Guns

Know How Now! Gun Loading Made Easy!

Published

4 months ago

July 7, 2021

Stephen Powell

DO YOU KNOW THE BASICS?

Evaluate Your Skills

Have you had trouble manipulating a semi-auto handgun?
Has it been awhile since you’ve worked a handgun and need to knock some rust off?

Or Maybe you don’t want to teach someone yourself for fear of upsetting your buddy or your SPOUSE! Let me help you! LOL

Well, if so, this video is for you!

Today, I’m showing you the basics of loading, reloading and unloading a modern semi-auto handgun. I’m demo’ing with my Glock 19 Generation 5. The only accessories or mods I have with it are Trijicon Night Sights and a Surefire x300 Ultra weapon light.

Here are some Key phrases that can help you with loading these handy little tools:

LOADING

Safety First –
• Finger Discipline & Muzzle Management
• Gun in GUN HAND; Ammo in the other
• Grab Magazine Finger tip to Bullet Tip
• Ensure Mag is seated w a Tap
• Grab top of Slide with Gross Motor Skills aka “Big Dumb Movement”, palm behind ejection port. Thumb facing you.
• USE Push (with gun hand) & Pull (with the other) RIP the slide to the rear maximizing full guide rod spring compression and RELEASE it. This will load a round in chamber.
• Conduct a Press Check- once again pull with support hand and pull back on slide to inspect chamber for round.
• Release Slide and tap on back of slide to ensure slide is “in battery” meaning fully forward and engaged.

UNLOADING

• Safety First: Finger Discipline & Muzzle Management
• Drop the Magazine with Mag Release
“An Empty Mag is a Dead Mag” let it drop
• Rip the Slide- as you did in loading 3x to extract the round from chamber (if slide is forward).
• Using Slide Catch push up and lock slide open as you are pulling slide to rear.

RELOADING

• Drop Empty Mag
• Retrieve Loaded Mag
• Repeat Loading Procedures

Teaching in Context

There are several ways to explain these steps. I have found my methods and phrases used to be most beneficial for hundreds of thousands of students over the years and have passed this down to several of my instructors to implement as well.

I trust you can glean some value from this video and instruction and pass on the skills to those around you to keep them safe and successful!

Please Click Here to Subscribe button on my video to stay up to date with my content for you! Like, Comment and Share also to help spread the gospel of great gun handling to your friends and families! Also, Checkout my new site is up, The GunLife Coach.

Well, thats all I got for you today. Remember, Evolve Your Skills and Evolve Yourself! Stay Safe out there!

Stephen D. Powell
The GunLife Coach

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Guns

TOP TIPS – Perfecting Your Draw Stroke

Published

5 days ago

October 22, 2021

Stephen Powell

How to Skin that SmokeWagon...

How Do You Skin That SmokeWagon?

Today’s video is one I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. I’ve been fortunate to share How I teach the 4 step draw stroke to thousands of students over the last 25+ years and I’ve condensed it down to a 5 min video to give you enough to work on your own..

I know there are several ways to accomplish a task and this is just my take! There are some awesome instructors and companies out there teaching other variants and I’d encourage you to keep “Evolving Your Skills” to round out your skills!

WAIT A MINUTE: Maybe you’re not using a strong side hip holster or even an outside or exposed holster. That’s okay, this draw stroke process can be adapted and utilized in concept and application whether you’re a Inside the waistband, appendix carry type or you have some specialty holster like pocket holsters or the many unconventional holster types for ladies!

So, Enjoy the Video, Stay Tuned and Keep training to win!

Step 1: First, Firm, Firing Grip

I’ve used this phrase because it’s a thorough explanation and a catchy phrase to help my students remember. Firm, handshake grip, Positive control of the gun, keep your fingers indexed on holster and along side of frame, depress any retention devices, and get that gun OUT!

Step 2: Level Your Gun

Now that you have your hand on that smokewagon! Keep the wrist straight, Get your elbow to a 90 degree angle, cant the top of your gun away from your body so clothing doesn’t interrupt your draw stroke, and kick your thumb out away from your gun which helps clothing not interrupt and sets up your indexing for step 3 and a two handed grip! (You can fire in Step 2 if needed, FYI, with a level gun and you’re cleared for HOT!! or if you needed to for your own survival or someone else’s.

Step 3: Indexing

Next, you’re getting that gun in your work space, (mid abdomen to eye level), you want to envelope your gun with your two handed grip. I use thephrase Two Thumbs Toward Target. This helps me remember my placement on the gun and ensure a solid grip. Now, you’re in a “high compressed ready”. This is where you are keeping the gun and your grip position with the gun close to your torso and it is ready to fire (and you could if need be).

Step 4: Presentation

This last step is the easiest.. This is where you are full on presenting your gun to target, bringing your gun up to your eyes not your eyes down to your gun.

Also, It may be beneficial and I have found this to be true: Bring your arms almost to full extension not completely locked out. This helps us use our elbows as shock absorbers for recoil management, eases fatigue and is much more manageable for movement. Now, Fire when Ready

So, now that the bang has happened and you are finished with your task. Scan your environment, check for additional threats (if this were a life/death event) and just check to see what’s going on around you.

“We Draw Quickly but Holster Reluctantly.”

Nobody gets a prize for holstering first.. Holster reluctantly.

Reverse the process of your draw stroke to put it away… 4,3,2,1. So

How We Learn…

Learning this is just like anything else; we all learn by Crawl, Walk, Run.

If you’re new at this don’t beat yourself up over how you may look or if you aren’t as fast as you want to be… If you haven’t practiced this way before and you are re-training, be mindful of your movements. We want to duplicate our success and minimize our misses, even in a draw stroke skill.

You may start off with robotic or jerky movements but those will round out over time. Remember we are wanting to build Correct, Continuous Movements for a solid level of subconscious performance. So, do the things you have to do slowly, slow; and do the things you can do fast, fast. Be Vigilant in your training, and with an unloaded gun you can always practice this at home in your spare time, just be sure to be safe!

Keep Evolving your Skills!

Thank you so much for tuning in, that’s all I got for you today. Please like, comment and share and be sure to subscribe to my channel!

The GunLife Coach

Stephen D. Powell

Guns

DO YOU KNOW YOUR GUN TYPE?

Published

3 months ago

July 15, 2021

Stephen Powell

Photo courtesy of Patriot Outdoors, Inc.

SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL AND WATCH THIS WEEK’S VIDEO!

Do you Know your Gun Type?

There are so many TYPES of handguns out there aren’t there?

If you are new to shooting or only have handled one or two; you may not be aware of all the different types of handguns that are available!

It can be kind of confusing with all the levers and switches and although they all have barrels and triggers some function very differently than the others!

Today, I’m going to break the most popular types of handguns that are used across the country for competition, concealed carry/home defense, law enforcement and the military or just for recreation.

Handgun Types – Most Popular

Derringers
Hammerless or Snubnose Double Action Revolvers
Double Action / Single Action Revolvers
•Single Action Only Semi Automatics
•Double Action/Single Action Semi Automatics
•Striker Fired Semi Automatics

Understand that this video is not an exhaustive review; there are other reputable Gun manufacturers and models out there.

This is just my take on the most popular and most used and abused and have stayed in the fight long enough.

Conversely, due to my experience on the ranges I’ve seen some doozies of some models that just don’t run or don’t run well. I’d recommend sticking with the top 10 gun manufacturers (in my opinion):

Manufacturers

•Glock – Striker

•Sig Sauer – DA/SA DAO/ SAO & Striker

•Hk – DA/SA DAO and Striker

•Smith & Wesson – Revolvers & Striker •Springfield Armory – Striker

•CZ – striker Fired Most Popular

•FNH – DA & Striker

•Colt – 1911’s & Revolvers

•Kimber -1911’s

•Ruger -Revolvers

Choose wisely my friends! Go to a range; ask your friends and family, get some training and test drive some until you find the one that is right for you!

Don’t forget to follow me on FB/IG and subscribe here on YouTube! And checkout my new site www.thegunlifecoach.com

That’s all I got for you today! Evolve Your Skills and Evolve Yourself!

Stephen D. Powell ~The GunLife Coach