Phan Hoàng Gia Bảo, an air gun shooting enthusiast, practices at the Saigon Sniper Club in Bình Tân District. – VNS Photo Hồng Linh

People in HCM City consider sports like shooting air guns and paintball a fun and stress-busting activity.

The Saigon Sniper Club is a popular spot with its modern air gun shooting ranges for both amateurs and professional marksmen in Districts 1 and Bình Tân that have been open since 2012.

"Back in 2012 I worked at the National Defence Sports Centre at the HCM City University of National Defence," Lê Hải Vũ, the club founder, says.

“Working there helped me establish an air gun shooting club at the National Defence Education Centre.

“But at that time the club only served as a small venue for students studying national defence.

“I realised that if it remained this way, the sport of shooting would not progress much further. That is why I decided to open one in the city, aiming to make this sport accessible to more people. This allows me to find, recruit and train young talent right from an early age."

The club's air gun inventory includes Slavia 631, Baikal MP 512, Feinwerkbau, and pistols.

A participant can spend an hour in the shooting arena, using fixed targets for standard training and mobile targets for Feinwerkbau rifles.

Every time before starting members are briefed on safety regulations and instructed on how to load a gun and techniques related to posture, gun handling, aiming, breath control, and pulling the trigger.

Through the entire process, attendees are assisted and supervised by staff to prevent potential accidents.

“Participants will need to hold a gun weighing over five kilogrammes with both hands in a stable shooting stance bracing both legs for minutes at a time to aim accurately and find the best moment to shoot," Vũ says.

“This helps build strength, improve breathing and train the mind to become calm.”

Air gun shooting is a sport for everyone, and offers health benefits.

Phạm Thanh Bảo Ngọc (right) loads her air gun at the Saigon Sniper Club in Bình Tân District. – VNS Photo Hồng Linh

Phạm Thanh Bảo Ngọc, a new member, says: “My mother's friends come here every week and they introduced the club to my family. I feel very happy. It is my first time here and is an interesting experience. I will definitely come back and next time I will come with my friends.”

Phan Hoàng Gia Bảo, a two-year veteran at air gun shooting, says: “I learnt about this sport from my teachers and older members here. They introduced it to me and helped me become the shooter I am today. I think this sport is very beneficial for the body. It helps improve one’s health, one of which is to increase lung capacity.”

Locals can also enjoy another kind of shooting, paintball, at the Phú Thọ Paintball Club.

It is inside the Phú Thọ Stadium in District 10 and has a total area of over 2,000sq.m.

A paintball match in progress at the Phú Thọ Paintball Club in HCM City’s District 10. – VNS Photo Hồng Linh

Hoàng Văn Trung, the founder of the club, says he noticed there are many activities for young people in HCM City but they do not include experiencing new activities, team-building or shooting.

“Therefore, with the goal of creating a healthy place for young people, I established a paintball club for them to engage in shooting.”

Before starting everyone gets instructions from the staff regarding rules, safety considerations, gun usage, and regulations.

They are then provided with a paintball gun filled with 100 paintballs and full-body protection including a lightweight bulletproof vest, helmet and shoes.

A match lasts 15 minutes and there is a referee to supervise them.

The winning team is decided by having fewer members hit by paintballs or more ammunition at the end of the match.

Trung says that paintball is suitable for team building, groups of close friends and even strangers who want to join in.

The club has a Zalo group to connect members, helping them form teams and schedule participation, he adds.

Phạm Ngọc Khôi, a member, says he was excited when he tried the sport the first time.

“I felt energetic and wanted to play one more time because the game brought an adventurous feeling.

“I could also feel my competitive juices flowing. All I wanted to do was keep running and shooting players from the opposing team.” VNS