The drive took us abot 45 minutes out of Phnom Penh down some dirt roads and behind an actual army base. The driver got a little turned around on the way there (I think it was his first time) but in the end we arrived ready to go.
There are several such places all around Southeast Asia. As you can imagine the rules around the use of guns are a little lax in these countries so there is a lot to choose from as a weapon. There is actually a full on menu to look through when you get to these places. You flip through it like you are looking for a burger and you can even get a few beers if you get thirsty. Most of the guns are older, being what the Cambodian army is no longer using, and some were pretty badass. Some of the choices included M60 machine guns, anti-aircraft guns, one small hand gun, AK47's, M16, grenades, and a rocket launcher. Thats right, if you want to pay $400 US you can fire off a RPG into a hillside. It sounded like a really great idea but Christina had already been shopping and our budget was all gone. The grenades were about $50 US to throw. You are not allowed to watch it explode though, you have to duck behind a wall and just hear it explode... more on ducks later on. I forget what the AA gun costs.
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| This little guy really liked the automatic weapons. |
I decided not to blow more than $100 on this litte adventure so I picked the AK47 with about 25 rounds, and a scope equiped Ruger rifle with 15. Max went with the AK, a hand gun, and M60, Martijn stuck with just the AK. This kind of stuff is pretty much tourist only so just firing those 2 guns alone was about $85. Apparently they were out of paper targets, what a coincidence, but we could shoot at 5 coconuts for the bargin price of only $5 more. Its a lot easier to swallow when you know its a scam going into it ;).
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| I see you coconuts. |
I pictured a big open range with a pile of dirt or a few trees to shoot at but it was actually indoors with a pile of dirt at the end of a long tunnel, but now with coconuts!
Hunting rifles are loud, and have a fair amout of kick back, I knew this going in. The AK47 is not quite as loud and with a bit less kickback - one bullet at at time - but that is boring. I started taking the coconuts out in single fire mode and soon switched to full auto. With 25 rounds and the gun resting in a cradle that made me fell like a bit of a sissy it was really hard to go all Rambo on the coconuts. I can say it was worth the money though as this is definitely something you could never do in Canada. After the high of the AK47 I used the Ruger. Anyone that knows guns (not me) would have been able to correct me on this choice before I made it. It was little better than a pellet gun and no coconuts exploded when hit. I was under the impression it would have been higher power and more of a single shot high caliber sniper rifle. To be honest I don't even know why they would offer it.
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| AK47's are loud and way more fun in full auto mode. |
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| Not one of my best life choices. |
After I had finished off the rounds in the Ruger I got to watch Max use the M60. Max had to lie down to use this gun and the bullets fed into the side on a belt. It was by far a better choice than the Ruger for pure enjoyment. The only problem was that it was full auto only and if you did not hit the coconut exactly you hit the dirt and it the targets became invisible, concealed by the amount of dust that was kicked up. After the M60 Max shot the hand gun and was, as you would assume, let down by the hand gun (I don't even remeber the type). The guide actually told us to take off the ear protection while Max was shooting the hand gun as it would not make a difference.
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| Martjn vs. coconuts. |
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| Max' shooting position. |
I think Martijn wished he did a second gun (I should have done a third) but thats how it goes on out here. Martijn was travelling until he ran out of money, so sacrifices had to be made. Max was heading back home in the next 2-3 weeks so he had a bit more of a surplus, and I had to support a baggy pant and bracelet habbit.
So ducks - before heading out to the range in Cambodia Richard and Howard (friends from the Stray group) had already finished blowing things up, literally. I'm not 100% sure where they did it but Richard fired off a machine gun at some trees and then paid extra to lob a grenade at 2 ducks. I'm not a big fan of this but to each their own. The best part about that is that with the Duck and Grenade package Rich got a bracelet that said 'Quack Quack Boom'. Side note that bracelets are like the honor badges of the backpacker circuit, the more you have the more you have done. Howard was with him and decided to go for the big gun and shoot the rocket launcher at a hillside. If Howard wanted to he could have paid for the RPG and Cow package, I don't know what the braclet would have said. It really goes to show that if you have the money in some places you can pretty much do anything you want. Not to mention the attitude of Southeast Asia. Animals are for eating, all of them (not an exaggeration). So they are all going to die at some point or another. Usually for food but if you pay for it you get to do what you want with it. There are also rumours of having access to more questionable targets for shooting, if you pay for them.
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| My brief time in the Dutch Army |
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Wow, this is crazy! Glad you had a good time trying to shoot up coconuts!! xo
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