I thought a review of a shooting range would make a great addition to the Culture section of the Farangbowl with a view to leaning toward gun culture. Having previously visited the Phuket Shooting Range with my father many years ago, I thought it would be a good place to start.
“I learned to shoot at this range”.
Khun Rory – Gun instructor at the Phuket Shooting Range.
The new owners informed me that the previous owner Khun ‘Ko Noi’ that had instructed my father and I some time ago had very sadly passed away. It appeared that his family had taken over and as far as the range was concerned it was business as usual. I did find it very warming to see that a life size brass figurine statue of the previous owner had been respectfully created and that it was positioned right in the centre of the entrance to the range.
The new owners kindly agreed to allow the Bowl to review the range, look at the selection of projectiles available and get some professional instruction.
Instructor Khun Rory was my teacher for the day and I must add that he had a reassuring and calming energy about him that eased my nerves about what the day had install. When I asked him if he was ex-army or police he said no “I learned to shoot at this range”.
Following a brief introduction, we got to it and had a look at the guns the range has available from rifles, semi-automatic assault rifles to hand gun pistols.
There’s even bow and arrows for those of you fancy being Robin Hood for the afternoon.
I decided to select a revolver and a semi-automatic pistol and went with a six shot Smith & Wesson revolver and a Glock 17 semi-automatic. Khun Rory did show me the infamous Colt .45, however, I had fired this before and wasn’t particularly impressed.
The Glock 17 is a popular gun and the reason for this is that it is light which makes it easier to hold, aim and shoot with accurately.
So, when the zombie apocalypse draws near and you find yourself in an armory with a choice to make, go with the Glock 17. (Where are you going with this James, anyway, back to the article.)
At the range I was given a safety-first tutorial with key points to remember being when holding the gun to keep your trigger finger away from the trigger and run it alongside the body; always aim away from people and toward the range targets; keep your protective eye and ear wear on at all times.
We started with the Smith & Wesson .38 six shot revolver and as I bought 10 bullets per gun, we loaded up five at a time. The paper target was sent out to 12 yards away and I fired all five bullets. The recoil was bold and the weight of the gun made it hard to aim. That being said, I got all five in the black although they were a bit high. In a bid to correct this the second round of five bullets were too low, but they all landed in the black rings of the target which means points if you were competing.
Next up was the Glock 17 and it felt like my hands had signed a peace treaty with gravity it was so much lighter to hold. Again, the first five bullets went into a magazine this time and I was good to go. The 17 being a semi-auto meant you just had to pull the top of the gun once to load it once and then you pull the trigger until its empty. My first shot was out of the black and this was because I pulled and didn’t squeeze. The rest landed well, and I felt like I was dialing into the gun and getting in the zone.
For fun, Khun Rory suggested we fire the final five shots in the field range where you can shoot metal plate targets that fall when hit. They range from various sizes with the smallest (table plate size) being the most difficult. I fired at the largest (human size) targets first and hit the first three. Feeling bullish and up to my armpits with confidence I went for broke and hit the remaining two small targets and landed them both. The feeling when you pull this off is superb and I highly recommend everyone who likes to shoot to give this type of range a go.
Thank you to Khun Rory for allowing the Farangbowl to visit and film guns lessons at the Phuket Shooting Range. I’m pleased he trusted me and wasn’t scared for his life. It was a real comfort to know that you are in safe hands being taught properly by professionals.
Company details
Phuket Shooting Range
Instructor: Khun Rory
Address: Moo 4, 82/83 Patak rd, Rawai, Phuket
Call: 076 381 668
Website: http://phuketshooting.com
Google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/VdxLsPP9P2tNv9yj6
If you want to watch the filmed episode that supports this article then please go to the Farangbowl YouTube Channel or watch it in the media browser on this page below.
James Alexander
