Photos by Jared Soares | The Roanoke Times

Hugh Hagan (right) instructs Roanoke Times columnist Dan Casey on how to fire a handgun Sunday at a range in Southwest Roanoke County. This was Casey's first time firing a handgun.

Roanoke Times columnist Dan Casey beams Sunday afternoon after firing a rifle at a private range in Southwest Roanoke County.

Dan Casey is The Roanoke Times' metro columnist.

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Sunday I did something I've never done before.

With my Virginia-issued concealed handgun permit tucked securely in my back pocket, I touched a handgun for the first time.

I fired one, too. Actually, I touched, held and fired a small arsenal of handguns, plus a beastly rifle used in elephant hunts.

And you know what? It was a lot of fun.

Marc Davis and Hugh Hagan were my hosts at a private outdoor range in Southwest Roanoke County.

Davis is in the real estate business, and he's a pistol-shooting champion. Hagan is the accomplished surgeon who rebuilt my shattered wrist back in 2001 after a nasty bicycle wreck.

They had been after me to come out and shoot since early July.

That's when I took, and passed, and wrote about a one-hour, online streaming video course that rendered me "competent" to apply for a Virginia concealed carry permit -- even though I'd never touched a handgun. (The state granted my permit in August.)

Sunday at the range, the first thing Davis explained were the rules, such as where and where not to stand, and when the range was "hot" (firing allowed) and "cold" (no firing allowed).

He told me to treat all guns as if they are loaded. They should always be pointed downrange. He showed me how to load them. And he warned me to keep my finger off the trigger until I was ready to fire. He demonstrated how to aim.

After donning eye and ear protection, I blasted away with a bunch of different caliber small and large revolvers and semiautomatic pistols.

The surprising result?

I am a pretty good shot. I got a near double bull's-eye at one paper target at 10 yards, and nailed another target a bunch of times at 20 yards. I hit the latter much more than I missed.

I even hit a pie-plate-sized metal disc at 50 yards with a .22-caliber semiautomatic that had an electronic sight.

By the end of the lesson, those friendly guys on the range were calling me "a natural."

"You shoot like a woman," Hagan told me. He explained that was actually a compliment: Women often do better than men the first time on a target range because they're more relaxed when firing.

The truth is, I had great teachers. They demonstrated how each of the different guns worked, how to safely grip them, the intricacies of good aim and the best way to pull the trigger.

Most of that is covered in the Concealed Carry Institute's $39.95 online course, too.

One of the big differences was, I could ask questions. There were many over the course of a couple of hours, and Davis and Hagan patiently answered each one. That's why a majority of states with concealed carry laws require classroom training.

Another, of course, is that I could hold and fire a gun.

On streaming video you cannot get answers or touch the weapon, after all.

There's still no doubt in my mind that the state law that deemed me "competent" enough to get a Virginia concealed handgun permit via that online course is asinine and irresponsible.

The online training law was introduced by state Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, R-Fairfax County, and the General Assembly enacted it over Gov. Tim Kaine's veto. Cuccinelli is now running for attorney general. His Democratic opponent, Del. Steve Shannon, voted for that bill, too.

The General Assembly ought to undo that dumb law in the next session.

But unquestionably, shooting guns is fun. I learned a lot and have a newfound respect for folks with serious gun habits.

"When you bring a person out here who's never shot before, they always love it," Hagan said. "They always leave with a smile on their face."

It's far too early in this process to call me any kind of a gun expert.

"Gun novice" is a much better description.

Or just call me Deadeye Dan.