What I Learned at the Shooting Range

W illiam F. Buckley Jr. did many things for the conservative movement, one of which was to infuse it with culture. He challenged us as conservatives to pursue life beyond only politics — a spirited pursuit of art, music, sport, leisure, entertainment, and engagement with society. It was this versatility — in a conservative fashion — that brought many Americans apathetic about politics to National Review’s readership and helped make him a celebrity with wide appeal. “Conservatism can be fun,” read Time magazine’s famous cover with Buckley’s caricature, capturing what he sought.

I’ve tried to follow his lead, and that includes in responsibly exercising the right to bear arms. As Congress weighs new restrictions in response to the actions of violent criminals, it is worth recalling — for some, discovering — the way the overwhelming majority of American gun enthusiasts interact with firearms: safely, legally, and as a cultural pursuit. It can, dare we say, even be fun.

I decided last Friday night to enjoy myself in this way, at a gun range. I was accompanied by my fellow intern Charles Hilu. Our trip took us to Jersey, by necessity. In New York State, the use of a handgun in any capacity is banned without a license, which can take up to two years to obtain. Only the criminals, it seems, are exempt from this rule — a loophole held open by DA Alvin Bragg. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton was right: Relatively speaking, “everything is legal in New Jersey.” Hence, we crossed the Hudson to visit the Long Shot Pistol and Rifle Range in Secaucus, N.J.

We had our pick of weapons: Glocks, Rugers, and Colt .45s among other pistols; .44 Magnum hand-cannon revolvers à la Dirty Harry; and the famous rifles of our time, the Kalashnikov AK-47 and ArmaLite AR-15. Choosing the Beretta 92FS pistol (the U.S. Army standard issue) and the AK, we fired several boxes of rounds at target posters down range. Our targets included pictures of Osama bin Laden, Darth Vader, the Punisher, assailants holding hostages in danger, and other creative (some scandalous) images pinned up many yards away. The instructor, a former Marine, Mike Pierce, trained us on how to handle these weapons, on the spot. The whole affair was seamless and safe.

There was more to be gained than leisure, though. Visiting a gun range, as I realized, helps one better understand the gun debate that has long racked this country. In the act of firing guns, one comes to realize how safe they can be when handled properly, and how strict the regime for their control already is. The range’s strict rules, the guns’ safety mechanisms, and the shooting etiquette we were taught reduced feelings of risk to almost nothing. Hearing from range hands about the ever-growing regulations on purchasing a firearm made me think I was in Canada and not New Jersey. Federal “gun control” already exists in some form for the vast majority of Americans. My experience at the range made those who suggest increasing those restrictions, banning certain weapons, or abolishing the Second Amendment in its entirety seem even more tone-deaf than before.

Admittedly, in firing a gun, one comes to understand the passion that millions of Americans have for them — the way they feel in the hand, the intricate techniques of use, and the startling booms and kickbacks. Firing a gun takes a certain amount of skill. Mastery of that skill, or the pursuit of it, is empowering, in that one feels grounded, focused, secure. It’s no wonder that Americans feel so strongly about their weapons. I noticed this passion in our veteran instructor as well as in his colleagues, whose enthused diligence on the range was admirable.

Young conservatives and those of other persuasions would do themselves well to visit a gun range and try firing weapons if they haven’t. With time, they may develop a style of shooting and taste for the guns they prefer, as well as for the activity itself. In fact, it’s an activity and a skill that should be reframed as of general interest. It also makes for an enjoyable outing with friends and/or colleagues.

Whereas one motivation is enjoyment, the other is to learn in practice what we defend in principle — i.e., the Second Amendment — beyond the abstractions of “gun laws,” judicial rulings, regulations, slogans, and petty politics. Using a gun helps one understand what the right to bear arms means to American life and its philosophic value, as well as how safe legal use of firearms can be. Range shooting, if anything, is civic education. It’s also an act of protest. As Democratic states seek to arbitrarily restrict the use of weapons, going to a range is a firm yet peaceful affirmation of those rights now under strain.

Civil gun use has long been a part of America’s national character. More people should head to the local shooting range to enjoy this right and gain a greater sense of its meaning.