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Unleashing my inner action hero: Firing submachine guns in Vegas

When most people think of Las Vegas, they imagine bright lights, endless entertainment, and gambling opportunities. But there’s a lesser-known side to this city that caters to adrenaline junkies and gun enthusiasts. One can experience the thrill of firing firearms in a controlled and safe environment. And I had the opportunity to try it out for myself, firing submachine guns in Vegas!

If you want to fire a submachine gun or a pistol, then you need to head to the Gun Store in Vegas!

A few rounds at the Gun Store

Everything about Las Vegas is over the top. From hotels built to look like other places in the world – the Luxor Pyramid, New York – New York complete with a roller coaster zooming past the Statue of Liberty, castles and Italian cities, to heading out to the Gun Store to fire a few rounds.

Holding a submachine gun with ear muffs and clear glasses.

This place is jaw-droppingly, eye-poppingly Oh Tee Tee! Weapons line the walls – everything you’ve ever seen in any movie, and indeed the very same weapons that are used in Iraq (et al) as we speak.

Crazy first time firing a submachine gun

I was there to cover an ‘Only in America’ story for TVNZ’s Breakfast show and I couldn’t wait to experience the thrill of firing submachine guns in Vegas. Tommy McLees, a military trainer and self-defense expert, was my guide for the day.

He started by teaching me how to handle the MP5 submachine gun and then took me to a shooting range where I aimed at a poster of Osama bin Laden. I only did photo shootings, so this is certainly a first. As I fired my first shot, my hands shook with adrenaline. Next up was the Glock 17, a heavy but powerful handgun. I aimed at the poster again and fired a few 9mm rounds.

But the real highlight of the day was the Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), which is worth a whopping US$125,000! It’s the one I’m holding on the top pic. This baby is all military, and I felt a surge of excitement as I held the SAW and fired a few rounds.

The power and control that came with firing such a weapon was an experience like no other. Firing submachine guns in Vegas was truly an adrenaline-fueled adventure that I would never forget.

Firing for fun

During my experience firing submachine guns in Vegas, I couldn’t help but notice the stark contrast between gun laws in the US and those in my home country. Visitors from other countries were amazed that our cops don’t carry guns, especially when they see the sheer number of firearms on display in Vegas.

I even witnessed a man wandering in the store with a gun in a holster, just to fire a few rounds from his own weapon for fun. It was quite a shock to me, but for him, it seemed like just another day in Sin City.

All I have to say is, ‘don’t mess with this broad’.

Here’s a 3-minute crazy Vegas video of that trip.

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Hi, I'm Megan Singleton and I'm the word slinger of this travel blog as well as on radio in NZ every Sunday. Former Travel Editor at Yahoo NZ and current freelance writer for a few newspapers and mags from time to time, I set off on this travel writing journey 20 years ago and I've pretty much always got a suitcase half packed (or half un-packed!) I'd love you to join me on Facebook or Twitter and sign up for my newsletters if you want loads of travel tips, advice and deals!