The inside looks totally different now - a lot smaller, a lot more efficient use of space. Range 1 was down, so we had to do rifle shooting on the smaller range. Not a big deal since it was the first time for some of these guys.
I started them out with an additional refresher on safety to add to the RSO's drill. The first weapon they shot was my XDM 9mm 3.8 with 5 rounds in the magazine. Once they were comfortable shooting, with stance, grip, and loading, I moved them to 5 rounds in the .45 ACP. A couple of them were worried about the recoil based on Hollywood, but they quickly learned a .45 was easy for anyone with any strength (and no arthritis). They all got FTL practice from babying the slide when loading the XDM 45. I had to remind them a couple of times to keep fingers off the trigger, but overall they were very, very safety conscious.
I brought my XD subcompact 9, but I think I was the only one to shoot it. I believe the smaller size and the pinky offgrip (also brought a magazine with Pearce extensions) didn't appeal.
Next up was the Ruger SR-556 AR-15 platform. This was clearly the favorite. We burned through the Hornady and Remington brass, so I took the opportunity to rid myself of the rest of my Wolf. They were all impressed by the lightness of recoil. They were pretty accurate with it.
We ran out of 9mm very quickly, so the .45 became the handgun of choice. They fired that and the AR very well. In fact, one of them that had never used a firearm before (Turkish guy) shot it better than I do. (I shoot low with the .45 - something to correct.)
Seeing as they were comfortable, I brought out the S&W 642 Airweight revolver. Just two of them shot it - I think the recoil being harsh was not as much fun. They did enjoy the Crimson Trace on it. (Side note - I shoot my subcompact 9mm and Airweight better than the other guns now. Time to practice more with the XDMs!)
The only hiccup was when a cute redhead woman showed up in lane 1 next to us. She was not handling her gun safely, so it made some of us uncomfortable. She was also distracting for other reasons....
All in all, they enjoyed it, and one of them is "definitely" getting a handgun. Some of the other teams gave their manager a hard time about why my team gets to go out and do "cool stuff".
It wasn't a cheap visit - range fees and ammo add up! - but well worth it for a clear morale boost. They also understand better now the very Zen thing that appeals to me about shooting. We were the most diverse group there - a Turkish guy (don't worry, Tweaker, he didn't go hijack a plane), a black guy from NYC, a white African, an Indian guy born and raised in NYC, token white guys, and me. While the all-white base of the rest of the customers last night fit one part of the stereotype of gun owner, the RSOs and obviously wide socio-economic group shooting also opened their eyes to the "American gun owner". The "white redneck with a gun" image was quickly disproven. It also helped to have that redhead in lane 1 shooting for the guys to notice not all gun owners are the media cliché.
, next time if you get a large enough group I could help you do a whole range rental.