Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Ready...Aim...Fire!

Sunday is family day for us four, and it's usually spent at home resting and watching the weekly noontime and chismis shows. But last Sunday was a bit different since my dad and brother had this bright idea and we ended up at the Armscor Shooting Range at Makati Cinema Square. Needless to say, that was the first time I was able to hold a gun with my bare hands. And I actually thought, on our way going there, that the shooting range would be outdoors. But lo and behold, it was indoors, on the basement of the mall actually (when they told me it was at Makati Cinema Square, I thought that what they meant was it's NEAR the mall and not actually INSIDE the mall...Ü).

We wasted no time when we got there. I initially got 10 bullets to fire, but before doing so, was given a short lecture by one of the employees there (also known as the "range master") on how to grip the gun, the correct way of standing, and a reminder to always wear the ear muffs (I don't know what you call them but i'm sure you know what I mean Ü) and the protective goggles. And you sure really have to wear both AT ALL TIMES while inside the firing range. Why? Well, each shot creates a really lound bang, hence the ear muffs. And the goggles are to protect your eyes from the empty shells flying all over the place everytime a shot is fired (mind you, these shells can be a bit hot). I never really thought about what happens to those empty bullet shells after a shot is fired. Heck, I never even thought that empty bullet shells do exist! I thought that the bullet leaves the gun and hits its target intact...no shells...no remnants...no nothing left behind. Oh well...I guess I learned something new that day.Ü

After using up all of my 10 bullets, Dad treated me to 20 bullets more! Yippee! Today's my lucky day (HAHA!)! At P9.00/bullet, that's already P270 total...and he actually ended up spending P900 for all four of us...my brother had 50 bullets, while Mom and Dad had 10 each. A bit pricey for my taste but I'm not the one spending anyway (hehe!) and it was actually a nice and different experience. Something out of the ordinary for me.

Well...what can I say? It was a bit nerve-wracking...knowing that you're holding a real gun with your hands and that you can really do quite a big damage with it just in case your mind starts to go wild and run amok (Even more fearsome is when someone else in the room runs amok and decides to make you a target). A bit scary...yes...since the gun kicks back after every shot and it's very much forceful...for my frame/body type at least. And mind you, I was just using the 9mm gun, which apparently has the "least kick back" at all (I asked my Dad if there was a gun with lesser kick back and he said: "Meron, anak. Toy gun." NYAHAHA!Ü).

So...will I do this again? Probably yes, as long as it's Dad's treat.Ü The range master there said I'm OK for a first timer since most of my shots were in the region just below the white target, and my aim was much better than that of Mom's and Dad's. But it's my brother who's the best among us four. He had some shots right in the white target and he even changed his gun from a 9mm to a 45 (whatever that means...haha!).

Well guys...that was my Sunday. Now, how did you spend yours?Ü


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

wow! si tita rhoda shooter na din ba? :) si kuya kyle ang galing!