Kalashnikov AK-47 Thrills in Wroclaw, Poland
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If you’ve always fancied your chances as a hired assassin then you can test your skills at the shooting range in Wroclaw Poland.
Brought up on a diet of spy thrillers, there’s a secret thrill about turning up at the former Herman Goering Stadium just outside the city of Wroclaw. The shooting range was used in German times before the war, and now it’s the venue for a special sort of stag activity, organised by Active Poland. You get the chance to try a Glock 17 pistol, (15 bullets) a pump action shot gun, (5 cartridges) and a hi-tech Kalashnikov AK-47, (10 bullets). It’s surprisingly easy but the targets are not moving and you have all the time in the world to pull the trigger.
Koli, the instructor, is a cool ex-military dude who certainly looks the part in his wrap-around shades – you wouldn’t want to cross him. In a cool and calm detached manner he introduces all the weapons and goes through basic safety procedure. It’s straight forward – don’t point your gun at anybody and don’t get carried away taking photographs and walk around in front of anyone else’s weapon. He issues ear defenders and safety glasses and we’re off.
I start with the Glock 17 pistol, popularised by agent Jack Bauer in the TV series 24. I have to practise holding it with both hands, extending my arms and lining up the red dot with the green. I have to say I’m not the world’s best shot and my first few rounds do nothing more than emasculate the target. I’m told I’m pulling the trigger too quickly, and once I get the hang of slowly squeezing it, I begin to make each shot count.
Next up is the AK-47. It’s too heavy for a beginner to balance successfully, so it rests on a supporting platform which you hold steady with both feet. Now we’re into high technology and the hired assassin in me comes to life as I line up the red laser dot in the telescopic sight. This is a semi-automatic weapon so you must keep your finger squeezed on the trigger for a few seconds, so the recoil doesn’t cause a random shot. I take my time and each of my ten shots gets the bull’s eye, well almost...
Finally it’s the pump action shot gun. Here you have to knock down metal targets, five of them lined up in a row. It’s a bit of an anti-climax after the Kalashnikov but still great fun – and I get five out of five. Mind you, I think with a shot gun, so long as you’re pointed in the right general direction, you’d have the same success. Perhaps he leaves this one to last for all the people who didn’t manage to hit the target with the first two guns?
Although there’s something slightly politically incorrect about the whole operation, the great fun here is seeing how well your partners do and trying to better them. It really is a test of steadiness of hand and eye and certainly not something you should try with a massive hangover. I would say keep off the vodka until the shooting’s over then you’ll have something to celebrate.
For more information on Wroclaw or Poland in general, please contact:
Polish National Tourist Office
Tel. +44 (0) 20 8991 7073
Tel. +44 (0) 300 303 1813
Fax +44 (0) 300 303 1814
agnieszka.bigaj@poland.travel
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