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Historic American Firearms: Thompson Submachine Gun

Perhaps no single gun is as well associated with a single time period as the Thompson submachine gun is with the Prohibition Era. Originally developed by General John T. Thompson in the waning days of the First World War, the firearm that would go on to reach legendary status as the “Tommy Gun.” Once a popular choice for criminals and law enforcement alike, the Thompson submachine gun’s legacy continues today through its use in popular media.

Historic Beginnings

John T. Thompson was a general in the American military during World War I who saw the number of American casualties rising quickly. In an attempt to try and rectify the situation, Thompson set out to create a gun that was lightweight but could provide greater firepower to the individual soldier. The resulting firearm would become the first submachine gun in history, the perfect balance between the portability of a handgun and the firepower of a machine gun.

The Tommy Gun

Given its combination of power and maneuverability, the Thompson, affectionately known as the Tommy Gun became extremely popular during the Prohibition Era. It’s this era that is most well-known to the general public, with the Tommy Gun featuring in nearly every crime film depicting this era. Whether a classic mob film from the time, such as the 1931 classic “Little Caesar” or a modern film set in the period like 2009’s “Public Enemies,” you can almost guarantee that a Tommy Gun will make an appearance, often loaded with its signature drum magazine.

If you’re a true gun historian, you’ll definitely want to book a D-Day gun range package at the Vegas Machine Gun Experience and feel the power of the classic Thompson submachine gun for yourself.

Pistol Shooting Drills for Improved Accuracy

gun laying down with barrel pointed towards camera

Hitting your target with a pistol is considered to be more challenging than with a larger firearm. With handguns like pistols and revolvers being so popular, finding ways to improve your own shooting ability has become a focal point for many shooters. These simple pistol shooting drills will no doubt leave you in a far better position in terms of your handgun accuracy.

Dry Fire

In the world of pistol shooting drills, dry fire drills help you become most comfortable with what proper sight alignment looks like faster than any other. To perform this pistol shooting drill, the first step is to ensure that the pistol is completely unloaded. Once you are certain that the pistol is safe and unloaded, locate a spot on a wall that sits a good distance away from you. Practice pulling your pistol up, lining up the sights, and pulling the trigger. Once you learn to cycle the trigger without pulling away from your target, you’ll be on the road to consistent, reliable shooting.

Ball-and-Dummy

If your handgun of choice is a revolver, the ball-and-dummy shooting drill is the one for you. To do this, load a few rounds into the chambers, but be sure it’s only a few. Line up your shot in a safe location, and pull the trigger. What makes the ball-and-dummy so important is that it teaches shooters not to anticipate the recoil. When you’re surprised by the recoil, there’s no way for you to anticipate and over-exaggerate the action. This defensive shooting drill teaches confidence in your ability to account for your gun’s recoil without over-compensating.

Ready Up

The ready up is arguably one of the best pistol drills for accuracy you can perform with a handgun. Simple and detailed at the same time, the Ready Up is perfect for handguns, rifles, and everything in between. Unlike the dry fire drill, this pistol shooting drill requires you to load your handgun beforehand.

Keep your gun holstered, pick out a target, and then draw your weapon like you’re in a Clint Eastwood movie. The key to this drill is you want to fire your gun as soon as your front sights completely cover the target area. With its combination of speed and accuracy, the ready up drill is one of the most thorough pistol shooting drills out there.

If these pistol shooting drills have you excited, book a gun range package at the Vegas Machine Gun Experience and try them out for yourself.

Las Vegas Gun Range Firearms Spotlight: FN P90 Submachine Gun

4 individual rounds standing atop target

The FN P90 is a popular submachine gun that was originally developed at the behest of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) who were in search of a replacement for 9×19 Parabellum-based firearms. NATO’s goal was to create a new class of firearm that they deemed Personal Defense Weapons (PDW) that could be used when directly confronted by enemies. NATO’s request for PDWs eventually lead to the creation of the FN P90, a firearm still used by military and police officers in over 40 countries.

Firearms Spotlight: FN P90 Submachine Gun

When NATO asked for the development of a PDW that could replace the popular 9mm handguns and submachine guns of the time, they had a few specific requests.

First, they wanted the new cartridge to be essentially superior to the time-tested 9×19 Parabellum cartridges in nearly every way. They insisted on the new cartridge possessing greater range, accuracy, and stopping power than its 9mm counterpart. The NATO team also insisted that the new rounds be capable of piercing through body armor with ease.

Next, the NATO team sought a shoulder-fired personal firearm that would weigh less and hold more ammo than similar 9mm-based firearms. The goal was that this PDW would be the perfect mix of compact portability and powerful stopping power.

The FN P90 and its 5.7x28mm cartridges not only met these requirements, but succeeded expectations immensely.

Hollywood Submachine Gun

Aside from being a popular selection at our Las Vegas gun range, the FN P90 SMG has proved to be a reliable choice for Hollywood directors. The gun’s unique design allows it to stand out from the crowd and for hardcore gun enthusiasts to spot it instantly. Some films that have featured the FN P90 are:

Tomorrow Never Dies
Equilibrium
Rush Hour 3
White House Down
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

Gaming Superstar

The FN P90 SMG will no doubt resonate with fans of video games, specifically, first-person shooters, having been featured in countless games in the genre. A few of the most popular video games that understand just how amazing the FN P90 truly is are:

GoldenEye 007
Counter-Strike
Far Cry
Rainbow Six: Vegas
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

If you’re ready to give this awesome submachine gun a go for yourself, book a gun range package at the Vegas Machine Gun Experience.

Shooting Fundamentals: Optimizing Trigger Control

In regards to most things in life, the fundamentals are among the first things you learn for a reason. Fundamentals may appear obvious at first, but mastering them may take a good amount of time and discipline. When it comes to shooting fundamentals, learning trigger control plays a key role in your ability to hit your mark consistently.

Proper Trigger Discipline

By definition, trigger control refers to the shooter’s ability to manipulate the trigger on a firearm. Contrary to popular belief, this process is far more complex than merely pointing your gun and squeezing a trigger.

Manipulating the Trigger

The first thing you need to understand about trigger control is that you never truly “squeeze” the trigger. Instead, you should press the trigger towards the back of the firearm. Your focus should be on allowing the trigger to rest between the tip of your index finger and the first joint for the optimal amount of control.

When manipulating the trigger, the most important characteristics of trigger control are speed and motion. Each pull of the trigger should be smooth and consistent, allowing you to catch a sort of rhythm with your shots. Without a smooth follow-through with your shot, the impact of the round you shoot could be affected, effectively wasting the precious time you spent aiming and lining up your shot.

Trigger Control Training

If you’re looking for a great place to practice your trigger control exercises, you’ll love the selection of different firearms available for you to shoot at the Vegas Machine Gun Experience. Book a gun range package and work your trigger finger today.

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

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

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

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.