CINDY, INCIDENTALLY:

The day after the New Year, while some people were home watching reruns of the Rose Parade or catching one of the latest holiday blockbusters at the theater, my friend and I decided it was a good day to handle a lethal weapon.

At 17921 Jamestown Lane — in an unassuming business park in Huntington Beach — one can find Firing-Line Indoor Shooting Ranges, which is noted as one of Orange County’s first public indoor shooting ranges, since its opening in 1982.

It was also personally noted that aside from the Huntington Beach Pier and Bella Terra on a Friday night, this may be one of the busiest places in the city. Packed on a Friday night with gun enthusiasts, novices and jittery newbies (like myself) we waited with a crowd of people for our turn in the shooting range.

While we waited for our turn, I took in the sub-culture of guns that was foreign to me and I listened as people spoke earnestly about revolvers, semi-automatics, bullets and target practice. There were a surprising number of families who often used any of their free time to head out and shoot a couple of rounds.

Staff at Firing-Line explained that a lot of families — mom, dad and the kids — come around during the holiday season and weekends, because this is how they bond. It’s the gun-toting version of quality time.

Truthfully, as we waited for our chance in the range, I grew more and more nervous as I heard the “pow, pow, pow” of real bullets being shot from real guns. It’s one thing to hear it in the movies or watch the cowboy show at Knott’s Berry Farm, but real, live shooting; well that was something I hadn’t been actually prepared for.

Wearing our protective eye and hearing gear, we were given the OK to enter, and my friend began a quick two-minute class instruction, which involved her placing bullets in a cartridge, showing me how to grip the handle and explaining the importance of stance and how the kick from the bullet being shot out could be startling. So hold on, she warned.

Nervous, I had my friend go first, as I huddled in the corner with another first-time gun slinger, and we whispered nervously about being pacifists.

When an 8-year-old girl with pigtails strode by wearing protective eye gear, I realized that scared or not, it was time to get on with it.

After minutes of fear and cajoling from my friend, who told me to just “DO IT ALREADY!” I began shooting a round and discovered that while I was able to aim and hit the target, the fact that this was such a powerful weapon was so overwhelming to me that I never got to enjoy the adrenaline rush everyone kept telling me would eventually kick in.

We finally ran out of bullets and my friend gave me my paper target and showed me all the bullet holes I made, which was apparently a sign of shooting prowess.

I high-fived the 8-year-old girl who had moved on to a revolver and I turned in my protective gear and balked when asked if I wanted a year membership.

While my vision of being a well-dressed Charlie’s Angel was besmirched by the fact that I am afraid of guns, bullets and loud shooting noises, it was a great experience.

But I do believe I will be leaving the crime-fighting to my local police department.

For more information, visit www.firingline.net/ huntingtonbeach.

CINDY ARORA is a freelance writer. She may be reached at paprgrrl@gmail.com.