Get On Target

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It's so loud you have to wear ear protection. So fast, you never see it happen. It’s the ancient art of target practice. For those in the military and law enforcement, it’s a duty. For hunters and competitive marksmen, it’s a trade skill. But for the rest of us, especially those of us new to this target-driven world, it’s a curious mix of adrenaline and Zen meditation.

There was a time, particularly at the turn of the century, when shooting practice was such a part of daily life that local papers would report the top scores. Earlier still, Mark Twain was said to shoot a pistol out his hotel window aiming for the glass insulation on power lines — though this behavior was discouraged. The modern perception of shooting ranges as the dominion of camouflaged hunters or police officers is a canard. It is just as common to find young professionals there, unwinding after work or even meeting for a date.

I visit the Gun Room on the south-east side of Elk Grove. Part of me expects a mom-and-pop store with faded display cases and fake wood paneling. Instead, I find myself in an expansive, well-lit showroom filled with firearms and accessories arranged and mounted behind glass. There’s even a small internet cafe in the corner. This is not your father’s shooting range.

I’m eager to get started, but for my safety, the safety of others and the well-being of the company, there are some formalities. Rules must be read, disclaimer signed and proof of firearm safety rendered (see sidebar). With so many firearms to rent, I ask for a little guidance. Corporate manager and head shooting instructor Mike Green offers the simple and functional Glock 23 .40 caliber semiautomatic as a popular choice. I get a box of ammo and an assignment to lane six. I squish in the earplugs, don the safety glasses and enter the range.

At lane six, I clip the body-shaped paper target onto a hanging rack and press a button to send it five meters (about 16 feet) away. On the lane’s ledge, I push cartridges one at a time into the spring-loaded magazine. It’s supposed to hold 10, but it gets awfully tight at nine. Nine is fine. I slide the magazine into the butt of the grip, rack the slide, align the dots on the barrel, and squeeeeeeze ever so gently.

BLAM!

The first shot isn’t particularly accurate, but it is exhilarating. After a few rounds, I start to get the hang of it. It’s serious fun. (An important qualification is needed here: When learning to shoot, it can be quite effective to start with a rifle and then a .22 handgun to get well grounded in the basics. New shooters starting with a more powerful handgun may develop bad habits that can be very hard to break.)

I ask Green for pointers. He says to keep a firm grip on the gun and form a 90-degree V with my supporting hand; make sure I’m not leaning back with my shoulders behind my hips; squeeze the trigger as gently as possible and try not to blink.

But he also says that when it comes to the finer points, there’s no single correct posture. It depends on the person. He asks if my left eye is dominant. I have no idea. I re-enact the previous shot in my head. I am left-eyed. Part coach, part detective, Green has learned over the years to deduce physical inclinations and even old injuries by analyzing a student’s form. I take his advice and see my accuracy improve a bit.

Realistically, one box of 50 rounds is not enough to make any real progress in my target shooting, though it does whet my appetite for more practice.

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