Airsoft Action 04 - Xmas 2011 | Page 27

REAL STEEL FAQ Would I do the course myself? Without a doubt – I have never met such a friendly, unassuming bunch of people in all my life, with a wealth of knowledge that is second to none. Will I come back with a new found respect for weapons and the dangers they hold? Absolutely. Even those who have served in the military or police can get rusty and this is a great way to brush up on those skills. eagle-eyed staff who were at my shoulder all the way down the course. I was handed the G3 and asked to make ready. I inserted the mag into the weapon and made sure everyone was ready before cocking it. I placed the butt in my shoulder, closed one eye, aimed at the target and squeezed the trigger. There is something incredibly satisfying about the thump to your shoulder as a 7 .62mm round spits out the end of a barrel! I did this 19 more times, all the while ‘fire and manoeuvring’ down the range with the instructor right behind me; when I got to the end of the mag I was grinning from ear to ear. There is nothing quite like the feeling of firing a live round and scoring a hit, no matter how many times you do it. We went on firing the rest of the weapons throughout the day, on a number of different ranges including CQB for the pistol and shotgun and firing the sniper rifle from an elevated hide at a target some distance away. I walked away not only with a smile, but with a fair bit more knowledge under my belt thanks to the very helpful instructors. The courses are set to start in May 2012 and last four days, including travel. You'll be on the ranges for around two and a half days and the course will end with a well-deserved meal (and possibly the odd drink or two) in Tallinn. I can’t wait to get back out there! ■ Will I enjoy myself? The course deals with a serious matter (let’s not forget these weapons are killing machines) but anyone that does it will come away enlightened and, like me, will be talking about it for a long time afterwards. There is nothing like this available in the UK (or anywhere else in Europe for that matter). From Basic Beginner through to Basic Plus there are a number of courses available, and there is plenty to learn and take in over a short period of time. Dave Thatcher and his team are offering the chance to get hands-on experience with live firearms, on a range used by Special Forces units from around the world, in a country just two hours flight from the UK, with some of the UK’s and Estonia’s most experienced real-world military operators. ‘Nuff said! CONTACT Warfighters: 01327 323042 WIN! WIN! LIKE TO TRY THE COURSE YOURSELF? WE'VE GOT ONE PLACE ON A LIVE FIRE TRAINING COURSE UP F0R GRABS! FLICK TO PAGE 29 FOR DETAILS! www.airsoftactionmagazine.com 027