Taster shooting. Shooting for everyone – no firearms licence needed.

Taster shooting at the WaffenPro shooting sports centre Zerbst makes shooting without a licence possible in Saxony-Anhalt: from €55 you shoot real handguns and rifles on 25-metre lanes, supervised by DSB-licensed range officers – with no prior experience, no firearms ownership licence (WBK) and just a valid ID card. The legal basis is § 27 WaffG, which permits shooting on officially approved ranges under the supervision of a responsible person.^*

For you this means: the firearms remain the property of the range, you need no permit and no preparation. What you bring is curiosity and a willingness to take the rules seriously. Everything else – firearms, ammunition, hearing and eye protection, targets – is provided by us. Bookings are made online via the lane booking with availability in real time.

Depending on the package, a taster shooting session lasts around one and a half to two hours and always follows the same sequence: arrival, briefing, firearm familiarisation, supervised shooting, review, wind-down. The order is not a formality – it ensures that by the time you fire your first shot you already know what your hands are doing.

The times are a guide; those who become confident quickly spend more time on the lane, and those with questions get them answered.

Centrefire is possible at trial shooting from the age of 18; under § 27 WaffG young people shoot air guns from 12 and certain rimfire .22 firearms from 14 – in each case under supervision and with the written consent of their legal guardians. Prior experience, strength or sporting background play no part: sport shooting is technique and focus, not muscle work.

Typical guests are couples trying something new, recipients of a gift voucher, groups of friends, company teams and people who want to shoot once before deciding on the club. If you are shooting for the first time, the guide to shooting without a licence covers the legal basics and answers the most common concerns.

The packages differ in type of firearm, number of shots and duration; the entry level starts at €55. The pistol package takes you from rimfire .22 (.22 LR) to a centrefire pistol, in 9 mm for instance – the classic route for a first appointment. The revolver package puts the cylinder and double-action trigger centre stage, with calibres such as .38 Special or .357 Magnum.

The rifle package puts you behind a long gun with shoulder stock and sights, calm and precise at 25 metres. The combination pairs handgun and long gun in a single appointment and is the package for anyone who wants to find out which suits them better. Current prices and contents for each package are in the online booking; rental guns come from Glock, CZ, Heckler & Koch and Walther, among others.

For taster shooting bring a valid ID card, closed shoes and comfortable clothing; hearing and eye protection, firearms, ammunition and targets are provided by us. Minors also need the written consent of their legal guardians; the simplest way is for a parent to accompany the appointment.

On clothing: ejected cases are hot. A top that closes at the collar and trousers rather than a skirt protect you from unpleasant surprises. If you wear glasses, you shoot with them on; the safety glasses fit over the top. Before and during shooting absolute sobriety applies – the toast comes afterwards.

• Valid ID card (for minors, plus parental consent)
• Closed shoes, comfortable clothing, closed collar
• Your glasses, if you wear them
• Voucher code, if you have one
• No equipment of your own needed – everything is provided

Taster shooting is available as a gift voucher – digitally and instantly by e-mail or as a voucher card by post, with a value of your choice. The recipient books their own appointment online and redeems the code when booking. For Christmas, a birthday or as a thank-you, it is one of the most popular experience gifts we offer.

Groups of eight or more receive dedicated programmes: at a stag or hen party with scoring for the bride or groom, at a team building event with individual and team competition, trophies and an awards ceremony for 8 to 150 people. You receive your quote within 24 hours.

Every taster shooting session begins with a safety briefing, and at every lane stands a DSB-licensed range officer who does not merely watch but steps in before a mistake can happen. The four basic rules – muzzle in a safe direction, finger on the trigger only when firing, every firearm is treated as loaded, commands are obeyed immediately – apply to you just as they do to every professional on the facility.

The facility's technology plays its part: extraction right at the firing line, acoustic damping, climate-controlled hall, electronic scoring instead of changing targets in the danger zone. Nerves are normal and no problem – most guests notice by the second magazine that their focus settles on the sights almost by itself.

After the briefing the soundproof door to the hall opens: cool air, even light, through the hearing protection just a muffled knocking from the neighbouring lanes. The range officer places the pistol in front of you, you load the first rounds into the magazine. The first shot is a short push into your hand – and on the monitor beside you the hit appears. By the second magazine you are breathing more calmly, by the third the shots are grouping closer together.

Afterwards you take your target to the function room with bar or to the ApexLounge next door, which is open Thursday to Saturday from 5 pm. If you have caught the bug, you can carry on for three months as a trial member of the club. Getting here: Magdeburg 30 minutes, Dessau-Roßlau 25, Halle 55, Leipzig 60, Berlin 90 minutes – free parking right at the centre, Zerbst railway station right next door (two-minute walk).