One of the most thrilling sports you can try in our city has to be firing off a few rounds at Caracal Shooting Club in the Armed Forces Officers’ Club & Hotel. Sara Taher tackles her fears and chooses her weapon.
The world of firearms is loaded with stigma and stereotypes, and few people instantly associate guns with sports. Nevertheless, shooting has been considered a pastime since the 1800s and the adrenaline-filled activity has won over quite a few supporters in our nation’s capital. Despite an inherent fear of deadly weapons, we decided to test the waters.
Located in the Armed Forces Officers’ Club & Hotel, the Caracal Shooting Club prides itself on being the first club in the city. We are greeted by a friendly trainer who’s all smiles and muscles. Kenneth Escobedo Manuel takes us to the safety briefing room where we learn the basic fundamentals we need before being allowed to handle a weapon.
This session teaches you how to turn the safety on and off, how to grip the gun, and how to line up a perfect shot. Kenneth is very patient while he shows us the proper stance when firing off the weapon. The guns used in the safety briefing room are bullet free and after nearly an hour of practising and learning, we are escorted to the shooting range. The weapon of choice is a Caracal F Standard Sight, a sleek number with a comfortable grip.
Even behind the bulletproof glass, the sound is startlingly loud. We don our safety glasses and ear protectors before entering and proceeding to our counter with our trainer. There are a few other people in the room firing away and the popping sounds are enough to put anyone on edge. Nevertheless, we feel safe with Kenneth nearby.
As we are about to pull the trigger on our first shot, our adrenaline levels go through the roof and the reality of the situation hits home. All those messages about ‘guns killing people’ resonate loudly, giving the moment a tangible primal element. Nevertheless, the trigger is eventually squeezed and nothing comes out. ‘I saw how worried you were, so don’t worry, we aren’t going to use real bullets until you are comfortable,’ says Kenneth. This quickly quells our fears and we take aim and fire off another practise shot. This time, however, there is a loud pop and the smell of gun powder fills the area. Our hilarious trainer informs us that he does this with some people so that they use skill to fire the first shot instead of adrenaline. In all fairness, his ingenious and devious plan works and our first shot lands in the ring just around the bullseye.
Instantly, fear is replaced entirely with adrenaline and the next few rounds are exciting. The gun is rather heavy so we lower our weapon between shots. Once we’ve used all of the bullets, our trainer brings up our target board to look at the score. Surprisingly, all bullets have gone through the inner dark circles. ‘Women usually do better than men,’ he tells us. ‘Men don’t listen and use instinct before applying what they learn.’
The sport is all about marksmanship; lining up the perfect shot and hitting the target requires steady hands and concentration. The adrenaline comes from handling a lethal weapon, however this is certainly an activity that everyone should try. The number of people walking around the venue attest to the popularity of the sport.
One of the most appealing aspects of the club is that anyone can just walk in and try their hand on the range. Whereas most other places require a membership, you can pay a fee of Dhs250 and receive a complimentary safety briefing as well as one hour in the range with 25 bullets. Alternatively, you can sign up for a membership for Dhs4,000 per year. The staff are very friendly and informative, making the experience one we will definitely repeat.
Caracal Shooting Club, Armed Forces Officers’ Club & Hotel, Al Maqtaa, www.caracalshooting.ae (02 441 6404).
UAE shooting clubs
Abu Dhabi International Shooting Club Al Forsan, Khalifa City (02 556 8555).
Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club Al Ain (03 702 6405).
Jebel Ali International Shooting Club Jebel Ali (04 883 6555).
