Make My Day...

Sometimes, living in Hawaii can feel like I'm in a foreign country.  Hawaii is separated from the Mainland by around 2000 miles of big blue ocean and, yes, I live on what is essentially a big lava rock.   Every once in a while though, I'm reminded of the fact that not only is Hawaii actually a state of the United States of America, but the Aloha state adheres to many of the same laws.  Today, I was reminded of the second amendment of the Bill of Rights - the right to keep and bear arms.  Hawaii may be among the least gun friendly states in the Union (we still have the 10 round magazine law), but you can still  own and shoot guns here.

At the Ukumehame firing range in west Maui, I encountered two shooting enthusiasts, Mike and Don, who were working out their guns at a range officers' day.  It's interesting to note that at the range just next to them was a recruit class for the Maui Police Department.  I had no idea where I was going as this was my first time to the range; lucky I picked the one I did.



On the weekends, Ukumehame is open to the public, where people may shoot competitively in disciplines such as IPSC, Cowboy Action, or take an NRA pistol course.  Some just shoot for fun.

I just couldn't get over Don in his shooting rig.  I wish I could wear one of these at work.

According to Don, when competing in IPSC, one needs to reload the gun in under half a second to remain competitive.  That means you have to take out the empty magazine and insert a loaded one in the blink of an eye!

To help accomplish this and I'm sure other performance shooting goals I have no idea about, check out Don's specialized gear.

This modern-day gunslinger is sporting a custom .45 autoloader with enlarged magazine well to help ensure those speedy reloads.  He can also hold 5 magazines on his belt.

For more info about about shooting on Maui, please visit:  Valley Isle Sport Shooters.

The black gun below is Mike's Saiga competition shotgun.  When he fired it, I almost bled out of my ears.  Thanks for the advice Mike, next time I'll bring ear protection!