun to try or watch"

February 3, 2018, 06:28 PM	#1
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	Olympic Bobathlon Redux Gentlepersons, I give you the Bobathlon! Let’s face it, after the start of a bobsled race the other members of the crew besides the driver don’t have much to do. Let’s give them shotguns and let them engage targets of opportunity on the run down the hill! Can you say exciting???!!! The start of the race would be the same as usual but after the initial push off instead of just putting their heads down for the rest of the ride, the non-driving bobsled crew persons would unlimber the 12 gauges from the bobsled gun racks and have at the various stationary, pop-up and aerial targets along the run. Wouldn’t it be a blast (literally) to see a well trained two or four person crew barreling down a mountain run knocking over steel plates and dusting clay pigeons? Come out of one of the turns a little slow? The driver could be helped out with a little extra acceleration by a well timed volley directly to the rear! Wow! The concept has left most people I’ve mentioned it to speechless. I posted the above several years ago and am still waiting for the concept to take hold although I am heartened as other folk have similar ideas. Check out the link below, not my concept but they’re on track to …something. https://imgur.com/gallery/k8fbA I've also improved on my idea by considering mounting two, fixed forward firing 12 gauges on the bobsled itself that could be fired by the driver at targets crossing the path of the sled. Good luck to the USA team at PyeongChang!

February 3, 2018, 09:07 PM	#2
Rob228 Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2010 Location: Hampstead NC Posts: 1,450	Sounds a bit like how the WWII waist and tail gunners initially trained: riding in the back of a truck with a shotgun shooting at clays.

February 8, 2018, 05:50 PM	#3
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,313	News from the real world is that the US military has some representation in the sledding events. Four bobsledders, three lugers and two coaches are servicemembers. You can read more about them here: https://www.legion.org/news/241141/o...ives-them-edge Good luck USA in PyeongChang!

February 9, 2018, 05:57 PM	#4
Armed_Chicagoan Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2013 Location: Albany Park, Chicago Posts: 776	The bobathlon would be awesome! There could even be style points added for yelling "yeeehaaa" after every shot.

February 10, 2018, 08:25 AM	#5
Lohman446 Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2016 Posts: 2,192	The OP is right. I'm left speechless. Ok not really speechless but my internal monologue was interesting. I went from "OMG this is a terrible and unsafe idea" to "in a controlled environment it could be done safely, I think. I mean who hasn't heard of someone being peppered with a little bird shot here or there" to "I wonder how we could set this up cause it could be a tremendous amount of fun to try or watch"