Shooting range near Berlin and Leipzig. No license required.

The WaffenPro shooting range in Zerbst, 120 km south-west of Berlin, lets anyone aged 18 or over shoot real pistols, revolvers and rifles without a firearms license: German weapons law (§ 27 WaffG) permits supervised shooting on approved ranges with the range's own guns when a certified range officer is present. A valid ID card or passport is all you need.

That makes a visit straightforward for tourists, expats, students and service members stationed in Germany. The firearms stay the property of the range, a DSB-licensed range officer stands at your lane from the first instruction to the last shot, and the whole session – briefing, gun handling, shooting, debrief – is included. Beginners' sessions start at €55.

The range has five climate-controlled 25-metre lanes with electronic target scoring, ventilation that extracts fumes at the firing line, acoustic damping and step-free access. It is approved for calibres from air guns through .22 LR to 9 mm, .38 Special, .357 Magnum and .45 ACP, and for centre-fire rifles up to 7,000 joules – a rating that also lets German police and military units train here.

Rental guns come from Glock, CZ, Heckler & Koch and Walther, among others. Every lane has a monitor showing where each shot lands, so you see immediately what a steadier breath does to your group. Hearing and eye protection, targets and ammunition for your package are provided.

Zerbst lies between Berlin and Leipzig in Saxony-Anhalt, directly off the A2 and A9 motorways: about 90 minutes by car from Berlin (120 km), 60 minutes from Leipzig (85 km), 30 minutes from Magdeburg and 95 minutes from Potsdam. Free parking is right outside, and Zerbst railway station is a short walk away.

Visitors from Berlin usually combine the trip with an afternoon session and dinner; from Leipzig the drive is short enough for an evening slot on Tuesdays or Fridays, when the range is open until 9 pm.

Sessions are booked online through the booking page, which shows available lanes and packages in real time; the system is in German, but the steps are simple: date, package, number of shooters, confirm. Online booking is available around the clock; for questions, contact us by e-mail at info@waffenpro.de or by WhatsApp.

Packages are built around the type of firearm: pistol (from .22 LR to 9 mm), revolver, rifle, or a combination of handgun and long gun. Prices start at €55 and include instruction, rental guns, ammunition as listed, safety gear and your target to take home. Gift vouchers are available with a freely chosen value.

Bring a valid passport or national ID card – it is checked at reception for every shooter. Wear closed shoes and clothing with a closed collar; ejected cases are hot, so a high neckline beats a low-cut top and trousers beat a skirt. Glasses fit under the safety glasses we provide.

Everything else is supplied. Alcohol is not permitted before or during shooting – the bar opens afterwards. Shooters must be 18 or over for full-power calibres; younger visitors may shoot air guns from 12 and certain .22 rimfire guns from 14, with written parental consent and under supervision.

Every session begins with a safety briefing of about 20 minutes, and four rules apply to everyone on the range: keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, keep your finger off the trigger until you are on target and cleared to fire, treat every firearm as loaded, and follow the range officer's commands immediately.

Your range officer explains the firearm part by part before you load the first magazine and stays at your lane throughout. Electronic scoring means nobody walks downrange to change targets. Ventilation, acoustic damping and air conditioning keep the hall calm – most first-time shooters are surprised by how quiet and controlled it feels.

You arrive, your ID is checked, your range officer introduces himself. After the briefing, the soundproof door opens onto the hall: cool, clear air, even light, and through your ear protection only a muffled tapping from the neighbouring lanes. The sights drift until you exhale. The first shot is a short push into your palm, and the hit appears on the monitor beside you. By the third magazine you are shooting groups.

Afterwards you take your target to the bar in the main room, which seats up to 150, or – Thursday to Saturday from 5 pm – to The ApexLounge next door: signature cocktails, whisky tastings, steak nights, minimum age 21. Groups of eight or more can book a competition format with trophies, for a bachelor party, a company outing or a team event of up to 150 people.

Soldiers and civilian staff stationed in Germany, expats in Berlin or Leipzig, and tourists passing through all shoot under the same rule: supervised, with the range's guns, with ID. Holders of a German firearms license (WBK) can bring their own guns within the approved limits and book lane time; foreign licenses do not permit bringing firearms – rental guns are the way to go.

Members of the affiliated club, Freizeitschützen Zerbst e.V. (1,800+ members, from €200 a year, no mandatory training hours), use all five lanes without limit. More on the range on the German page Schießstand, and on the beginners' session on Schnupperschießen.