As anyone who’s recently enjoyed an ’80s action movie marathon will be well aware, firing a gun is ridiculously simple. So simple, in fact, that any old monosyllabic meathead can pick up a pistol, load it with his eyes closed and hit an assailant square in the left nostril from the opposite side of the continent, even while leaping through the air and bellowing a macho catchphrase.
But, as anyone who’s had a go at shooting a pistol for real will know, the above statement is absolute nonsense. Sure, anyone can make a loud noise and put a hole in something, but those with aspirations of serious marksmanship will not only need to enlist some expert help, they’ll also be required to leave their bravado at the door.
Open since 2008, Caracal Shooting Club at the Armed Forces Officer’s Club & Hotel is currently the only place in the city for would-be sharpshooters to let off some rounds. The club exists thanks to the Caracal handgun – a service pistol produced on the outskirts of the city and used by the UAE’s security forces. As the only company in the country manufacturing firearms, Caracal opened the club in an attempt to shatter some of the myths surrounding guns, giving everyday folk the opportunity to appreciate the skill involved in the sport of shooting.
While the club is keen to increase its roster of paid-up members (of which it currently has around 200), walk-in sessions are as simple as turning up and handing over Dhs255. For this, you’ll receive a 30-minute briefing covering safety and the basic technique for firing a pistol before being set loose on one of the six 25-metre lanes with 25 rounds of ammunition. Club manager Guillaume Gerrier, who delivered our introductory talk, has been shooting for 20 years, and shares the fundamentals of his sport in a straight-to-the-point fashion. ‘Never, ever point a gun at anything you do not wish to destroy,’ he tells us,
in a tone that’s impossible to disagree with.
Class over, we step up to the lane, take aim at the 10-metre target and suddenly feel very odd. Just 35 minutes ago we were sipping coffee and mulling over the calorific fallout of a second croissant. Now we’re staring down the sights of an actual, real-life, potentially deadly firearm, with our finger gently applying pressure to the trigger. Following Guillaume’s instruction, we grip the gun tightly and squeeze the trigger extremely gently, since a sharp, jerky technique is apparently likely to throw our aim out. The key, we’re told, is to ‘allow yourself to be surprised by the bang.’
Suffice to say, as we take our first shot and the gun kicks back in our hand with an unexpected amount of force, ‘surprise’ is putting it very lightly indeed. In terms of trauma, firing a gun for the first time is as big a moment as discovering the truth about Santa Claus or losing your first tooth, and come the fifth shot the huge burst of adrenaline forces us to put the pistol down for a moment, wipe our sweaty hands on our jeans and regain our composure. You’d think we’d just had to shoot an armed robber holding a bank teller hostage, not a harmless paper target.
So, for newcomers, the noise and smoke can be a slightly unsettling experience. But worthwhile? Most definitely. Turn up expecting a bullet-spraying free-for-all and you’ll be left sorely disappointed. But for an introductory lesson in how to master and – more importantly – respect a firearm, a trip to Caracal is a far better option than re-watching Die Hard With a Vengeance.
Annual membership to Caracal Shooting Club costs Dhs4,000 (although we’d suggest negotiating). Members are free to visit as often as they like and pay Dhs50 for 25 9mm bullets, while non-members pay Dhs205 for a walk-in session with 25 bullets, plus Dhs50 for a first time safety briefing. Open Sat-Thur noon-10pm, Fri 2pm-10pm. Armed Forces Officer’s Club & Hotel, Al Maqtaa (02 441 6404).
