A first-of-its-kind shooting range in Indianapolis offers realistic firearms training without the danger.
Firing range safety is issue that's dominated the headlines after a veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder shot and killed American sniper Chris Kyle and friend Chad Littlefield while the three were practicing at a Texas shooting range in 2013.
Eddie Ray Routhwas convicted in February and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Now, a unique type of range has just opened in Indianapolis that allows for firearms practice and training without the fear of deadly force.
The steady stream of shootings in Indianapolis is causing a growing number of people to arm themselves to protect their property, families and selves.
That's what prompted Sarah Wolfgang to arm up.
"Safety is the biggest factor. I think every American has the right to have a gun so that's the other side of it for me, but safety," said Wolfgang, a new gun owner.
"There's nothing natural about shooting a firearm. It's a learned skill and it requires competence, training and regular practice," said Jay Tuttle.
Tuttle is a local elite Firearms Training Specialist who preaches practice early practice often. But for some newer gun owners like Wolfgang, handling a gun with live ammunition was a little intimidating at first. That's what led her to
Poseidon Experience.After just a few minutes of learning how to hold a gun, proper stance and how to line up her sight, Wolfgang completes basic target practice. Then she graduates to the simulator with a real gun that has a real kick, thanks to a CO2 cartridge.
Jesse Barnett is the owner of Poseidon Experience. He's a retired Navy SEAL with 15 years experience and elite training in firearms.
This indoor simulated firing range is one of only a handful in the country and the only one in the Midwest. It offers a safer training alternative to live firing ranges.
"Number one, no deadly force. Number two, the cost of bullets is eliminated. Number three - environmental factors, control factors and then quality training," said Barnett,
Greg PapaG is a longtime gun enthusiast. After years of shooting at a live range, he's hooked on the simulator.
"You really don't know at public ranges, who's on your right, who's on your left, what their skill set is, are they familiar with the rules of safety," said Greg.
And there's greater flexibility to train with real world experiences.
"You can shoot around barricades, through holes, from your purse," said Barnett.
"Training builds confidence and confidence is what will keep you out of trouble," said Tuttle.
And whether you're a beginner or you're training with semi-automatic rifles or under the pressure of return fire from a mounted air soft machine gun, perfect practice makes perfect confidence.
"It's not easy to learn in a live fire environment. Whereas here, we can make a very comfortable environment but yet, it's even more effective because we're much more dynamic and with this software and this system, it's a much more robust opportunity for training," said Barnett.
Beyond training sessions, Poseidon Experience is family friendly and offers group experiences for corporate team building or just a group of friends or family fun.
The Poseidon Experience is located at 9402 Uptown Dr., Suite 800, in Indianapolis near Fishers. The firing range also offers three-hour weapons handling seminars throughout the week. Click for schedule and more info.
