# Canuck dopers and others where handguns are restricted - Ever shot a handgun? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 9, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056 "2011-03-09T15:35:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![medicated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@medicated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medicated)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/41 "2011-03-10T00:23:30Z")
As a Boy Scout in Regina back in the 80s, we went several times to the RCMP range and were shown what’s what by their instructors. So, yes. Thinking back on it, that’s very strange. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/42 "2011-03-10T00:27:59Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > Yep everything from a target .22 to a 44. At a range under supervision. > > Have done most other things as well except an UZI. What country? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/43 "2011-03-10T00:57:17Z")
Another farm boy so have experience with fairly standard rifles and shot guns. Also did cadets at boarding school so there was range practice periodically. Never had any claim as a marksman or even a good shot Only fired a handgun once in a introduction at the university pistol club. What did I think? Well I aimed, pulled the trigger and there was a hole in outer of the target. Underwhelmed. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/44 "2011-03-10T01:27:06Z")
I don’t know about the terminology, but I shot smallish guns and rifles as a child (in cadets at school and while holidaying on relatives’ properties). I actually scored reasonably well on the rifle range. > [@penultima thule](#): > > What did I think?.. > Underwhelmed. My sentiments exactly. ---
**Author:** ![longPath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@longPath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longPath)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/45 "2011-03-10T01:53:16Z")
Another Canadian checking in. I applied for and received a restricted weapons permit for a .45 cal black powder handgun. I bought it in kit form and have yet to finish it. It’s only been about 20 years. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/46 "2011-03-10T02:25:33Z")
Fired lots of them. Of course, being in the Canadian Armed Forces, it was part of the job. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/47 "2011-03-10T02:25:53Z")
I have never even touched a handgun, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in real life other than a LEO’s sidearm. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/48 "2011-03-10T02:27:10Z")
Australian. Yes I’ve fired many handguns. We had lots of farming relatives, one even the commodore of the local gun club. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/49 "2011-03-10T02:40:45Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Fired lots of them. > > Of course, being in the Canadian Armed Forces, it was part of the job. Do you have a restricted weapon license and still shoot 'em? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/50 "2011-03-10T02:49:52Z")
Yes, many times, on a range, using handguns from .22 to .45 calibre. Also, rifles and shotguns. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/51 "2011-03-10T02:56:59Z")
> [@D18](#): > > What country? Australia. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/52 "2011-03-10T03:21:26Z")
Nope. I’ve never even really seen one - just in policeperson’s holsters. However, I am interested in learning to shoot (you never know when the zombie apocalypse is going to be on). ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/53 "2011-03-10T03:24:23Z")
I’m a Canadian, and a few years ago fired a handgun for the first time thanks to a few Calgary-based dopers, who invited myself and my roommate to join them at a local firing range. I was not required to get a license, but did take a brief safety course on site at the range. I fired a .22 and a 9mm. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/54 "2011-03-10T04:04:23Z")
> [@Grapefruit](#): > > Yes, when I was visiting West Edmonton Mall and they had a shooting range there. Well, I don’t know if it can actually be called a shooting “range”, since it was a room with targets. But my friend’s boyfriend and I were going to do it for shits and giggles. Since we were there and it was available, I just wanted to see what the fuss was about. He ended up chickening out at the last minute, so I went in alone. A guy who was fully licensed was looking over my shoulders the whole time. They let me keep the target sheet I was shooting into. I’ve shot at that same range and it was tons of fun. I was shooting a .44 Magnum and I remember being shocked by the devastating power unleashed by that pistol. It had far more power than one might guess. Man, if you ever got hit by that thing _you would not be getting up_. My hand hurt for two days after firing 50 rounds. I remember the guide standing _right_ behind me for the duration of my session. He was explaining the procedure to me: “When you pick up the gun, you hold it like this, not like this.” “When all the shots have been fired, you place the gun down like this. At no time do you turn with the gun. It stays in this box and pointing in this direction.” And so on. As he gave me the run down he was paying close attention to whether I was taking it all in, reading my body language, etc. It was pretty interesting. I also have a friend who’s father is a master gunsmith and is a bit of a wingnut/survivalist/screw-the-gov’t type. His basement workshop is loaded with guns in various states of assembly and he has many custom-made pistols that are massively powerful. He lives in the country and we used to go there and shoot those monsters from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056/55 "2011-03-10T06:59:46Z")
> [@Shamozzle](#): > > […] I remember being shocked by the devastating power unleashed by that pistol. It had far more power than one might guess.[…] :dubious: The first time I fired a .44Mag I was thoroughly underwhelmed. Having watched the Dirty Harry movies (“this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky?”) and Taxi Driver (“You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? Then who the hell else are you talking… you talking to me?”, “Have you ever seen what a .44 Magnum will do to a…”) I was pretty apprehensive about the recoil, but it was meh. The gun had a full lug 6" barrel and a good grip, though. The 2" .357 snub was a bit worse, but still managable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canuck-dopers-and-others-where-handguns-are-restricted-ever-shot-a-handgun/574056.md?page=2)