The first part of the session took place in a training room with a simulator. This was essentially a video game with a gun for the controller\u2014like the kind in Scheels stores or pizza joints, but with a heavier, more realistic weapon. I know I\u2019ve played one of those games at least once before, only this time picking up the laser gun was much more intimidating, as it looked exactly like the real firearm I was about to use. I wanted to get completely comfortable with the simulator \u00a0before I held the real thing in my hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scott started by teaching me the proper way to pick up a gun. Much to his delight, I\u2019d paid close attention to the online, mandatory pre-waiver video. I was nervous so I absorbed the technique pretty quickly. Always check to make sure the gun is completely unloaded. Point the gun down range. Pick it up with your dominant hand. There are a few different ways to grip a gun, so Scott went over them, then had me choose which was most comfortable\u2014firmly, (but not too tight) with my index finger extended.<\/span><\/p>\n

We then moved on to stance, sight and breathing\u2014all important aspects of operating a firearm. Strait was extremely informative, constantly assessing my grip and telling me what to fix in a calm, patient manner that helped me feel more confident. After 15 minutes of hands-on training , I felt a bit more prepared to try out the real thing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Split Shot<\/h6>\n

Despite it being only 25 minutes, Strait\u2019s teaching was invaluable. I never would have felt confident holding a gun without his in-person, hands-on coaching. The software he used to prepare me\u2014an amateur in the truest sense of the word\u2014is also used for training self-defense lessons and policemen. Scott seemed to be impressed with my technique, and I felt I was ready to move on.<\/span><\/p>\n

But as I stepped through the doors into the range, I got jittery again. Scott, who could probably tell that my heart was in my throat, began to calmly unpack the semi-automatic 22-caliber firearm.. Smaller than I\u2019d imagined, the black, cold-looking weapon was intimidating. It was heavier than the training gun. There was no stripe of red labeling it as a fake. This machine was capable of doing a lot more damage than shooting a laser beam at a screen. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Strait demonstrated loading the gun. Remove the magazine (where the bullets go). Load the bullets in the magazine\u2014like you\u2019d fill a Pez dispenser with candy (Scott\u2019s analogy, not mine). Put the magazine back in the firearm, and secure it in place by hitting it with the heel of your hand. Then pull the slide on top of the barrel to load a bullet into the firing chamber. He then unloaded the gun and let me do it.<\/span><\/p>\n

I can now relate with those who shoot for sport\u2014and those who feel safer when they have a concealed weapon on them.\u201d<\/p>\n

-Kendall Wenaas<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/b>Shooting a gun is terrifying, yet so much fun. The kickback wasn\u2019t as strong as I had expected; I was able to hold the gun at arm\u2019s length the whole time. The sound was muffled by my earmuffs (required to enter the range), so it wasn\u2019t deafening by any means. If \u00a0Strait had been in teaching mode before, he had now switched to full-on affirmation. He had me shoot the gun twice more, then reload it with 10 bullets. I shot those, hitting the target every time. Then reloaded it with another 10 and shot a new target, trying to shoot as straight as I could. <\/span><\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t want to be done shooting. The rush that I felt when the gun went off was similar to a runner\u2019s high. I can now relate with those who shoot for sport\u2014and those who feel safer when they have a concealed weapon on them.<\/span><\/p>\n

I kept the remainder of my bullets and made a plan to go back to CrossRoads to shoot again. I felt powerful. I can imagine how addicting the rush might be. So I can also empathize with those afraid of weapons. A finger on a trigger is serious business\u2014it can mean the difference between life and death.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, shooting a gun didn\u2019t magically form my opinion for me. While I\u2019m glad I experienced it, gun rights are so much more complex than liking to shoot. At the end of the day, I\u2019m back exactly where I started\u2014just a touch more experienced.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One writer takes a hands-on approach to forming an opinion on gun rights.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7178,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n