Finland to Build an Additional 300 Shooting Ranges for Civilians

Recently, the Associated Press published an article and a  video about a topic you wouldn’t see often in the US media – the importance of a well-armed and well-trained (you might even say “well-regulated”) population for the national defense.

Quote from AP:

The popularity of weapons training in the Nordic country has soared in recent months. Few places tell the story of the rise in Finnish affinity for self-defense more than shooting ranges that are riding a boom of interest.The Vantaa Reservist Association, which operates a gun range in a warehouse once used to make sex toys, in Kerava, north of Helsinki, has more than doubled its membership over the last two years and now counts over 2,100 members.“They have something in the back of their head ringing that this is the skill I have to learn now,” said association chairman Antti Kettunen, standing among bullet-riddled targets. “I think that the wind has changed, now it’s blowing from the east.”“Interest in national defense is traditionally very high in Finland and especially these days with the Russian aggression on Ukraine, the interest has risen even more,” lawmaker Jukka Kopra, who chairs Finland’s defense committee, told AP earlier in December.

According to the article, the government announced plans to open more than 300 new ranges, almost a 50 percent increase compared to the 670 ranges that are operational today.

Finland has mandatory military service for all men and voluntary service for women. After the service ends, soldiers become reservists and many choose to keep their skills sharp in their spare time.

A few years ago, I traveled to Finland and trained some army reservists there. The shooting ranges there were amazing and plentiful: as long as you follow range rules, some shooting facilities are free.