by firearmtraining | Nov 30, 2020 | Uncategorized
by Geoffrey Coetzee
..Phwweewww…. we reflect a bit on a few things that happened at Marksman’s Nest over last few days.
.. what a week! Every picture we uploaded today tells a beautiful story. In the midst of all the commotion that our beautiful province presents us with, some find it better to make a turn at the shooting range and as usual, we had lots of fun.
When we’re at the shooting range busy with training, there is always something that stands out, and almost as if it wants us to see it and talk about it and share it with everyone we know… we make mention of it.
What stands out is that we must know who we are and develop confidence with our firearms. Most people undergo firearm training because it contributes to Maslow’s “the need for self-actualisation”.. someone must find this gentleman and ask him about updating his hierarchy (a bit more detail around security) like mentioning being a safe citizen and buying into this concept. Achieving a firearm training certificate should have a true purpose. If it is for defence or sport shooting, we should live up to that commitment.
DEVELOP CONFIDENCE
Back to the topic. Confidence with your licenced firearm is what allows you to carry your section 13 firearm (a firearm for purposes of self defense) every single day of your life. The Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 describes it as a person that has a need for self defence. In order for you to carry your gun you must be well trained and equipped and every single drill must be endorsed, and the only way you can ENDORSE it is on the shooting range with truly next level firearm training. Endorsement means to practice and imprint the fundamentals of shooting and all relevant drills, no matter how simple it seems.
You must change your mindset and become a WARRIOR who is principled and precise. We use the term as it describes someone that does not easily give up. Warriors date back centuries and are known for having well developed and specialist skills. A true warrior keeps his sword sharp, and it knows the strength and full ability of its bow or blade. Warriors have failed many times, but always found the confidence to get up and raise their swords in anticipation of a defense or attack.
CLOSE QUARTER HANDGUN SKILLS (Book your training with us)
In self-defence and close quarter training and skills, we must be warriors, our blades must be kept sharp and our swords must be raised. You cannot do it in any other way if you want to be prepared… and to be prepared, you must choose a MENTOR who can agree with you on the design of your path.
“A Warrior choses his battles wisely. He does not rush to confrontation, but also does not shy away from it. Know where your lines are in the sand and know when to stand up for yourself. Be ready and willing to fight for YOU when the situation warrants. The warrior inside of you knows; You’re worth it” (unknown)
HUMANS MUST LEARN TO ADAPT
We live in an age where we are amidst crime. As a predator adapts to its surroundings, we must adapt. We have heard the saying; “adapt or die”; maybe not die in the true sense, but fail in some or other way, trauma, loss, damage, etc. You must raise your sword and stand your ground. You must become the modern-day marksman. The modern-day marksman is a particle of a particle of many. You live an ordinary life, a husband a wife, a daughter or a son, and you should manoeuvre through everything that life throws at you and try to stay clear of anything that threatens your existence. Develop firearm confidence, be ready and raise your sword. None of us are born with a natural ability to uphold skills and abilities. We are mortals and eventually we fade.
MODERN MARKSMANS COURSE
Ask us about becoming a modern-day marksman. Our next Modern Marksman Course starts on the 06th February 2021 and ends on the 06th November 2021. A 10-month course, meeting once a month on the shooting range and with the purpose to develop critical and elevated firearm skills, life skills, approach to fitness and health, understanding criminal and predator analogy, to private and home security. The best part of it is that you do not need any prior experience to enrol. This is like signing up for basic military training (not in the true sense), but the concepts are aligned. Life as we know it has changed and we need to adapt. Be a Warrior, up your game, raise your sword and be part of a life changing adventure.
“A student said to his Master; You teach me fighting, but you talk about peace! How do you reconcile the two? The Master replied; It is better to be a Warrior in the garden, then to be a gardener in war” (unknown)
SELF DEFENCE MIND-SET
With a self defence mind-set, we live our lives but still prepare for uncertainty and any eventuality. The master tried to teach his student, that he should possess special skills for when he needed it, and not to have no skills when he needed it most. Start with developing confidence. Prioritise and focus on what you need and not what others think you need. Raise your sword, step forth and deal with your deficiencies and inabilities, you are a Warrior!
by firearmtraining | Nov 26, 2020 | Uncategorized
Of all the products from the R&D industry that I was privileged to test and evaluate, none quite compared to the Mantis-X.
The first item after my resignation from the military was a Kevlar bullet proof vest capable of stopping a 223/556 speeding bullet used by one of the biggest security companies in the South Africa. Things like these just seem to find me wherever I go. This is exactly what happened to me when the Mantis-X training system was introduced to me in May 2018. Although I didn’t understand what the true capability of the device posed, I knew that this is one of those things that will change the shape and size of all firearm training in the future.
Being an advanced firearm instructor, I could not imagine myself not having a device like this. This reminded me of my military days and the feeling I had being part of a developing system up to the day when that first mortar bomb was sent down the barrel, or a rocket launched in search of its destination thousands of meters away.
The Mantis-X device left me with the same feeling and in total admiration. I fitted the device on my CZ SP-01 Shadow and fired my first dry shots on 1 June 2018. I quickly learnt that the Mantis-X assesses the fundamentals of shooting at a level that I would not be able to comprehend. This was like being tested by a computer every time you get to pull the trigger, and definitely not the way I understood the fundamentals, but rather how I should teach it to my students.
In the months to come I started to understand what the fundamentals of handgun shooting were and the knowledge I had was the tip of the iceberg. As I progressed, I recalled some of my old-school military instructors shouting at me during infantry military basic training while assessing my target. I just said, yes sergeant, walking away from my target and thought how the heck would I get the next five holes closer to the target bull.
Today I understand, and say with due respect, my platoon sergeant was a hell of a shooter, but he had no idea how to transfer that expertise to the group of men that he was supposed to lead into operations. Knowing my platoon sergeant and the way he drilled us, I would have substituted him without a thought with a Mantis-X 10 Elite right there on the spot.
If you want to improve your shooting skills, I recommend that every firearm owner should own a device such as this. This is your virtual trainer with which you can practise a variety of shooting drills in the comfort of your home. The device is cost-effective, small in design and easy to maintain, and the battery life is crazy. I probably charged my own device at most five or six times in the last 12 months.
So what does the device do? In short, the Mantis-X assesses your actions milliseconds before you pull the trigger and milliseconds after the shot has broken. What happens in between is what is most important to the Mantis-X. It advises how to fix it immediately with your next shot and will continue to do so for as long as you have your device. It reports on your hold and trigger movement.
There are many different training devices and systems that can be bought off the shelf, but truly none are on par with Mantis-X. I’m saying this with much respect to every other weapon training system designer and developer out there.
The design of the device is truly light years ahead of its competitors, and will remain ahead. As an advanced firearm instructor who wasn’t too bad before using the Mantis-X, I rose to the top of my game and my shooting skill has improved with 20-25%. I’m more stable and conscious with every bullet I send down the barrel. I’m obsessed with my Mantis-X, and you’ll also be once you open your own box with a Mantis-X device inside.
Visit www.mantisx.com or give Geoffrey a call at Marksman’s Nest Cape Town (www.marksmansnest.co.za ), to get a full introduction and demonstration of the device. Order your device from us and it gets delivered to your doorstep within 72 hours, providing we have stock on hand. Order this superior training system today.
– by Geoffrey Coetzee
by firearmtraining | Nov 19, 2020 | Uncategorized
“Bang-bang-bang, reload, down,” a few of the calls that echoed at Marksman’s Nest Shooting Range on 17 November 2020, when team Yzerfontein Armed Response passed their annual security compliance shoot.
By law, all security companies that deploy officers with firearms must undergo an annual security compliance shooting test to prove their value to the communities they serve.
After being tested in the prescribed manner, the aforementioned person is still compliant with Sections 9 (2)(q), 9 (2)(r) of the Firearms Control Act in the following firearms
The security compliance test is based on the same requirement as the security business purpose qualification test, and as prescribed for the different firearm categories. It’s of utmost importance that security officers and companies armed with firearms remain operationally fit and ready for their operational task. Simply put, you must remain on a high level of competence where you’re working with firearms. As with any other skill, your firearm proficiency must be maintained and the only way you can do that is to get out of your comfort zone, reload your magazines, and get to the range for your security compliance test. Bravo Team Yzerfontein Armed Response, BRAVO!
Not only does Marksman’s Nest serve security companies, we also service the public with all firearms-related matters, which include, but aren’t limited to: firearm training, developmental training, defensive and close quarter training, motivations and amnesty-related matters. We invite security companies and private individuals to call us to assist with your annual Regulation 21 compliance testing.
Send us an email info@firearmtraining.capetown or call/Whatsapp 082 7172197, or book on our website www.firearmtraining.capetown and set up an appointment with Geoffrey Coetzee (Range Officer). We also have a very active Facebook page where you can follow our daily happenings. See you at the next security compliance test.
by firearmtraining | Nov 17, 2020 | Uncategorized
Not only has the gear changed over time, but also the defensive tactics we use. Precisely why it’s imperative to stay in the gun training game. And no better place for this than Marksman’s Nest.
Today we know better ways to reload the pistol, better ways to draw the pistol and better ways to deliver fight-stopping hits to the vital zone. This simply reaffirms the need for gun training schools of the calibre of Marksman’s Nest for the armed citizen. Gun-fighting skills are no longer just in the realm of cops and soldiers; they’re also of value and importance to everyday citizens.
Every year more improvements and innovations in the area of defensive training see the light of day. It isn’t important to simply do things differently. What will be important is to develop those skills that help us do things quicker and more accurately. Thus, the value lies in methods and techniques that will help us defend ourselves better and more successfully with adequate gun training.
Anyone who has a firearm for the purposes of self-defence (shotgun, rifle, whatever) should know that there’s a lot that goes into using it, such as knowing when you legally can and should use it. Doesn’t matter if you’re old or young, female or male. There are three parts to gun safety awareness: How to make the gun go bang; when you can make it go bang; and when you should make it go bang.
Visit Marksman’s Nest for life-saving self-defence gun training.
by firearmtraining | Nov 17, 2020 | Uncategorized
“With Precision Rifle Series, there is no set path to take in learning to shoot PRS style matches. For most people, the easiest and probably best way to get involved is to simply find a match near you, contact the match director and come along and join in the fun. The learning curve is very steep to start off with, but most shooters you’ll meet are extremely helpful and accommodating and will try to get you on target as best they can.
Here’s the 2021 calendar: https://www.precisionrifleseries.co.za/precision-rifle-2021-calendar/
“Moreover, Precision Rifle Series (PRS) shooters in South Africa are a great bunch and most will go out of their way to assist you with the gear you don’t have and so on. So, importantly, don’t worry about the level of match.
“Precision Rifle Series is not a cheap sport, and unless money really is no problem, then it’s advisable to come along and try out the sport before blowing a small fortune on the gear you think you might need. It’s perfectly fine to turn up with a top loading hunting rifle and a simple scope – you’ll still have loads of fun. In the long run however you will find your equipment will need upgrading. Come to think of it – even the world champs are constantly fiddling with their kit.
Match Types
“A number of different types of matches are currently being shot in South Africa. Below, you’ll find more info on these PRS match types.
Club Matches
“Club Matches are a great place to start shooting Precision Rifle Series as the scores don’t count for any series placing, there is no perceived pressure, rounds counts are not very high, and they often have really generous stage times.
Provincial Matches
“One-day Provincial Matches are also great place to start shooting Precision Rifle Series, and are very similar to Club Matches, but have a slightly higher round count usually in excess of 60 rounds.
“Most importantly, points accrued on these matches count towards earning your place in a Provincial Team and earning Provincial Colours.
National Matches
“Our two-day National Matches are recognised worldwide as Precision Rifle Series points race matches. In these matches, competitors are able to earn PRS points and compete towards earning one of the coveted places on the South African ‘team’ that competes at the PRS Finale in the USA.
“National Matches are designed to challenge every aspect of Precision Rifle Series competition. To be successful in these matches, shooters need to have expert ballistic calculation abilities, know their equipment very well, and be able to solve complex positional shooting challenges under severe time pressures. Winning this style match places you among a very elite group of long-range riflemen.” – precisionrifleseries.co.za/
