Education and safety were top of mind during the range day held at the Lone Butte Fish and Wildlife Association's shooting range on June 7.
The range day, which was held in conjunction with several ranges around Canada as part of National Range Day, the brainchild of the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights. Grayson Klassen the president of the Lone Butte Fish and Wildlife Association, said the day is meant to allow for safe access to the shooting sports in Canada for people who have not been able to partake in it.
"It's educational and it's about awareness, and it's about people understanding that shooters and firearm owners in Canada are just regular people. We're grandfathers, we're dads, we're uncles, we're brothers," Klassen explained.
One local firearms enthusiast is Ernie Kovacs, who is a long-time member of the Lone Butte Fish and Wildlife Association. Kovacs has been shooting guns and rifles of various types since he was around 12-years-old. His favourite type of weapon is a 9mm pistol.
"I just like the way that handles. I actually shoot a Canik nine millimetre TPS - and I prefer that just the type of frame it is. And the nine millimetre - a good power, opposed to 45 or the 10 millimetre," Kovacs explained.
Nine millimetre guns are some of the many firearms that were available to try during range day. There were various types of firearm shooting disciplines showcased during range day: cowboy action shooting, rimfire shooting, trap shooting and pistol shooting. Klassen said cowboy action shooting is where people are required to wear costumes and shoot certain firearms that are period-correct to the 1800s.
"Only certain shotguns, only certain pistols, only certain rifles," Klassen said, which are usually revolvers, lever actions and shotguns.
Numerous safety measures are also in place when it comes to firearms, such as the fact there is only one shooter allowed at a time, among other precautions.
"All spectators have to stand back out of the range, and it's a one-on-one thing. We don't allow multiple shooters at the same time," Klassen stated.
In addition to the firearms, hamburgers and drinks were also served at the range for refreshments.
As for the new Mark Carney-led Liberal government, firearm owners in Lone Butte expressed a mixture of optimism and skepticism. Klassen said he is hopeful the government will look outside of what the Liberal Party has been doing so far. He noted if Carney chooses to work with law-abiding gun owners, they might be able to find a better solution to tackle the illegal use of guns.
"Most of the firearms used in Canada they come across the border, and let's face it, criminals don't obey laws," Klassen said.
Kovacs was more skeptical and said that the Liberals "seem to have their own agenda."
"It's not the law-abiding citizens that are the problem - it's the criminals," Kovacs said.
