So… who’s up for some shooting? Yes, in a country that still favors a man to be a masculine man especially in the continent of Ukraine – it’s very possible to shoot guns and still be considered to be cool, awesome, and manly. And guess who got to do all this??? Me! I did! I guess all that traveling in Latin America has brushed into me that macho Latino culture. It definitely helps as the men in Eastern Europe respect manliness.
I’ve shot an AK47 before so I wasn’t in amazement.
Apparently, most people who travel far and wide to Ukraine don’t usually do this kind of trip out to the range so I guess I was one of the very few (it reminded me of going to St. Louis for some target practice or even doing the full gun package in Las Vegas). Not to mention I was also one of the fewer people who have shot guns before considering that I also hunt and target shoot. So, being that foreigner who had gun experience made me a bit of a smaller scale celebrity at the gun range because I also spoke some Russian while I was there. The people were just not used to a Russian-speaking foreigner who traveled far and farther and has shot guns before.
Tip: If you don’t speak Russian or Ukrainian well, best is to hire a guide/driver who can take you there and help translate. I remember going there and I couldn’t really understand all of the Russian they were speaking so it was a great day for shooting when you have a translator. Sometimes it’s better to know the local language as I’ve learned going fishing in Nicaragua.
“Make my weapons! Make my weapons!” It’s like that Static-X song, “Bled for Days.”
Firing a handgun. It was some kind of Ukrainian firearm. I still prefer the .45 cal 1911.
I was firing this AK47 at a close range target. Release the zombies! Headshot, headshot!
I was firing this SKV, 7.62x54R rifle, with a scope. I think it was an older model but I liked it.
I don’t remember what rifle this was, but it was a MP5, FNL-type rifle. Reminded me of a Steyr-AUG.
When you get to the range, the people ask if you want to shoot more than the package that they offer. Of course, I want to shoot some more! I’m going to have a blast, literally with one! Any day to put bullets down-range is a great day for the itchy index finger!
Tip: Bring your passport with you. For some reason, they take your passport when you go shoot, probably as a security measure. And bring extra money too because they might have a gun that you really want to shoot! Wear warm clothes because the weather in Ukraine can be damn-ass really chilly!
Next up was the open range. I only shot the M4 and AK47 variants, not the Mauser.
The rangemaster watched over me as I fired because he thought I was a complete noobie. He quickly learned that I knew my guns and could handle them as I was hitting target after target.
So once the rangemaster saw that I could indeed shoot, he had a spotter see how accurate I was. Now, I’m no sniper-shooter but it’s good enough to hunt!
The weather actually warmed up so I started to get hot because I was wearing all these layers. And then of course, it got cold again when the wind came crashing in. I had to take the beanie off so I wouldn’t heat up and fog up the scope.
I also went shotgun shooting. Even though I didn’t have my own regular shotguns that I’m used to shooting, I could adjust. Upon arrival, I observed that the trap range was just like being back home at the local gun range. Of course, there was also skeet so I might as well have a crazy finger-pulling day destroying those clay pigeons!
I wasn’t used to this kind of shotgun but I was still able to shoot some clays down.
Locked and loaded. I’m ready after taking a quick look and feel of the handle of the game.
“PULL!” and the clay disc turns into dust!
One time, I had a streak of 10 clays down and I yelled “PULL… PULL!” And I look at the rangemaster who has the trigger just looking at me. I guess he didn’t know that I could shoot that well.
I was firing at this one clay that was basically a goose drop or tear drop.
Definitely, worth going to the gun range. In Ukraine. It’s a completely different experience than going to see churches, statues, and other memorial thingamajigs. Live and breathe it instead of going into retard-tourist mode. Hit that shift-stick into maximum gear! Gun it up!