Today I went to shooting class. I’ve been so excited about doing this since I arrived here in gun land.

Off I went to the Shiloh Shooting Range.

Even outside in the car park I could hear the sound of gunfire quite loudly which made me a bit edgy. But then this sign made me laugh!

Jeff was my teacher and he was awesome sauce.

I never knew there were so many rules to shooting a gun. First the paperwork and you had to spot the trick question. DUH.

The 4 most important rules are:

1:  The gun is always loaded – even when it’s empty.
2: Only point down range
3:  Know your target and what’s around it
4:  Keep your flippin’ finger off the flippin’ trigger!

I learnt how to load a magazine except Jeff said that over here men are chivalrous and so whilst he showed me, he did it for me. Men always fill a lady’s magazine with bullets…. You don’t say…

Then I learnt how to load and unload it. How to pick it up WITHOUT ever putting your finger on the trigger and keeping it above parallel on the side of the weapon. Then there’s holding it which was harder for me cos my hands are smaller. How to hold my hands, my feet, my arms and then squeeze the trigger slowly. Talk about complicated.
Anyway, after class off we went to the shooting alley bit. HOW LOUD? And that was with ear plugs and ear muffs. Nearly jumped out of my skin. Especially when someone stared letting rip with a rifle next to me. Jeff moved me to another alley noting that I was a bit scatty. Jeff said that girls ears are way more sensistive. I couldn’t hear what else he said.

The gun I practised with was called a HK VP9

“You’ve come all the way from England to shoot a European weapon!” Jeff said.

“Jeff, it matters not. It’s the first gun I’ve ever picked up that doesn’t shoot water or potato.”

The first time I shot the target paper man I couldn’t believe how powerful the gun was. Worse, the burning hot shell that jumped down my cleavage thereafter.

“I’ll get you a shirt to stop that happening,” said Jeff. He let me keep it for free for being a good student. Yay!

Jeff and the people at this shooting range were proper, proper nice: patient, funny and brilliant teachers and I had so much fun. Next time he says I’m learning how to shoot a rifle. Cool!
Video evidence below: Jules learns to shoot.