Can you own your own tank?

[Jon]

After posting the photo of the Panzer tank hull being quenched, like all reasonable people, I wondered: Can you own your own tank?

Yes you can. It's expensive ($250,000+ purchase price), heavily regulated, and not exactly convenient (about 1 mile per gallon). But, at least in the USA, perfectly legal. So much so that an estimated 1,000 Americans are private tank owners.

Here's a decent 2-minute Wall Street Journal video in which WWII Chaffee tank owner Bill Bauer of Port Lavaca, Texas is interviewed. Bauer rigged his tank with a modified .50 cal gun that uses propane to simulate the muzzle flash and noise of gunfire.

Bauer presents well: he's chairman of a local bank, he's sporting a Military Vehicle Preservation Association shirt, and (until his wife dishes the truth!) he conveys his reason for tank ownership as the noble and selfless act of "preserving history" for "grandkids and great grandkids".

As the video closes, Bauer demonstrates the simulated .50 cal in an abandoned parking lot, and the cops show up. The police officer's first words: "You know why we're here, right?"

This video is a good example of why the Wall Street Journal largely survived The Great Fake News Wars of 2016. It's interesting, reasonably presented, and not overproduced.

Previously:

Panzer tank hull being quenched
tank silencer
steam-powered tanks
Tankenstein rat rod
Big Wind firefighting jet tank
WWII Churchill tank converted into mine clearer

[Dr Stan]

So he owns a tank. Big whoop. Wonder what he's compensating for?

[Jon]

So he owns a tank. Big whoop. Wonder what he's compensating for?

Lack of a tank?

[Jon]

Driving a tank is available as a paid recreational activity in Minnesota: DriveATank.com.

[mklotz]

Why I'm dubious about private tank ownership...

[Jon]

But if tanks are outlawed, then only outlaws will own tanks!

Seriously though, I think you're probably right. It isn't even the gun part of the tank that's dangerous, it's the rest of it. I do like the model of tank driving as a recreational activity. It's like the Las Vegas "Heavy Equipment Playground" where you can drive bulldozers and excavators and such: https://digthisvegas.com

[mklotz]

I do like the model of tank driving as a recreational activity. It's like the Las Vegas "Heavy Equipment Playground" where you can drive bulldozers and excavators and such: https://digthisvegas.com

Or the full auto shooting "experiences"...

https://machinegunsvegas.com/product...to-experience/

I understand that they're very popular with the Japanese tourists.

[Jon]

Interesting. I do like shooting unusual guns at the range (Desert Eagle!), but I think the whole "full auto/semi-auto" dichotomy is just feature-itis, and dangerously close to a False dilemma logical fallacy. The people I know with modern-day combat experience say that they never even really use full auto on their military M4s. Plus all those YT vids with people shooting semi-autos faster than full autos anyway. Also seems like too much margin for error when catering to tourists who are probably doing "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" activities.

It's been a while since I was in Vegas, but if I go back, I do plan on checking out that heavy equipment driving place. I want to try out some of the moves we've seen in GIFs.

[mklotz]

I've been told that a lot of their customers are tourists from countries where firearms of any sort are unavailable to the public.

[Dr Stan]

When you've seen the real thing these want a be Rambo's just don't impress me much (apologizes to Shania Twain).