People Firing Heavy Weapons in Their Backyard

Who doesn't like to blast stuff to smithereens? You don't have to be a card-carrying NRA member to know that shooting rifles at (non-living) things can be pretty cool. And there's no point in keeping it to yourself -- you might as well record it and post it on YouTube.

Here are videos of people firing guns and rifles -- some legal, some not -- in their backyard.

Maxim Machine Gun

These guys fire a 1910 Russian Maxim machine gun, and give a little history lesson on the gun's use in both World Wars. It's a classic design that was really the first automatic machine gun as we know it. Still, I recommend fast-forwarding past the history talk and getting right to the rapid-fire action.

Railgun

Railguns use electromagnetic forces, not gunpowder or fuel, to hurl projectiles. They're being tested throughout the US Armed Forces as the weapon of the future. A lot of work goes into firing the thing -- batteries, capacitors, wires, carbon dioxide -- and the test doesn't start until three minutes into the video. But when it does, the blast is so powerful it blows clamps and hoses right off the gun.

40mm Machine Gun

The guy says it's the most powerful weapon in the world that a citizen can legally own, but I can't imagine where. The thing is huge, bigger than a riding lawnmower, and its shells weigh four pounds and are over a foot long. The lucky owner shoots at a target more than 100 yards away (across a lake, no less), and then blasts a mannequin to bits. He calls it "the world's largest video game."

Homemade Quad-Barrel Shotgun

This innovative gun enthusiast latches two Remington 870s to a DP12 to make the most badass shotgun in the world -- and "the ultimate zombie-killer," as one of his friends says. He basically destroyed three rifles to make the quad-barrel monstrosity, but it's worth it.

DShK Heavy Machine Gun

The video description says the DShK is the Russian version of the Browning M2. Not sure what that means, but the effect is pretty cool. This gun sounds like a machine gun, which is very satisfying. Unfortunately, this video doesn't show the damage done to the target.