School shootings are not an uncommon affair in the States and every time a disgruntled postal work opens fire on his colleague, anti-gun lobbyists or gun control fundies come out of the woodwork to condemn these tools of possible mass destruction.
However, it’s often forgotten that guns don’t kill – those wielding them do. No one ever tries to have kitchen knives banned when a stabbing takes place, or all cars taken off the road after a hit and run. When other items of mass destruction live fairly safe lives, free of banning threats, guns (and not the shooter) are always blamed when they are the instrument of death.
Guns have never held any particular allure for me, but I also don’t blame the instrument for the evil will of the criminal. I believe that they should be kept locked up, out of reach of little hands – and those of criminals, but I certainly have no strong belief that they should be banned.
I in fact know a number of gun-lovers and all of them practice safe gun use and storage.
So when a colleague and friend suggested we do a little shooting recently, I jumped at the opportunity to see what all the hype is about.
A morning’s shooting certainly was more fun than it really should have been, given that I have never really felt the need to learn to shoot.
I believe that being able to defend yourself, especially in this country, is a great life skill which certainly has a practical component, but I also believe that guns should be locked away in safes. Hardly any use to you when that intruder breaks through your window and starts shooting.
However, the chance to try something new had me excited as we set out to the shooting range, armed with no knowledge but a lot of anticipation. Of the three of us, I was the only one who had never shot before, one person was eager to try everything out and the third person was, according to him, just along for the ride with absolutely no intention of discharging a weapon.
That soon changed as the sense of accomplishment others were experiencing (there were of course other shooters on the range) and the tangible excitement that permeated the air as one by one we took aim and obliterated (some more successfully than others) the paper target.
Soon we were all caught up in the shared achievement of managing to hit the bull’s eye with a Glock.
I’ll admit that fun isn’t the first thing that springs to mind in the same sentence as gun, but under the expert tutelage of James Bristow I truly did have fun.
After going through the safety procedures with us, James explained the workings of each gun we shot, how to load, unload and ensure that the weapon was safe.
He then guided us through the process with each new weapon, ensuring that the entire process was safe and fun.
As someone without any experience I appreciated the consideration he had for each of us and our various levels of proficiency and the manner in which he was just enough tutor and just enough caring friend to make my experience thoroughly enjoyable and very positive.
Having spent some time with, but not quite mastered, the Glock, and getting some of my shots in the aimed for region of the target, we moved onto, in my opinion the fun guns.
Semi-automatics and pump action shot guns! These babies really had me enjoying myself. The sense of power, just holding these large, butch guns had me grinning from ear-to-ear and thoroughly enjoying the power the shots packed. I can truly see how the feeling of a volley of shots can become intoxicating.
After the morning on the range, I can’t see myself carry a gun, but you’ll definitely see me on the range again, honing my skills.
I still believe that guns should be kept locked out of harm’s way. However, what became very clear to me was that with the right instructor, a great deal of common sense and the willingness to be a contentious, safe shooter, shooting really could become a fun and addictive sport.
Of course, with the right instructor, a great deal of common sense and the willingness to be a conscientious shooter, it can also be a lifesaving skill.
