Improving Shotgun Accuracy

shotguns lined up next to one another along a wall

Shooting a shotgun remains one of the most popular activities seen at many Clark County shooting parks and Las Vegas gun clubs. Shotguns are fantastic. They’re fun to shoot and the spread makes it easier to hit your mark. Still, you need to have some grasp on what you’re doing when you aim your shotgun, and we’re here to help you with that. These are some basic shotgun shooting tips that will make sure you are hitting your mark consistently.

How to Shoot a Shotgun for Beginners

Start at the Bottom

The basics of shotgun accuracy are similar the basics of shooting any type of gun, and it starts at the bottom. Your feet and the way you stand will provide you with the base of your shooting, and you’ll want to be sure to do so properly. Stand strong with one leg placed slightly ahead of you with a slight bend. Rest the majority of your weight on your front foot and be sure to point your toe towards your target.

Shoulder Placement

Finding the perfect placement of a shotgun against your shoulder doesn’t need to be a struggle, but it is a key part of consistent shotgun accuracy. In fact, it’s actually a straightforward process that you’ll always remember once you learn it. If you raise your arm up, you can feel a slight pocket that is shaped perfectly for the butt of the shotgun.

End at the Top

The last thing to do before squeezing that trigger on your shotgun is to make sure your cheek is placing the proper amount of pressure on the gun. Adding too much pressure or not enough can have a negative effect on your aim. The best thing to do is to focus on making sure you hit the same spot with your face every time and make sure to keep the pressure sturdy, not loose.

If you’re looking for a great place to practice shooting a shotgun come down to the Vegas Machine Gun Experience. Our Clark County shooting complex prices are the best in town so book a gun range package today.

Nevada 2016 Ballot: Vote No on Question 1

no symbol

Much like the rest of the country, Nevada residents will have a slew of important decisions to make come election day. At the top of the list is Question 1, which represents yet another ignorant attempt to increase gun safety by taking guns out of the hands of law-abiding gun owners. This is one of the most restrictive gun control measures ever seen in Nevada and if passed, would make any transfer of a firearm subject to federal records. Under the guise of gun safety, Question 1 will subject every gun owner to increased regulations while doing nothing to reduce crime.

The Truth about Question 1

Doesn’t Affect Criminals

The worst part about Question 1 that Nevada residents need to understand is that this will do next to nothing when it comes to stopping criminals from obtaining guns. By their very nature, criminals don’t obey laws and Question 1 does nothing to address the problem of making them do so. Criminals will continue to illegally obtain guns whether or no Question 1 passes.

Criminalizes Law Abiding Gun Owners

While Question 1 won’t do anything to stop criminals from obtaining guns, it will do a great job of criminalizing law-abiding gun owners. If Question 1 passes, loaning a firearm to a friend or family member would make you a criminal.

Question 1 is NOT about Gun Safety

The biggest problem with Question 1 is that it does absolutely nothing to address the larger issues at hand such as the current broken mental health system. Aside from this, these “universal” background checks that Question 1 insists on, it is unenforceable without full gun registration and not a proper gun safety test.

Question 1 is the wrong way to approach gun safety. It’s the wrong way to address the real problem at hand, and it’s wrong for Nevada. Get to the polls and Vote NO on Question 1.

Accounting for Sight Offset

man aiming rifle in forest standing next to two young boys

One of the most important things to do before you take any gun out to shoot is inspect and familiarize yourself with it. Each gun is different and has its own unique properties that set them apart from one another and learning to operate each one safely should be one of your top priorities. Another factor that is important to account for in a gun before you start shooting is its mechanical offset, also known as sight offset.

What is Sight Offset?

Mechanical offset refers to the distance between the center bore of the gun’s barrel and the sights or optics you use to aim. This distance is different based on the type of firearm that you are using. With rifles, the sight offset usually sits around one to three inches whereas handguns stay at fractions of an inch.

Why Does Sight Offset Matter?

Sight offset comes into play most often when shooting from behind cover or with an object as a base. This is because with the sight offset, a scope may be clear of the object, but the bore-axis isn’t. This means that you may have a clear line of sight with your target, but with the bore-axis still behind an object, you would still be shooting at a wall.

Accounting for Sight Offset

Before you start shooting, take a good look at your gun and become familiar with its own mechanical offset. Practice in an open shooting range to get a feel for how your particular gun operates.

If you’re looking for a great place to practice shooting a wide variety of guns with all different types of mechanical offset, book one of our gun range packages at the Vegas Machine Gun Experience.

The Real Effects of Silencers on Shooting

closeup image of a ruger suppressor

A gun suppressor is one of the most popular gun accessories found at shooting ranges as well as Hollywood. As popular as silencers are, it’s amazing to note that so much of what a suppressor does is misunderstood by the general public and even many avid shooters. From sound and muzzle flare reduction to bullet speed, here are the real effects of suppressors on shooting.

The Real Effects of Suppressors

The Impossibility of Silence

The most common understanding of a suppressor is that they are capable of magically making a gun shoot silently. We hate to break it to you, but there’s no way to completely silence a gun. The very definition of a suppressor is that it suppresses the gun; the oft-used term, silencer, is nothing more than a misnomer.

A suppressor does indeed reduce the amount of sound that a gun gives off when fired, but perhaps, more importantly, is the reduction in muzzle flare. A pistol suppressor is more effective at reducing sound than a rifle suppressor since pistols are quieter than rifles to begin with.

Effects on Accuracy and PrecisionA high-quality suppressor does more than reduce sound; it can make you a more accurate shooter. For many years, it was believed that suppressors had a negative effect on accuracy, due to the extended muzzle slowing down the bullet’s velocity.

This reduction in bullet velocity is simply something you don’t need to worry about anymore. Suppressor and bullet technology have improved over the years and the velocity reduction, if present at all, is negligible at best.

Come down to the Vegas Machine Gun Experience and book a gun package with us today.

Gun Range Firearms Spotlight: M249 SAW

M249 SAW machine gun rounds

The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, commonly referred to as the SAW, is the light machine gun of choice for the U.S. Armed Forces. After the SAW’s initial introduction in 1984, it has seen action in every major conflict that the U.S. has been involved with since the 1989 Invasion of Panama. With its combination of portability and firepower, the M249 SAW is a popular choice in the field and at our Las Vegas gun range.

Firearms Spotlight: M249 SAW Machine Gun

The M249 SAW has many characteristics that make it the ideal addition to both the U.S. Armed Forces and our Clark County gun range. The SAW can be loaded with a 30 round magazine but is most often used with belt-fed ammunition for maximum firepower.

Movie Star Machine Gun

The SAW is not only a popular machine gun at our Las Vegas indoor gun range but also in Hollywood. Directors often choose the SAW based on the fact that it allows a single shooter to output tons of rounds. Some films that the SAW has appeared in are:

  • Jarhead (2005)
  • 28 Weeks Later (2007)
  • G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)
  • Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
  • Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Gamer’s Delight

The popularity of the M249 SAW has extended to the virtual world, as it has become a common addition to many first-person shooter games. Some of the most popular games that feature the M249 SAW as a playable firearm are:

  • Counter-Strike: Source (2004)
  • Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006)
  • Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
  • Battlefield 3 (2011)

If you’re coming down to our Las Vegas gun range for a bachelor party or just another day at the shooting range, come down to the Vegas Machine Gun Experience. Book one of our gun range packages and experience the M249 SAW for yourself.

Historic American Firearms: Muskets

A closeup picture of the trigger and flintlock mechanism on a musket.

The history of guns in America has a timeline as rich and diverse as the country itself. At the heart of this history, is the flintlock musket from the 17th and 18th century. The musket is an early, shoulder-fired firearm that became one of the most famous guns in American history due to its heavy usage during the 1800s. Let’s take a look back at one of the most historic American firearms that helped it turn into the great nation it is today: the musket.

A Truly Historic American Firearm

As far as the evolution of guns goes, the musket that many people recognize for its use during the American Revolutionary War traces its roots back to the European arquebus from the 1400s. As with many early firearms, the arquebus had its shortcomings, namely that it didn’t pack the type of power that an infantry unit was in need of. The arquebus was eventually developed into the musket, which started out large and cumbersome but eventually became lighter and maneuverable, effectively replacing the arquebus.

Charleville Musket

The gun many people picture when they hear the term musket is the Charleville. This .69 caliber flintlock musket was imported in large numbers from France during the American Revolutionary War and served as the backbone of America’s first infantry units. The Charleville muskets were lighter and easier to carry than previous models, but still retained the power that made them such popular guns both on the battlefield and as target shooting guns.

Ammunition: Musket Balls

One of the muskets most well-known characteristics lies in its signature form of ammunition, the musket ball. These musket balls were simply round balls of lead that were loaded into the musket through its muzzle. Given the simplicity of the musket’s design, however, numerous types of ammunition could be loaded and discharged from the firearm.

If you’re wondering to yourself, “Where can I learn how to shoot a gun in Las Vegas?” or “Where is a target shooting range near me?” wonder no more. Book a gun range package at the Vegas Machine Gun Experience and shoot some truly amazing firearms and maybe even learn some cool new target shooting range games.

Shooting a Sniper Rifle at a Las Vegas Indoor Gun Range

Have you ever seen a trained shooter hit a target thousands of yards in the distance? Shooters often make these impressive shots with a sniper rifle. By following these simple shooting tips, you can improve your sniper shot inside our Las Vegas indoor gun range.

Sniper Rifle Shooting at an Indoor Shooting Range in Las Vegas

Watch, Observe, and Collect Information

One of the most important rules military snipers live by is never to waste a single shot. People often assume this means hitting your mark on every shot, and this is, of course, the ideal situation. However, much like anything else in life, you can learn a lot when you miss your mark too.

Observe your shots every time you squeeze the trigger and take note of how your firearm performs under the current conditions. See where your shot landed, and for your next shot, make adjustments accordingly.

Squeeze Between Breaths

When it comes to the art of precision shooting, something as simple as your breath can have a dramatic effect on how your shot reacts. Take slow, deep breaths and take note of the time spent between breaths. Most people have a solid one to three-second window between breaths. You want to shoot during this window.

Proper Recoil

Depending on the caliber of rounds you’re working with, your sniper rifle will kick in different ways. The recoil of the gun should go straight back into you, and the scope should ideally land back in place. When you get your recoil going like this, you know you’re doing something right.

You might be hitting long distances at a Las Vegas outdoor gun range, but you still won’t get an experience like ours. Book a gun range package and discover the Vegas Machine Gun Experience on your next trip to Sin City.

Precision vs Accuracy at a Las Vegas Gun Range

aiming at a target

Precision and accuracy are two of the most common incorrectly used terms in all of shooting. For most people, accuracy and precision are a pair of terms that refer to the same thing, but these people would be sadly mistaken. While they are quite similar, precision and accuracy, when used in a Las Vegas gun range, refer to two different things.

Precision vs. Accuracy

Precision: How Well Can Your Gun Shoot?

When it comes to shooting at a Las Vegas indoor gun range, the term precision refers specifically to how consistently a firearm can shoot multiple rounds within the same target area. Your own skill as a shooter plays a role here, but precision is based on the firearm’s mechanical ability to function properly and on a consistent basis. If you’re aiming properly, but the gun is malfunctioning, this is more about the firearm’s precision, not the shooter’s accuracy.

Accuracy: How Well Can You Shoot?

In contrast to precision, the term accuracy, when used at an indoor or outdoor Las Vegas gun range refers more to the shooter’s ability than the gun’s own mechanical capabilities. This means that shooting accurately is dependent purely on a shooter’s ability to control their firearm and hit their mark. To better improve your own shooting accuracy, practice hitting the same mark consistently, regardless of whether you’re hitting the bullseye or not.

Whether you’re visiting our Las Vegas gun range for your bachelor party or just for a weekend getaway, this is one experience you won’t soon forget. Take a look at our shooting packages and pick out the best one for you.