A gun instructor shows off his biceps to a visitor.MAY ZHOU / CHINA DAILY

After getting safety instructions at the Top Gun range, the visitors put on protection goggles and noise reduction headphones, and lined up to take turns at firing under the guidance of three instructors.

"I used four different guns, including an AK47 and an M16," Li Songwei said. The other two were an FNP90 and a Colt SMG. All are sub machine guns, according to Ryan Olson, an instructor at Top Gun.

Li said his favorite gun-fight movie is Mr. & Mrs. Smith. The 2005 American romantic comedy action film stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as a bored married couple surprised to learn that they are both assassins hired by competing agencies to kill each other.

"I love that movie. It's not just about a gun fight. It's about lovers' communicating to each other through guns. It's normal for a Chinese couple to argue back and forth – it is just part of the communication. I find the movie echoes that in a relationship," said Li.

Not everyone in the group was thrilled about firing guns. One woman was satisfied with pointing a gun at a target, posing for a couple of photos and then putting it down. Another woman was so enthralled by the exercise that she took two turns at firing.

Olson said the gun range sees a fair number of Chinese visitors. "We get them every day. This is something to do when people visit here. We get visitors from all over the world," he said.

Olson also noted that Texas is one of the most open states as far as gun restriction goes. On Jan 1, the state became the 45th to allow the open carry of handguns.

mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com