by firearmtraining | Sep 29, 2021 | Uncategorized
Building confidence behind your gun isn’t only key to self-defence, it’s all-important on the range and in life. So says the master of confidence and Marksman’s Nest chief range officer, Geoffrey Coetzee.
He continued, “Building confidence behind your gun or any firearm hinges on practical range time, plus: shoot, shoot and shoot some more. Confidence in your yourself – and your gun – goes a long way toward shooting proficiency.
“There’s no such thing that some people are born more confident than others. It’s a matter of practising the art of building confidence and not giving up when the going gets tough. Without doubt, your most precious resource when shooting is confidence.”
Tips to boost shooting confidence
Two tips to help building your confidence behind your gun and on the range are:
The confidence imperative
In a group of shooters of similar skill, the more confident shooter will hit the bullseye more often than the others. And when the situation is fraught with tension, confidence becomes even more important. This applies to both a self-defence situation and on the range. A case in point is in elite sport. At this level, the physical differences between athletes are minimal; therefore, the effects of confidence are maximised.
Control what you think
So yes, confidence can be learned and it’s within your control. It all boils down to what you tell yourself.
Strong and stable confidence comes from controlling what you think about. Of course, this starts with stopping the blame game and making excuses. Researchers have found that people who continually blame others or their circumstances have significantly lower confidence and significantly more self-sabotaging behaviour than those who don’t.
Become aware of what you say to yourself and others about the events you experience, the circumstances you face and the people you interact with. Thus you’ll start choosing to think and say things in a manner that’ll build confidence.
Everything in life is filled with ups and downs. But those people who control their inner dialogue by staying positive and productive, build and maintain stable confidence. When you’ve reached this stage, you’ll get the most out of life, plus your shooting performance will soar.
by firearmtraining | Sep 16, 2021 | Uncategorized
Standard membership applications are now open at the beautiful Marksman’s Nest shooting range near Malmesbury. Partner with us for a mere R900 per annum to practise your shooting skills to your heart’s content in 90-minute sessions. This applies from Tuesdays to Saturdays as from September 2021 until December 2022.
Other offerings
Luckily, we also offer extended membership for those who want to practise harder and more often. Ask our chief range master Geoffrey Coetzee about this option.
At our shooting range, we cater for handguns, shotguns, bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles. Not only that, but we also offer exciting shooting experiences (additional rates apply) for young and old. These range from clay pigeon shooting, basic handgun, shotgun and automatic rifle training to combination packages.
And every so often, we also present shooting competitions when great fun is had by all. In addition, several specialist packages are available for business firearm training, plus security officer or law enforcement training.
Friendly, safe environment
What’s more, security at our range – which happens to be one of the Swartland gems – is top-notch. This guarantees our visitors peace of mind in a friendly environment. Moreover, our current members can attest to the fact that everyone is treated as part of the the family. And it goes without saying, that all our instructors are backed by years of experience.
The experience
Seeing that standard membership applications are now open, you may feel a bit intimidated about your first trip to the range. Have no fear. Remember, hundreds have gone before you and they came out triumphant. If you’d like to know what you’re letting yourself in for, do contact Geoffrey Coetzee. He’ll talk you through the experience and set your mind at ease.
Join the Marksman’s Nest family by sending an email to info@firearmtraining.capetown.
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by firearmtraining | Sep 14, 2021 | Uncategorized
Choosing a concealed carry handgun, or everyday carry gun (EDC), is a momentous choice first time around. In fact, it could be a life saver. EDC is the general term that refers to carrying your self-defence firearm in a concealed manner.
Choosing the right firearm starts at the place where you’ve done your basic firearm training, because they can provide you with hands-on advice. After all, they gave you the feel and contributed towards developing that need to carry an EDC firearm. That’s why your firearms instructor would be able to clear all uncertainties there and then about choosing a concealed carry handgun.
Comfort contributes to confidence
Like sitting comfortably in your car seat, your handgun must feel first time right when you pick it up the right way. Thus the perfect grip literally sells the gun. Comfort in your hand and inside the holster receives the highest priority. This ensures that you get to the trigger first when you need it most.
Importantly. the more you draw your firearm from the holster and pull the trigger, the better you become as muscle memory is established. Muscle memory is one of the body alarm elements as taught in our self-defence level 1, 2 and 3 courses. It’s also one of the main default elements when you fall victim to crime or when under attack.
However, having the requisite self-defence ability doesn’t merely entail practical skills. Which is why well-designed and -presented training builds confidence.
Self-defence happens at short range
Although a smaller and lighter EDC handgun contributes to easy concealment, the calibre doesn’t really matter when it comes to self-defence situations. Because the advantage actually lies in your ability to fire the first shot under stress. Self-defence training develops this heightened ability when you need it most.
Usually, a self-defence situation occurs at short range (1-10 metres); therefore accuracy is less important. When defending yourself, the aim isn’t to harm or kill, but to be equipped with the ability to stand up for yourself, refusing to be a victim and to fight back when the need arises.
Therefore, you’ll need considerable practise and training. “And the more often you shoot, the more comfortable you’ll be with your gun,” said Marksman’s Nest chief range officer Geoffrey Coetzee.
Importantly, when choosing a concealed carry handgun, make sure that it’s both easy to load and pull the trigger mechanism.
Try them out
If you’re able to enroll for additional handgun training at a shooting range, go through the paces and try as many different techniques and scenarios as you can. Repeated scenario-based training builds your muscle memory.
“You and you alone should decide what feels right for you,” Geoffrey added. “At Marksman’s Nest, we’ll make recommendations, but nothing beats personal experience. We have classes available for new gun owners and refresher courses for those who haven’t shot in a while. Crucially, our courses teach participants about the right way to handle a gun.”
