As someone with an interest in true crime as well as working in news, I appreciate the licencing and safety laws we have in Australia around firearms. I have never thought about shooting a gun either, it has never really been on my radar.

But, when Craig Bates from the Muswellbrook Pistol Club offered to have me visit one of the club days recently so I could have a go I was faced with the opportunity to do something I never thought about.

Muswellbrook Pistol Club has called the old Drayton cricket grounds home for the last ten years, but the club formed over 30 years ago when a group of likeminded locals wanted to have somewhere safe to practice target shooting.

They currently have a 10-meter indoor range for air pistol shooting, and one operational 25-meter range. A few years ago they lost use of their 100-meter range due to safety requirements. Getting it back is still something the committee hope to one day achieve but it will take a substantial financial investment to complete the required work.

A recent grant from the NSW Government Safe Shooting Program will allow them to bring two other ranges back online, which will include the return of turning targets, as they are brought back to No Danger Range status. The Club is also grateful for the support they received from Drayton before its closure, and from current landowners Malabar Resources.

Most members shoot recreationally and for the social element of the club days, but there are some who challenge themselves with competitions. Prior to the closure of the 100-meter range the Muswellbrook club was proud to have members who were on state and national teams.

Club days start with some rounds in the indoor range where I held a gun for the first time. My first couple of rounds were nothing flash, but by the fourth round I managed to get some shots in the centre rings and my final two rounds saw every shot score.

In the outdoor range the .22 calibre and centrefire pistols come out, I was lucky enough to have a go at both with Craig by my side. No doubt with a bit of beginners luck I managed to get most of my .22 rounds on the cardboard of the target, but not all of them scored and most were only one or two points – it’s not easy to be like the cowboys you see in movies!

When offered the chance to shoot a centrefire pistol I didn’t even know what that meant, but it turns out it means a big bang and a bit more kickback when you pull the trigger. Of my eight shots, only four got on the target but I am pretty chuffed with that effort.

On the range safety is the top priority, but having a good time is a very close second. From having a joke about not putting someone’s scores on the sheet because they were better than the scribes, to couples deciding who cooks dinner based on who gets the better shot, there is a healthy dose of light-hearted sledging.

As I reflect on my time at the Muswellbrook range, I ask myself if I could see myself doing it again. I had a great morning out there, with some very genuine people and doing something that is mostly about improving on your own results, which I like.

So, I definitely wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to have another shot – pun absolutely intended.