Good Neighbor Podcast Northport
Bringing Together Local Businesses and Neighbors of Tuscaloosa and Northport!
Good Neighbor Podcast Northport
Webers Gun Consulting: Navigating the Responsibilities of Firearm Ownership with Markus Weber
Unlock the secrets of responsible gun ownership with Markus Weber, the insightful proprietor of Webers Gun Consulting. As we chat with Markus, it becomes clear that handling a firearm with skill and precision is akin to mastering the art of driving; both require a level of expertise that goes beyond the basics. Our conversation travels from Markus's origins as a firearms expert in Germany to his role as a certified gun instructor in the heart of Alabama. He passionately shares the intricacies of self-protection, debunking common myths and underscoring the weighty responsibilities that come with owning a gun. His stance on the matter is unambiguous: the person behind the trigger holds the power and the obligation to ensure safety above all else.
Step into the world of Webers Gun Consulting and discover a training ground where personalized, scenario-based exercises are the norm, tailored to equip individuals for the real-life unpredictability of adverse situations. Markus and his team have crafted a space that is far from your average shooting range, focusing on continuous improvement and disciplined gun use. The compelling narrative of Markus’s own international experiences deepens the conversation, highlighting the importance of readiness for whatever life may throw your way. For those eager to learn more, Markus extends a generous invitation to an open range day, allowing you to witness his innovative training philosophy up close. Join us for this eye-opening episode that promises to educate and inspire on the essential topic of gun consulting. #GNPNorthport #WebersGunConsulting #Tuscaloosa #Northport #Firearms #firearmstraining #firearms #guns #a #glock #gunsofinstagram #pewpew #firearmsinstructor #concealedcarry #gunsdaily #tactical #selfdefense #shooting #training #2ndamendment
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Patricia Blondheim.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. I'm your host, Patricia Blondheim, and today we have good neighbor Marcus Weber, and Marcus is the owner of Weber Gun Consulting here in Tuscaloosa. Marcus, how are you today? Fine?
Speaker 3:Patricia, what about you?
Speaker 2:I'm doing great. Thank you, and looking forward to learning more about Weber Gun Consulting. Tell me what this is all about.
Speaker 3:Okay, maybe I'll give you a little bit of introduction. First of all, thanks and appreciate for the invitation, for the opportunity to give you a little bit introduction about my business. And yeah, it's one side, very simple. I'm running a shooting range at the 69 North, roughly about 10 minutes about the last neighborhood here in Northport I think it's Forest Glen and I think the new one after Forest Glen. But also I need to explain a little bit more in deep what it means. It's not a normal shooting range. It's more a specified area for different kinds of trainings, how to use a handgun in different situations.
Speaker 3:So many people are asking me what it means and what I'm doing there. But I think I would like to jump more a short moment for the why I'm doing it, and I think this gives a little bit better explanation for our customers to understand what it means. So a lot of people are carrying a handgun for their, for self protection and, believe me, really not everybody is really able to handle a handgun for their, for self protection and, believe me, really not everybody is really able to handle a handgun in crucial situations. So that's more or less the why what I'm answering. It's a topic which I want to have our customers a sure and safe and secure feeling how to handle a handgun in crucial and critical situations. Does it make sense?
Speaker 2:Yes, that makes complete sense. So what you're saying is that there are people who know how to handle a handgun, but the missing piece is that they need now to understand how to use that handgun in a critical situation. So, when the adrenaline is running, when you have to make quick decisions about the safety or the use of your handgun, that's completely different, in your opinion, from owning a handgun and just knowing how to clean it and how to shoot it correct.
Speaker 3:Correct, Patricia, and I couldn't explain it better. I would like to give you a little bit comparison. It's pretty much the same when you are 16 years old and you get your first car. Absolutely, you are able to drive your car, but I think you need the experience to handle the cars in different traffic situation. And pretty much more important is it for handling a safe handgun.
Speaker 2:So you are German, so this might seem really common sense to you. But when my son turned 16, he wanted a Jeep. So what I did was I gave him a Jeep. I gave him a Jeep that didn't have an engine or a transmission in it. I know listeners are going to think that I'm this draconian mother, but I felt like, because he had interest in how cars worked, that this was an opportunity for him to become a better driver through really really knowing the ins and outs of his vehicle. And he did. He got an engine in it and the transmission and it drove and it was his first car. This is what we're talking about with gun ownership. Right, to be able to change a tire and to change your oil is different than learning how to drive the mechanics of, how to assess the situation and your environment and then to insert your expertise in gun handling into it. That's a whole other set of skills that you're adding on.
Speaker 3:That's why it's gun consulting and not a shooting range 100% agree on that To provide really the safe training also with the safe environment, and always keep in mind safety first.
Speaker 2:Exactly so. Tell our listeners about your journey, Marcus. How did you get here?
Speaker 3:Oh, that's a very interesting portion because, um, since a kid, I developed, I have to say, a passion for guns, and you know and I'm born and raised in germany it's much different to get in germany legal guns, so I learned all the necessary activities and made all the tests and license to get legal guns in Germany and it was also very important for me to also understand the technical and the cultural aspect behind those different guns.
Speaker 3:And then after time I started to shot competitions in different countries in Europe and of course, I also served in the army between 18 and 1985. And after time, my passion still continues, of course, and I would like to increase my skill sets. So I became a certified gun instructor and was very closely working together with local law enforcement as a kind of weapon advisor. That was more or less my way how I settled down here I think now 11, 12, or 13 years already here in Alabama. And yeah, and here I saw a lot of people carrying a gun. And that was more or less also the task for me to really ensure everybody is able to handle their guns properly. And you know, even for a well-trained person it's in some cases very, very difficult and crucial to handle these situations. And that's more or less where I jumped in and tried to provide this proper environment.
Speaker 2:Well, you must deal with a whole lot of misconceptions that people have about gun ownership. Can you think about, you know, like a primary misconception that you run into quite often?
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, sadly, and maybe I don't want to penetrate this topic too much here because I think a lot of people are aware about it, but I think the biggest and most popular topic is really guns are bad. So I have to say that's not true. It's really the person behind the gun which makes it happen or not happen, and I think this is my biggest takeaway out of this task.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. I think that's a crucial takeaway. So what do you do for fun, marcus? Do you shoot all the time, or do you have a set of things that you like to do to sort of decompress?
Speaker 3:A lot of customers are asking me what I'm doing for fun. Guess what I'm shooting. It's not only because I'm a collector and I'm a trainer for gun activities. It's really more than a passion. I'm using my shooting range, of course, to always increase my own skill sets. It's pretty much the same. You don't have to be lazy, you always have to move on and train in different situations. I think that's what I keep disciplined behind this passion. But besides that, of course, I also have a family. I have two kids living here in Alabama the oldest son lives in Kentucky and grandson, so they always also keep me very busy, of course, besides my activities in the gun range.
Speaker 2:Well, tell me, how does your gun range differ from, say, a normal gun range? Where you've got your targets, they're downrange. How is Weber Gun Consulting different?
Speaker 3:I like that question because it's really very important. I think a lot of people already got the chance to go on different gun ranges. Come down, you make a sign in process, you sign your liability form, then you get your target, you take your guns, bring it it to the place and then you pull it and just have fun. That's like me saying a lot of people know that in my case and I really would appreciate. Of course, everybody gets this opportunity to see that in person is coming over after a little bit of safety introduction. Everybody has, as the good air soar, we really start an individual for the person. What exactly is the need for the person?
Speaker 3:And after that we can see there are different scenarios, different cars. Yeah, they are walking out of the car, walking, sometimes running out of the car. Yeah, and but we were also very unique because it's very specified. Yeah, we have a lot of customers. Not everybody is very fast, we are. So we are trying to handle this very safe but proper for this dedicated situation and that's the difference. I have a lot of cars around to keep these different situations and that makes it honestly pretty unique.
Speaker 2:Well, am I saying this correctly, then? In my imagination, I'm imagining that there are instructors there that are always on hand to help you with your exercises.
Speaker 3:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:Is that correct?
Speaker 3:Absolutely, and this is very, very important for everybody.
Speaker 2:Marcus, let's switch subjects a little bit. You know you made a big move coming to America. I'm sure that was a hardship for you. Were there any other hardships? Or maybe that's the one that you surmounted to get to the place where you're at right now?
Speaker 3:Yeah, before I settled down here in the US, was striving a lot in my in my different countries and different parts of the world. So I saw a lot of good things, but also I saw a lot of not always nice things. And this is this experience taught me always to be prepared for different situations, and this was also another puzzle piece which led me to this activity, to the gun range, another puzzle piece which led me to this activity to the gun range, because this experience, what I gained, it's also something very important I would like to give to other people's. Not everybody has to go to the bad experience, so on.
Speaker 2:This also should be helpful or maybe you can't control being in a bad experience. Maybe what you can control is your reaction to that bad experience. I mean, imagine that if someone has access to this kind of training, they might be less likely to shoot unnecessarily. They might be able to gain the skills necessary to defuse a situation by simply by being competent and not scared absolutely correct well, what's the one thing you would like our listeners to take away about weber gun?
Speaker 3:consulting marcus honestly nothing special. It's really something I really recommend. Just come out. When people expect to as mentioned already to see a normal gun range, maybe I cannot satisfy everybody Sure, some people coming and make just a sight in for their scope a short time before the deer season starting. It's a different topic. But if you're really looking for a well-maintained and safe environment, learn how to use a gun doesn't matter what kind of gun wisely safe then I think I really would recommend just take a look, come out and we talk about which glass will best fit for you. I'm offering different glasses, not only self-defense. Also I'm training church groups, couple training and so different activities. I think everybody gets a chance to see that.
Speaker 2:That's marvelous. How can listeners learn more? How do they get a hold of you?
Speaker 3:The easiest way is just go to the homepage Webers Professional Gun Consulting, or you also can find me, of course, in the social media, facebook and Instagram. But there's also another opportunity end of April, because so many people are asking me why and what, and I said, okay, let's do a kind of day of the open range. Sure, I cannot provide that day a deep dive training, because a lot of people coming in want to see the range. There are also some vendors coming, so my target is really then to keep a network with some vendors, some friends, some customers walking around. We give everybody the opportunity to see the facility and I think this will help best to the people understand what's going on there.
Speaker 2:What a great idea, Marcus. It's been a pleasure speaking to you. I appreciate where you're coming from and I appreciate what you're trying to give to the community. Thank you for letting us know, and our listeners can reach you at Weber Gun Consulting. That's W-E-B-E-R, just so everyone knows the correct spelling. It's been a pleasure, Marcus. Thank you so much for stopping by. Thank you so much, Patricia.
Speaker 3:Have a wonderful day.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast, northport. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpnorthportcom. That's gnpnorthportcom, or call 205-809-4910.