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This is a story about a visit to a new indoor shooting range in Helsinki. The place is called Gunpoint and it’s located just beside Varusteleka, one of Europe’s largest army and surplus stores. If you visit one of these facilities, you have to visit the other, if you catch my drift.
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It was winter and freezing outside, with lots of snow. I was greeted by the instructor and Range Master Sami, and the first thing he showed me was not the shooting range, but Gunpoint’s authentic Finnish sauna. As you can see in the picture below, the sauna has bulletproof windows overlooking the shooting range! I’m going to feel right at home here!
From the sauna, you can see what’s going on at the indoor range.
There is also a bar. It’s rather minimalistic, but still a bar so that you can rehydrate after your shooting event and the sauna.
This is what the entrance to Gunpoint Helsinki looks like.
It was a little tricky to find the right car park, but if you see this building and door, you’re there.
The area offers more entertainment and shopping
If you ever visit Helsinki, make sure you allocate a few hours to this area. Within 2-3 minutes you have places like Gunpoint, Varusteleka, Varuste and the Finnish 5.11 Tactical concept store. The airport (Vantaa) is just 20 minutes away from the airport, and around 20 minutes from downtown Helsinki if you travel by car (and depending on traffic of course). There are rental cars at the airport, or just grab a taxi to get there unless you have your own wheels.
The shooting range is not huge, but it’s indoors, warm and protected from whatever the weather is outside. Here you can do basic training with various firearms.
You can shoot up to .308 caliber without problems and they can also set up CQB-style walls, if you want to do such training or competitions.
A lot of people go to Gunpoint just to try a firearm for the first time. As I’m sure you’re aware, Finland neighbors Russia and is just about to join NATO. Lately, there’s been an increased awareness in matters like protection of the home and country.
At the time of visiting, there was not a huge collection of rental or demonstration firearms available, but this is something Gunpoint will continue to build on over time. I certainly would have enjoyed being able to try a few of the Finnish historical firearms, and a few more modern ones like the RK 95 TP for instance.
The Finnish KAR-21 Multi-Caliber Rifle
Gunpoint Helsinki did however have the Finnish KAR-21 Multi-Caliber Rifle available. I had of course both heard and read about it before. Thanks to TFB and Hrachya’s article, where else? But this was the first time I could see and examine it in the flesh. Did I want to shoot it? Oh yes!
There’s no point in visiting Gunpoint without doing some shooting, is there?
The experience was a little too short and limited to write a full review. I found the KAR-21 to be a soft-shooting rifle. I didn’t think so much about the trigger, which usually means there’s nothing to worry about. It’s not a precision rifle series trigger, but good for the main purpose.
Below: One of Gunpoint’s instructors shows TFB the Finnish KAR-21 multi-caliber rifle, here chambered in .223 Rem. With just one tool, you can change the caliber from .223 Rem to .308 Win.
TFB shoots the KAR-21 for the first time. The ammunition is GGG .223 Rem, made in Latvia.
Below: Charging handle set to the left side.
As you scroll down, you can see a lot of various details on the KAR-21 rifle.
KAR-21 Serial 000012. Made by Ensio Firearms Ltd.
About the instructor
Sami Kallinen (SK Tactical on social media platforms) has worked in the business for over 20 years and has won several medals in the Finnish Brutality shooting competitions (check them out here). Out of five Finnish Brutality matches he has one Open division Bronze medal (2018), two Open division Gold medals (2019 and 2020), one silver at Overall and TST/Armored division (2021) and he won gold Overall and the TST/Armored division (2022).
Would I recommend a visit to Gunpoint Helsinki?
If you live in Helsinki or Finland – for sure. Set up some time, go there and get some professional instructions and try a few firearms out. If you own a company, and you’re looking for a kick-off or team building you’re going to have a great time here as well. Gunpoint offers a full service with guns, ammo, training and a sauna.
In terms of shooting, you get 180 degrees shooting angle with most handguns, and the main wall can take up to 308 Win. The floor has excellent friction and ventilation is good.
The indoor lighting and ventilation work well.
If you’re in the area, let’s say at Varusteleka which is next door, why not pop in and say hello? Just make sure you pre-book so they know you’re coming, and that they are available to avoid disappointments. If you speak English (or Finnish), language shouldn’t be a problem.
The address is Hankasuontie 5, 00390 Helsinki, Finland. You can find them online here: https://gunpoint.fi/
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