Bang! Ping! Bang! Ping!

I did promise in a previous post that I’d be visiting a Warsaw shooting range soon and would report back. (full contact details for three Warsaw shooting ranges in the link above). Haven't yet done so for moolah reasons but found myself instead last weekend with my brother at this shooting range by the Olympic Stadium in Wroclaw. More details for the shooting range, which dates back to the early ‘30s, can be found in the clickable link.

Typically Polish

Turn up. Shake hands. Ask for gun. Get gun. Shoot gun. Nary a jot of paperwork signed, nor identification given. I could have been anyone but within less than five minutes I had an AK 47 and 60 rounds of 7.62mm in my possession. There are some times when rigorous health and safety can be a genuine blessing, then there’s the even more genuine relief that comes with circumventing all that and just getting on with it. I find the lack of health and safety generally makes my life in Poland a little easier and will go on praising that until an invisible navvy athwarts me with a sledgehammer or other building sundries as I go about my business.

Not Polski Bus - the Polish Police use this for Euro 2012 training (god, what are they expecting?)

Author Goes First

In my previous post I outlined a few guns I’d had the very great luck to fire in the US. This was my first time despite a lifelong interest in weaponry and warcraft. On this occasion my brother and I were to alternate ten rounds each on the AK-47. The gun itself was a 1980s model but a reproduction of a 1950s design. I am not sure what the differences are but it had a collapsible stock and all the usual malarkey you’d expect with an AK 47. Inserting the mag was a lot harder than it looks in films. As promised, the sights were pretty basic. Nevertheless I was pleased to hit the gong target 8 times out of 10 on the first go. Bang! Ping! Bang! Ping! We finally found something you’re good at, Private Pyle!

Yes I am this fat

Much puffing of cheeks

The kick wasn’t as bad as I was expecting, to be honest, but it was bloody loud. The sights are very simple, and with a pair of the shooting range’s scratched goggles I found aiming difficult. If I was going again I’d bring a pair of my own. The weight distribution was pretty even, recoil was OK as long as your stance was secure. God knows what it would be like on fully auto – which is outlawed in Poland.


Great rejoicing observed

After firing the first ten rounds I was in love; I generally prefer older guns with character. The pitiless efficiency of HKs et al. leaves me cold. I can’t decide whether it’s because of all the years of watching war films or just the general enjoyableness of holding a weapon of wood and iron in your hands.

Bang! Ping!

Nice bit of recoil!

Other weapons observed

We also fired a Glock 17 and I saw a guy with an automatic shotgun, another guy firing a Luger and one other girl firing a Glock 19.

Firing the Glock 17

Author concludes

For two hours with an Instructor, 60 rounds of 7.62mm and about 80 or 90 rounds of 9mm for the Glock, we paid around 560zl. Actually, looking at some of the Warsaw shooting range prices, a little steep, but nevertheless it was a good day. A highly recommended experience for releasing decades of Anglo-Saxon frustration and hugely fun. The instructor was a whiskered Pole of the old-school mould, who spoke some English but it helped hugely speaking Polish as well. The location is reasonably easy to get to – just head towards the occasional gunshots.

Obligatory posing photo