By Mustafa Hatwadi

Canadian bulls and figure 14 targets are pretty familiar to us boys who have served in green for two years. What we never got a chance to try shooting during National Service however, are moving, flying targets. This is where WOW Experience comes in with Laser Clay Shooting. Laser clay shooting is played with authentic, but de-activated 12-bore shotguns that fire infrared beams at reflective and reusable clays. You can play head-to-head games against up to five players at a time. Sounds are simulated: a loud “bang” when you pull the trigger and a “crash” when your shot hits a clay pigeon. No recoil, no smoke, no bullets and the clays are reusable. Very eco-friendly.

Rifle handling, aiming and shooting sounded very easy during the briefing but even as a seasoned rifle shooter, it took me a while to get used to the weight of the shotgun and the shooting posture. The front and rear iron sights were not zeroed in either, but after a few practice shots, I managed to make the right adjustments and started hitting targets. It didn’t take long for me to get my adrenaline pumping and finally catch up my score with the other two shooters. I finished second out of three in the end, not too bad for a first timer.

Laser clay shooting is still an exciting experience for someone who loves guns or the novice who is just curious about how it is to shoot one. It might not have the realism of shooting real pellets or breaking real clay pigeons, but the simulated sound effects and the thrill of shooting moving targets are good enough points to make this a fulfilling activity. It won't take long for you to pick it up and once you do, you'll forget that you've only held a shotgun for five minutes. It's also a much accessible option if you'd like to try firearms. You don't need a gun club membership and you don't have to join the military.

If you'd like to try this out for yourself, or think this is a perfect gift for that special someone, Laser Clay Shooting is available in the Thrillseeker gift experience box. The package includes 100 clays and gun rental for one. WOW Experience is located at Hong Leong Garden Shopping Centre at 164 West Coast Way.