I had one helluva week and one helluva morning. I had cried, laugh, laugh while I cried and simply put. I was at the point of breaking down. So I had to taker a leave. After a presentation in which client basically ruined my day, I decided to have some me time. My back has been bothering me for a couple of days and I needed some rest. Waking up at 5am didn't particularly help.
My brother and I had a scheduled appointment for target shooting at Stronghand Shooting Range in E. Rodriguez (nearing Cubao). I forgot to search for directions so halfway down E. Rodriguez, I had to call up the range and ask for directions. We arrived just in time for the session.
I was giddy with excitement - after all, this is one for the books, my first time to hold a gun, let alone my first time to attend a learning session with my brother.
When we arrived, we had to leave our ID with the guard and register at the front desk (filling up an info sheet). The instructor was with a group of students at that time so we had to wait for 15 mins before our session started.
Along with my brother and I, there were four more people, two middle aged, one who looked 20 and another our age. Nobody knew each other except my brother and I.
The instructor, "Storm" Rivero, took us through the four key basic rules when handling guns and I remembered two:
1. Always assume that the gun you are holding is loaded
2. Don't point at anything you don't wish to shoot at
He also discussed a brief history of guns and how it has evolved over time.
Then came the most exciting part.
The instructor asked us to get our baskets from the front desk and proceed to the range. Inside the wooden basket there were 20 bullets, a 9mm gun, ear mufflers, protective glasses and two magazines.
We each had to choose our own space had to unload the things inside the basket - there were friendly assistants who whisked away our wooden baskets as soon as we unloaded the things.
I chose number 15.
The gun I had was supposedly light given its polymer handle but it was heavy to me. I have difficulty opening PET bottles so imagine holding a real gun - effort to the extreme. Loading the magazine with bullets and cocking the gun proved to be a real challenge. My fingers were quite red by the end of the session, but I digress.
All six of us were lined up in one side of the room. We were instructed to load five bullets per magazine then the instructor started his one on one session from the right side of the room. The one on one was to simply teach us how to load the magazine, cock the gun and aim properly (half press) before firing, correcting any mistakes he sees. The first ten bullets were shot with a distance of five meters.
I was the fourth to be instructed and truth be told, I was quite nervous while the first three were being instructed - I couldn't keep still! The gun was quite heavy and I feared that I wouldn't even manage to hit the board. The three people ahead of me who looked really "game" were hitting far from the A zone. Oh no. I may not even hot the board. Tension.
My brother even challenged me on who can hit the the bull'eye the most. Pressure brought out the competitive side of me.
It was my turn.
Load the magazine.
Cock the gun.
Half press.
Shoot.
Pressure!
During my first shot, I forgot to half press, the same thing you do when shooting a camera. Half pressing ensures that you remain on target before pressing down to fire the bullet. My bullet ended up higher than the orange bull-eye. The instructor said that I moved but really I forgot to half-press. The succeeding shots were quite easy one I got used to the sound and relaxed a bit. From the ten bullets, I managed to hit two bull's eye and the remaining seven bullets were in the A zone. The A zone is the middle portion of the board, shaped like a diamond which includes the bull's eye.
Yehey! I was estatic I was beyond happy. I managed to hit not one but two bullets in the bull's eye! I did a happy dance while my brother was being instructed. :)
After we all had a turn with the instructor, we were asked to load the magazine with five bullets each. The board was moved further away to ten meters. The instructor said that it is more difficult to shoot at a distance because the slightest move can affect the shot. You can completely miss the board like what I did with my bullet. No idea where it went.
In the ten meter distance I did manage to shoot one bull's eye dead center but the rest were in zone B and one in zone C. Based on focus and precision. You see by the ten meter range, we were asked to fire at will - no instructions so I would jump at the sound of bullets being fired so half the time, I pushed the trigger because I got pressured by the other shots fired.
For the last few bullets, I waited until everyone was done before firing so I could really focus on hitting the target.
The session was over before I wanted it to be over. I was out of bullets. Boohoo and even if I wanted to buy some, we didn't have time since they were closing in a couple of minutes.
Before we left, we were given our certificate and our grade on the target shooting with a drawing of the shots. We could take home the boards as proof of our experience.
My brother and I were the first to leave leave the range with our boards in tow and certificate on the other. We were actually saying that we were the best among the six students - we each manage to hit three bull's eye while the others didn't even get one - competitive, I know.
It was a super fun experience, bringing out our competitive side in the process. I learned that half pressing, focusing, breathing, and posture is critical to nailing shots - oh, you have to be prepared for the noise when you fire a bullet and flying shells. One shell flew and hit my upper lip :(
Until the next FIRST!
My brother and I had a scheduled appointment for target shooting at Stronghand Shooting Range in E. Rodriguez (nearing Cubao). I forgot to search for directions so halfway down E. Rodriguez, I had to call up the range and ask for directions. We arrived just in time for the session.
 |
| Stronghand Shooting Range |
I was giddy with excitement - after all, this is one for the books, my first time to hold a gun, let alone my first time to attend a learning session with my brother.
 |
| Shooting Range |
 |
| Front desk at Stronghand Shooting range |
Along with my brother and I, there were four more people, two middle aged, one who looked 20 and another our age. Nobody knew each other except my brother and I.
The instructor, "Storm" Rivero, took us through the four key basic rules when handling guns and I remembered two:
1. Always assume that the gun you are holding is loaded
He also discussed a brief history of guns and how it has evolved over time.
Then came the most exciting part.
The instructor asked us to get our baskets from the front desk and proceed to the range. Inside the wooden basket there were 20 bullets, a 9mm gun, ear mufflers, protective glasses and two magazines.
We each had to choose our own space had to unload the things inside the basket - there were friendly assistants who whisked away our wooden baskets as soon as we unloaded the things.
 |
| Ear mufflers, Gun, 2 magazines (Bullets in separate picture) |
 |
| While waiting, I arranged the bullets into a pattern. |
I chose number 15.
The gun I had was supposedly light given its polymer handle but it was heavy to me. I have difficulty opening PET bottles so imagine holding a real gun - effort to the extreme. Loading the magazine with bullets and cocking the gun proved to be a real challenge. My fingers were quite red by the end of the session, but I digress.
 |
| The board at five meters away |
All six of us were lined up in one side of the room. We were instructed to load five bullets per magazine then the instructor started his one on one session from the right side of the room. The one on one was to simply teach us how to load the magazine, cock the gun and aim properly (half press) before firing, correcting any mistakes he sees. The first ten bullets were shot with a distance of five meters.
 |
| Aiming at the target. I forgot to wear the ear mufflers so I actually heard how loud a gunfire can be. |
I was the fourth to be instructed and truth be told, I was quite nervous while the first three were being instructed - I couldn't keep still! The gun was quite heavy and I feared that I wouldn't even manage to hit the board. The three people ahead of me who looked really "game" were hitting far from the A zone. Oh no. I may not even hot the board. Tension.
My brother even challenged me on who can hit the the bull'eye the most. Pressure brought out the competitive side of me.
It was my turn.
Load the magazine.
Cock the gun.
Half press.
Shoot.
Pressure!
 |
| Aiming the gun |
During my first shot, I forgot to half press, the same thing you do when shooting a camera. Half pressing ensures that you remain on target before pressing down to fire the bullet. My bullet ended up higher than the orange bull-eye. The instructor said that I moved but really I forgot to half-press. The succeeding shots were quite easy one I got used to the sound and relaxed a bit. From the ten bullets, I managed to hit two bull's eye and the remaining seven bullets were in the A zone. The A zone is the middle portion of the board, shaped like a diamond which includes the bull's eye.
Yehey! I was estatic I was beyond happy. I managed to hit not one but two bullets in the bull's eye! I did a happy dance while my brother was being instructed. :)
 |
| My board after ten bullets in the five meter round |
After we all had a turn with the instructor, we were asked to load the magazine with five bullets each. The board was moved further away to ten meters. The instructor said that it is more difficult to shoot at a distance because the slightest move can affect the shot. You can completely miss the board like what I did with my bullet. No idea where it went.
In the ten meter distance I did manage to shoot one bull's eye dead center but the rest were in zone B and one in zone C. Based on focus and precision. You see by the ten meter range, we were asked to fire at will - no instructions so I would jump at the sound of bullets being fired so half the time, I pushed the trigger because I got pressured by the other shots fired.
For the last few bullets, I waited until everyone was done before firing so I could really focus on hitting the target.
 |
| Posing with a gun |
The session was over before I wanted it to be over. I was out of bullets. Boohoo and even if I wanted to buy some, we didn't have time since they were closing in a couple of minutes.
Before we left, we were given our certificate and our grade on the target shooting with a drawing of the shots. We could take home the boards as proof of our experience.
My brother and I were the first to leave leave the range with our boards in tow and certificate on the other. We were actually saying that we were the best among the six students - we each manage to hit three bull's eye while the others didn't even get one - competitive, I know.
It was a super fun experience, bringing out our competitive side in the process. I learned that half pressing, focusing, breathing, and posture is critical to nailing shots - oh, you have to be prepared for the noise when you fire a bullet and flying shells. One shell flew and hit my upper lip :(
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