Firing an AK-47 is not something most visitors associate with a city break, and yet here we are. Prague has built a quietly booming industry around letting tourists discharge weapons that would be firmly off-limits in most of their home countries, and the result is one of the more unexpectedly popular activities in the Czech capital. Stag parties latched onto this years ago, but shooting ranges in Prague now attract couples, solo travellers, families and anyone else who has ever watched an action film and wondered what it would actually feel like. The answer, apparently, is very loud.
Why Prague?
It also helps that the Czech Republic has one of the richest firearms manufacturing traditions in the world. Česká zbrojovka, better known as CZ, is headquartered in Uherský Brod and produces the CZ 75, the Scorpion EVO 3 and the BREN 2, among others. Several ranges stock Czech-made weapons alongside the international icons, which adds a certain local authenticity to the whole experience.
What to Expect
The format is broadly the same across most operators. You book a package, a driver picks you up from your hotel or a central meeting point, and you are transported 30 to 45 minutes outside the city to either an indoor or outdoor range. On arrival, you register with a valid ID (passport or EU national ID card – no exceptions), receive a safety briefing from an English-speaking instructor, and then spend an hour or so working through the weapons in your package. Ear and eye protection are provided. Photos and videos are generally permitted. Afterwards, there is usually a drink and, if your group is inclined, a competitive scoring session before the transfer back.
The whole experience typically runs two to four hours including travel, though larger packages with more weapons can stretch longer. Nobody expects you to know what you are doing beforehand. The vast majority of visitors have never fired a gun in their lives, and the instructors – who are frequently former military or law enforcement – are well used to starting from absolute zero.
Indoor vs Outdoor
Most operators offer both options, and the choice is worth thinking about rather than leaving to chance.
Indoor ranges are closer to the city, typically 25 to 35 minutes by transfer, and operate year-round regardless of weather. They are more compact by nature and generally limited to handguns and shorter-range rifles, with shooting distances of up to around 10 metres. They tend to suit groups who want a social, contained experience without too much faff.
Outdoor ranges are a different proposition. Ranger Prague's outdoor complex covers 70,000 m² with ten open-air shooting lanes and distances ranging from 15 to 500 metres, which puts a genuine sniper rifle in a rather different context. The outdoor experience is noisier, more expansive and, for many people, considerably more dramatic – though it does require a 40 to 45-minute transfer and is, obviously, weather-dependent. Most operators run outdoor sessions year-round where conditions allow, with sheltered firing positions for when the Czech winter decides to make its presence felt.
The Guns
This is, understandably, what most people are actually here for. Entry-level packages typically include three to four weapons and somewhere in the region of 30 to 40 rounds per person. The AK-47 is the perennial favourite and features in almost every package at every operator – it is, after all, the reason most people book in the first place. From there, packages expand to include combinations of the following:
Rifles and assault weapons: AR-15, M16, CZ Scorpion EVO 3, CZ BREN, SA58, PPSh-41 (the WWII-era Soviet submachine gun, for those who want to feel like a character from a war film).
Pistols and revolvers: Glock 17, CZ 75, .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, Colt 1911, Desert Eagle (the .50 calibre version of which has a recoil best described as educational).
Other: Dragunov sniper rifle, Uzi, MP5, pump-action shotgun, Heckler & Koch USP.
Top-end packages at operators like ShootingRangePrague offer up to 17 weapons and over 100 rounds per person, at which point you have moved well beyond tourism and into something approaching a working knowledge of modern firearms. Extra guns can generally be added on the day at around €16 per weapon.
Which Operator?
Prague has a healthy number of established operators, and the standard across the main ones is high. A few worth knowing about:
Ranger Prague is the largest operation, founded by former members of the Czech Army and Police, and runs both indoor and outdoor ranges. Their outdoor complex is the biggest in the Czech Republic, and they can handle groups of up to 60 people. Packages from around €80 per person, including transfers, equipment, snacks and drinks.
ShootingRangePrague has been running since 2005 and is consistently one of the highest-rated options on review platforms. They are particularly well set up for solo travellers and last-minute bookings, with transfers leaving Prague's centre on a rolling basis. Spectators are welcome, with the first free and additional ones at €12 each.
Outback Prague differentiates itself by keeping groups entirely private – no mixing with other parties, which some find preferable to the larger group-session format. They have a strong reputation for instructor quality and are popular with couples and smaller groups who want a more tailored experience.
Prague Armory is a centrally located indoor range that is more accessible than most – useful for those with limited time or no appetite for a minibus transfer. Selection skews toward handguns given the indoor constraints, but the facility is well regarded and the instructors consistently praised.
