The right handgun to purchase....

By MJ Woodland

How do you know what the right handgun to purchase …..

Thank you Shawn, and to answer your question this is a topic that is commonly answered by friends, family, and salesmen alike.  Normally when someone gives advice on a firearm to purchase, it is normally personal preference you are hearing. If you were to ask me in my younger years my answer would be to get a Smith and Wesson. There is nothing I hold against the other brands of firearms just my personal preference and what I was taught in the past. Yes, everyone knows I am a big Smith and Wesson fanboy and as of right now have no desire to change that.

Shawn, if you are looking to find the right handgun my suggestion would be to go to a reputable firearms dealer and ask to hold a view firearms that spike your interest. If you like how the gun feels in your hand, that is just the first part of discovering the right handgun to purchase. The second part would be to see if that firearm dealer has the capabilities to allow you to fire the same model. Just because the firearm feels good in your hand does not mean you will feel the same way after the shot goes off.

After getting the feel for a few different makes and models and taking them to fire, your decision should be easier to make. Just be cautious of certain firearm dealers who attempt to sale more of a certain kind of firearm due to the incentive deals they get from a certain number of sales. Follow your heart and feel what is right for you. Do not be so quick to just get a firearm and in a few weeks you are not happy with your purchase.

Do some research on the internet, look for some features that stand out to you for example, one of the deciding factors for me is to purchase a handgun without a safety. Remember my experience level is very different from yours, and this decision is made more from the aspect of competition shooting. Find some features that will make you’re deciding factor a beneficial purchase.

 Thank you for all those who follow and support the M-W tactical Facebook page, if you haven’t done so look us up on Facebook and hit the like button and join in the many discussions that are taking place. We are trying to reach our goal of 2,000 likes before the end of the year, tell your buddies to get on Facebook and hit the like on the M-W Tactical Facebook page. If you are more into photos, follow me on Instagram at mjwoodland where you can get an up close and personal involvement of my daily life and involvement at a shooting range. If you would like to read more about us do so by going to www.M-Wtactical.com where you can easily connect with us on any of the previously mentioned social platforms while looking at pictures, viewing future classes, emailing us, or even listening to the current week of the Black Man With A Gun podcast. For those who want a more direct approach, just call us at 803-250-1256 leave a message and we will get back to you so we can discuss whatever is on your mind from shooting classes or just inviting us to come out to your upcoming event. 

 Until next time……..Keep shooting……Keep practicing ……and have fun……

Best Ammo with Limited Funds

by MJ Woodland

What is the best Ammo to have when your funds are limited…

This was a question from a friend of mine named Ira out of Charlotte, NC. To answer your question your options are limitless. Normally when people come to my classes and their firearms are having numerous malfunctions, 9 times out of 10 it is the brand of ammo they decided to use. This is nothing more than the person not knowing the difference in brands, or just trying to stretch a dollar to get training. Never purchasing any ammo that would cause my weapons to malfunction, my research lead me to a number of brands that never gave me any issues while training or shooting competitions. The one brand I would always suggest to those who do not have the funds to purchase the higher brand of ammo would be UMC. Having limited funds when I first began shooting competitions I would be to go to Wal-Mart and purchase a box of UMC ammo and get 250 rounds for under $80 at that time. That box would take me through the match of the day, with a little bit left over to work on some slow fire drills later in the week.

Last week we talked about dry firing, and this is another way I kept my training going without spending money on ammo. This was a cheaper approach to reaching to my desired goal, at the same time pinching the pennies to stay effective at the competitions. Adding a variety of drills while you dry fire, will add to your performance being enhanced with live rounds. For instance, concentrating on the front site and pulling the trigger straight back was more of a challenge for me especially when you add in running and walking into the equation. Taking notice on how repeating the drill over a number of times would build a pattern that later become second nature, this bit of training had me focusing more on just walking or running instead of pulling the trigger.

So to answer your question, do a little research on the ammo you think will serve your purpose, throw in some dry fire drills, and get the most out of the ammo quantity you have to keep your time on the range a discovery of betterment with the dedicated time you spent on practicing. Before you know it, you will be keeping up with your buddy at the range who puts in the more time with the various shot patterns on target compared to your well-aimed shot groups.

Tune in next week as we tackle another area of marksmanship for another Tips and review segment

Thank you for all those who follow and support the M-W tactical Facebook page, if you haven’t done so look us up on Facebook and hit the like button and join in the many discussions that are taking place. If you are more into photos, follow me on Instagram at mjwoodland where you can get an up close and personal involvement of my daily life and involvement at a shooting range. If you would like to read more about us do so by going to www.M-Wtactical.com where you can easily connect with us on any of the previously mentioned social platforms while looking at pictures, viewing future classes, or emailing us. For those who want a more direct approach, just call us at 803-250-1256 and let’s discuss whatever is on your mind from shooting classes or just inviting us to come out to your upcoming event.

Dry Fire

by MJ Woodland

One of the first things I notice in the classes I teach from M-W Tactical outside of safety is that the new shooter wants to show the instructors that they can shoot fast… but after a few drills and a better understanding they realize that they can be throwing their shots and at the same time instilling bad habits that are to become second nature. With time and practice speed will come but most importantly accuracy will follow.

Dry fire is something you can do every day for as little as five minutes. I personally dedicate about 30 mins to an hour daily on dry firing alone. The best part about dry firing is that it’s free. Because you do not have any bullets to go train, or the winter cold is keeping you from going outside….dry fire can be another choice for you to continue to build your skill level.

When I conduct dry fire drills I prefer to not have a magazine in the firearm, only because that alleviate any possibilities of a round going off due to not paying attention to my actions. With dry fire you are practicing the same skill as if you are actually shooting without the bang and recoil. The only difference is that you can correct a lot of bad habits and reinforce good techniques. One thing I like to do when doing dry fire drills is to balance an empty casing of the same caliber on the front sight, then pull the trigger. If done correctly, this drill will reinforce that you are conducting all the fundamentals needed to get a well-aimed shot off. If the casing happens to fall off the front sight, its ok… do a self-evaluation to discover why it fell off and attempt to do the drill again without the case falling. This also can be done with two people where one is the assistant or coach. The role of the coach is just as important as the shooter conducting the drill. The coach can put the casing on the front sight then observe how the shooter is pulling the trigger, watch their breathing, and their stance.

 Remember that you want your pull on the trigger to be smooth every time. Do not pull the trigger with a stop and go motion. If you keep it smooth with every pull and reduce the movement of the firearm, not only will the casing not fall off the front sight post…but speed and accuracy are being developed and you are not even noticing it. This technique also works with AR platform rifles with the inclusion of placing a cleaning rod in the barrel with a portion sticking out from the muzzle break, then take a dime and balance it on the cleaning rod. Unlike the handgun, you can perfect this skill with your AR platform rifle either in the prone supported or unsupported position.  

Visit us on Facebook by searching for M-W Tactical in the search bar, on Twitter @mjwoodland, and Instagram screen name mjwoodland.  Let us know what questions you may have. If you would like for me to come to your area and teach the techniques I talk about on the podcast I contribute to, visit us at M-W Tactical.com and look at our course descriptions and send a note from the Contact Us page or call me at 803-250-1256 and tell me what you are seeking to do and let’s get you and your group trained. 

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