WHAT SHOOTING A REAL GUN, WITH REAL BULLETS, TAUGHT ME
I’ve long wondered, what does it feel like to fire a gun? Not an air rifle, or an arcade gun, but a real gun, with real bullets.
We see them all the time on TV and in the movies, but personally I have no experience of them. How heavy are they? Are they easy to fire? What kind of kick-back do you get? Is it easy to hit your target? Could you really just pick up a gun and use it – or is there a lot more to it?
The answer to all these questions can be found at a firing range – but not in the UK. So, on a recent visit to Poland I visited the Cracow Shooting Academy.
Here you can try out a wide range of different guns in a safe, controlled space. For my first session I chose a package that included an Uzi submachine gun, a Kalashnikov AK47, a Glock 17 handgun (this handgun is ubiquitous in modern TV shows and movies), and a pump action shotgun.
This is a great starter package as you get to try a wide range of weapons. There is one instructor per person firing, and safety is paramount. Just being in the same room as these weapons can be a little intimidating and a tad scary.
After having fired all the weapons in this first selection I noticed a few, rather unpleasant truths: The Uzi is incredibly light and easy to fire, which is probably why it’s often given to child soldiers (not a pleasant thought); the Glock is easy to hold and light, but more difficult to fire accurately; the Kalashnikov is much heavier than the Uzi with a bigger kick; and the pump action shotgun is a nasty weapon that will spray the target with pellets – almost guaranteeing a hit but not a quick kill.
Having tried all four, I can honestly say; they are not in the least bit sexy. They are weapons designed to kill. Yes, of course I knew that before I started, but firing them really brings it home to you and takes away any delusions of being a John Wick or Lara Croft.
Although trying the different types of gun was fascinating, what I really wanted to try was a variety of handguns; a Glock vs. a classic Colt vs. a CZ Shadow vs. a Magnum Revolver. Fortunately, at the shooting range you can do that too. Tell them which guns you would like to try and how many bullets you want to fire – they will create the package for you.
So, I tried a Glock 19, this is the compact version of the Glock 17 (still a 9mm calibre gun, but a little smaller) and very light. It has a large kickback that lifts the gun upwards (so don’t hold it too near your face or you’ll clonk yourself in the forehead after you fire).
Then the classic Colt M1911 (45mm calibre) – this is a much heavier gun, with a lot of power, and I didn’t find it anywhere near as comfortable or as easy to hold as the Glock. The kickback is still strong but doesn’t move your hand as much.
Third was the CZ Shadow, a Czech-made gun popular in shooting sports. It is lighter than the Colt, and very easy to use, but doesn’t have the same power (so it has less of a kickback).
And finally, the Magnum 357 Revolver (the Dirty Harry gun). This is very powerful and has a strong kick – in many ways, for me, this was the most fun to fire.
So, what has this experience taught me?
Well, as an exercise it was fascinating. I now know a lot more than I did before, and I have a greater understanding of the weapons, their differences, and how they feel and react. I do not claim any expertise – just a better understanding than I had previously.
I also know that if I were to take up sport shooting as a hobby, I’d choose the Revolver. But if I lived in a society where I needed a gun to protect myself, then I’d opt for the Glock.
That said, firing the guns didn’t tempt me in anyway to take up shooting as a hobby. I didn’t have that Diane Lockhart moment.
I also didn’t find the experience thrilling or exhilarating. I was expecting to come away with that ‘wow that was amazing’ feeling – but I didn’t.
Rather I came away with a much deeper sense that these items are not toys, they are not for fun. They are deadly weapons designed with one purpose; to kill fellow living creatures.
Of course, on an intellectual level, I always knew this to be the case. But deep down inside, I don’t think I had quite appreciated just what they are like. Holding something in my hand, that with just a small movement (away from the target and towards a person) could kill someone within seconds did not make me feel powerful, but rather it was sobering and reminded me just how precious all life is.
Finally, it scared me; people carry these weapons, not to use in a controlled environment like a firing range, but to be used as ‘personal protection’, which roughly translated means ‘willing to be used against another person’. I hope I never live in that society and never feel that I need a Glock on my hip. I guess I won’t be checking into The Continental anytime soon.
If you’re tempted to fire a gun, take a trip to Poland and do it in a safe, controlled environment. The guys at the Cracow Shooting Academy are a million miles away from the gun-toting idiots you might find on YouTube. Rather this is a place where they have a respect for the weapons and for their, and your, safety.
For more information see: https://www.shootingcracow.com/en/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chantal Cooke is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster and co-founder of PASSION for the PLANET. Chantal is passionate about tourism being used as a force for good. You can follow her adventures on Facebook and Twitter @chantalcooke and on Instagram @Chantaldcooke