A Day at The Range

Last week was a big week, beginning with the Boston bombings on Monday. A horrifying event such as that impacts so many people in our country and across the world. Violence of all forms strikes our communities every day and its effects are devastating and life-changing. Last week was also a week of gun violence awareness that I had been planning since the beginning of the semester. Tuesday was the 6^th year anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre and Saturday also marked 14 years since the Columbine High School shooting. It also happened to coincide with a major vote on gun legislation in the U.S. Senate. On Wednesday, the Senate failed to pass expanded background checks, something that 90% of Americans support. The week of gun violence awareness events drew students, faculty and the community of Davidson together to learn about the issue. The events included a documentary screening on Tuesday, a petition signing and information table on Wednesday, and a lecture on Thursday by a visiting speaker.

After all of these events were over, I breathed a sigh of relief. Everything had gone smoothly and I had received many positive responses from people who had attended. Normally, I would have spent a Friday afternoon after a busy week staying in and relaxing. However, that afternoon proved to be quite exciting. In what turned out to be an especially ironic end to the week, I went to the gun range. It was something I’d been wanting to do since I started researching gun violence. I think it’s important and helpful to have had a positive experience with guns when talking about the issue.

My good friend, whom I’ve known since kindergarten, offered to take me and guide me through the process. And so, on Friday afternoon, I went to The Range at Lake Norman, excited but also pretty nervous. I was definitely outside my comfort zone. My friend had been there before, so he helped me get set up, which took probably around 30 minutes. I had to watch a 10 minute video, which basically told me to always keep the gun facing the target and to yell “Cease Fire!” if I saw any unusual behavior or needed assistance in any way. We rented our guns, a Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun chambered in .22LR for me, and a Sig Sauer semi-automatic handgun chambered in 9mm for my friend. I did try the 9mm a few times, and was shocked by the big difference in power. I hope I described those correctly, I’m still learning.

The Range at Lake Norman is a state of the art facility. Here are some of its highlights, taken from the website:

• First woman owned firearms range and store in the Carolinas
• First state of the art firearms range and store in Mecklenburg County, offering facilities that are consistent with the current state Sheriff range qualification standards
• First solar powered firearms range and store in the United States
• First state of the art firearms range and store to serve the Lake Norman area in Mecklenburg County
• First all LED lighted firing lanes in the Carolinas
• First firearms facility in the Carolinas to offer ownership opportunities for our members
• First NSSF Five Star Range in Mecklenburg County

In the moment, I felt very safe and comfortable as I concentrated on doing everything carefully and correctly. I owe much of that to my friend who taught me how to handle the gun and patiently answered all of my questions. He showed me all the basics—how to load, aim, and fire, and how to stand and hold the gun. What made me nervous throughout the process was mostly being aware of the other strangers shooting nearby in other lanes. At one point, a safety officer came into the room and abruptly approached a shooter, telling him to be more careful with his gun because he had seen him pointing it in a dangerous direction, 90 degrees from the target and towards other people.

I’m really not sure how to best describe my overall experience and how I felt shooting a gun. I learned so much in the process and am now better informed about guns, so I’m very glad I went. However, I can’t say I enjoyed the experience to the extent that I would be excited to go again. I couldn’t help but think about the destructive consequences that can result from the gun I was using. As I faced the target, it felt a little too much like I was practicing to shoot a person. All but one of the targets you can choose from at the range are in the outline of a person. My knowledge of gun violence and personal investment in the issue has definitely influenced my way of thinking about guns. Nevertheless, I am so thankful to have had the opportunity of going to the range, especially with an old friend. As I continue to understand the issue of gun violence in our country and all arguments being presented, I’ll always have this invaluable experience to remember and reflect upon.