Shooting Guns with Namside Tactical Services

Last month, I organized a day at the shooting range. The owner, Uys Prinsloo (pronounced Ace), is a true blooded, hard core Namibian and owns a company called Namside Tactical Services. They offer a large round of services: target practice, shooting under fire, shooting while injured, trauma first aid, combat training, etc. He also owns a cattle farm, runs a very busy anti-poaching organization, and does volunteer work teaching self-defense for the various forms of communities, tribes, and incomes around the city. He's the kind of guy who has been around guns his entire life as he grew up hunting in the bush with his father. 

The opportunity to visit a shooting range was a big deal, because in Namibia, shooting ranges require that visitors are licensed with their own firearms. I learned this when I started making phone calls, asking if there was any sort of a Shooting 101 opportunity. They all said "yes, but..." 

Even getting a firearm into the country requires permission, paperwork, and patience. Buying one locally requires a lot more. Uys offered us the opportunity to use his company's firearms, so I accepted with obvious enthusiasm. For me, it was a unique opportunity to fulfill my son's gun roleplaying aspirations and my daughter's natural curiosity try something new. Mark was happy to tag along, since he hadn't practiced shooting in over 25 years. The only time I ever shot a gun was 14 years ago at my best friend's wedding. Yes, her wedding. As a parent, I want to educate and protect my kids, especially if it is over things I am nervous about. Like, guns. (And snakes and spiders.)

A group of us went on this venture: 11 adults, and 7 kids, all with varying degrees of firearms experience. After a safety discussion and demo, the adults would lay hands on a James Bond pistol, a Mark Wahlberg laser guided carbine, and a Tomb Raider-like shotgun. The top five shooters were then "gifted" the opportunity to shoot a Dirty Harry. The sheen of Dirty Harry's metal gave me the heebie-jeebies. This gun meant business on no uncertain terms and the recoil was so so powerful. Everyone's arms flew high into the air after each shot. I technically didn't score high enough to try it, but Uys offered more than a few times. After the first three, though, my curiosity was sated. Shooting has never been my thing, so when I did hit a clay target, I jumped up hooting for joy. It was enough movement that the instructor promptly removed the gun from my sweaty grasp and ordered me off the field. I was okay with that. 

Once the adults were done playing, the kids got to practice shooting cans with an air rifle. A few of them used their impressive gaming skills and shot quite successfully, and not all of them boys. It was pretty awesome. Both of my kids got bored after the first round and opted to run around on the mountains instead. After the firearms were secured, we then brought out the beers and braai meat to close out the day. 

I made trophies for the winners: Best Shot, Best Worst Shot, and Best Kid Shot. This was without a doubt, the best part of the whole event. I know that makes me sound like a crafting nerd, but I rarely have a low-cost inspiration crafting idea, and the trophies cost me zero dollars, so I was too excited to hand them over with regal circumstance.

The other day, I ran into one of the instructors. Mario couldn't but help to share the good news: after months and months of paper trail, he finally purchased "the gun of his dreams." He showed me a slide show of it on his phone, he was so proud. "Here's my gun getting delivered! Here it is again on the table. This one is of me, of course, holding the gun. And here it is at another angle..." he said,  reminiscing.  Mario begged me to do another event with Namside so we could all have a go at his newest baby. The people who run this company are so infectious, and serious, and excited about they do, it would be hard to say no. Even if guns are about the last thing on earth that I would ever be into.

Uys is all smiles whenever he's out here. 

The black dots were where we missed.

Dirty Harry

Part of the combat training course.
The kids were desperate to shoot the car.

Prizes to be had. All you have to do: be the best or worst.