Home on the range in Beijing

Guns in Beijing are rarely seen and seldom heard, unlike in many other major cities around the world. But being allowed to shoot them here is becoming more common, with the city's increasing number of shooting ranges.

According to a military officer in Beijing surnamed Yu, it is illegal to own a gun in China. Those caught with a gun in Beijing can face up to three years in prison.

"Only those with a gun license can carry guns, which means army and police personnel," he told Metro Beijing. "The police on the street do not carry guns. Only riot corps and SWAT teams are armed at all times. Even local police stations stock only a few guns, safely locked, and the keys are separately held by the director and the political commissar."

Song Yanjun is the manager of the Aolin Shooting Range in Beijing's Changping district. He told Metro Beijing the shooting range opened in 1997 as a subordinate unit of the Ministry of Public Security. In response to increased interest in guns and the sport of shooting, Song's operation later opened to the public.

As a sport, shooting is something China takes seriously. At the 2012 London Olympics, Yi Siling, a 23-year-old female shooter, won the gold and Yu Dan won a bronze medal in the 10m air rifle event on the first day of the Games. While China's shooting team ended up placing fourth overall, it took home the most medals with a total of seven: two gold, two silver, and three bronze.

Public shooting facilities have proven to be a safe and effective means for stimulating people's interest in guns. Beijing has a total of three public shooting ranges. In addition to Aolin Shooting Range, the public can go to the China North International Shooting Range located in northern Beijing, not far from the Great Wall, and the Beijing Shooting Range in west Beijing.

Chen Feng is a 23-year-old college student who first learned how to shoot a gun during his military training.

"I was surprised to see all the different types of guns they had available for the public to shoot," he told Metro Beijing of his first visit to Aolin Shooting Range. He also said he believes that China's gun laws are an effective way to curb gun violence and crime, but that gun control in the US is too loose.

Liu Yan is a 24-year-old computer engineer in Beijing. While he doesn't think too highly of the shooting ranges, he says he can understand their purpose in training people how to use guns.

"But just like with driving school, you may not always remember the rules," he said.

At the Aolin Shooting Range, security and safety are the two primary goals.

"With proper ID, everybody can enjoy shooting guns here," Song said. "Our shooting instructors are ex-servicemen, and visitors shoot the guns under one-on-one coaching, so it is completely safe, even for young kids."

Song told Metro Beijing that people usually prefer pistols or rifles for target practice.

"Since the recoil isn't that strong, young children can use pistols as well," he added. He also said that compared with shooting paintball guns, firing real guns provides people with more excitement. For pistols and small-bore guns it costs 10 yuan ($1.58) a bullet with a 50-bullet minimum, and rifle bullets are a bit more expensive at 16 yuan apiece. The range is open from 8 am to 6 pm seven days a week.

Yu feels China's strict limitations on guns provide the country with a level of domestic stability.

"Americans believe more in themselves than in their government. We believe in our motherland and our armed forces," he said. But he also feels there are two sides to every coin. "When you're given the right to carry guns, you're also faced with a high crime rate." As for China he added, "Things look better here."

Jiang Jie, Chen Ya'nan and Wu Kameng contributed to this story