Fully-Automatic

What a great way to ring in my 26th birthday! Today I fired off a few bullets on an MP5, a 9 mm submachine gun made by German manufacturer Heckler & Koch. We were out at a large gun shop on a shoot, and this is the owner's personal piece of weaponry. He told us that he bought it for $8,000 back in 2001 and it is now worth $20,000 since it is no longer being made. The main component dates to 1986.
The MP (Maschinenpistole) is the most popular post-war submachine gun. It is used by a multitude of special forces, police and army units. It's a favorite due to its compact size, stopping power, and reliability. More notable users include the United States Navy SEALs, special forces, the German GSG9 group and the British SAS special forces.

So our crew donned protective eye wear and headsets and walked into the shooting range. I'd never held a gun before, let alone fired one. This MP5 wasn't terribly heavy. The store owner gave me an extremely brief tutorial including the advice on leaning the machine gun into my shoulder. I did that. This model has a laser which made aiming much easier.


I expected the blast to knock me down backwards, but the recoil was much less than I thought it would be. The gun had a suppressor on the end to reduce firing noise. Much more pleasant! I tried it out on both single shot and the fully automatic mode.

Believe it or not, I found this activity very enjoyable. I've heard that going to a firing range can release tension and stress, and I never bought that. But it was actually true. When the photographer and I left the store, we both agreed that we felt happier than when we walked in. The store offers a Concealed Weapon or Firearm License class. Perhaps that's something to look into.

Really, as a woman, I do believe in the right to my own protection and self preservation. Of course, the Second Amendment gives individuals the right to keep and bear arms which is something I really don't support taking away from citizens.


The smile on my face looks a little creepy, considering the fact that I'm gripping a machine gun, doesn't it?

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