Anyone else tired of the "tactical" garbage?

[towboat-er]

4runner. Got me to laughing. THanks

[Tuzo]

When my son carried a Beretta 92FS in Iraq it was tactical. On our public range in Louisiana the identical pistol metamorphosed to non-tactical. The 1911 I carried in the army was tactical when I was in uniform. My Kimber 1911 can't be tactical because it is a civilian no matter how many rails can be superglued to it. Any scope with raised turrets is tactical no matter where it is. Any canvas-looking range bag with a few external pockets is tactical. Midway was selling a pink tactical range bag . Maybe it is needed while shopping at Macy's.

But wait! There's more! "Sniper" is replacing and becoming the new "tactical." Read the sales fliers from Midway and Cabela's if you don't believe me.

[Technosavant]

I will note that I have yet to see somebody with a kitted out AR-15 complaining about somebody else with a nice Garand or 1903 Springfield as being fuddy duddies when they're just minding their own business at the range. I also note that I have similarly not seen the "tactical" obsessed shooter opine about how these guns they don't choose to shoot ought to be banned. Would that it wasn't the case the other way around... I'm not sure why the lack of being catered to in the current firearm market bothers people who prefer the old guns enough to inspire such rants. If you like the older designs, well, why worry about what others shoot? It's not a huge jump from this looking down on other shooters to a willingness to toss them under the bus come the next political furball. It DOES happen

Sorry, it just smacks of "STOP LIKING WHAT I DON'T LIKE" when it bothers you enough to dwell on it until you get home and post about it.

I have tactical kitted out ARs. I have some nice older designs too. I like everything. If something isn't up my alley, well, whatever. Does it matter to anyone else what I shoot? Not as long as I do so safely. If it bugs you that much, then I can only quote Sgt. Hulka- "Lighten up, Francis."

IMO, we'd be better off encouraging new shooters, even if they don't look like us or shoot what we shoot. The more we allow ourselves to be fragmented the easier we will be to gobble up. Then none of us will be shooting anything. Fact is, it's the new modern rifle shooters breathing life into the RKBA movement. Best learn to love it.

[Damon555]

The amount of rails and/or accessories a person has hanging off of their weapon of choice is usually directly proportional to how poorly they shoot.

[RBid]

What is this, "Queer Eye for the Gun Guy"? Since when do we have to like the same things?

[Microgunner]

No.
I like old school, new school and everything in between. So long as it goes bang, is accurate and well made.
Intolerance only limits your enjoyment of the hobby.

[Tom Servo]

"Sniper" is replacing and becoming the new "tactical."

I was dismayed enough when I realized "sniper" was replacing "marksman." Timmy Tactical should be seeking a decent rifle and training rather than dressing it up with ninja gear and aspiring to some Call of Duty aesthetic.

Frankly, if folks spent as much time actually learning to shoot and maintain their guns as they did learning this week's YouTube Specops foolishness, we'd have a generation of real marksmen rather than a bunch of guys who spout incomprehensible acronyms.

[STEINER]

Different Strokes for Different Folks.

People develop resentments that eat at them because not everyone lives up to their expectations.

I think Black rifles full of trinkets and do-dads are silly but I don't judge the owner. Even if the owner can't hit the broad side of a barn.

Not worth thinking about.
I shoot next to Mall Ninjas with my stock open sighted Mini 14 and all is good.

[SHE3PDOG]

The amount of rails and/or accessories a person has hanging off of their weapon of choice is usually directly proportional to how poorly they shoot.

I'm not sure I entirely agree with that. While this definitely applies to some people, compensating for a lack of a certain something happens in all groups of shooters. I've seen guys with super nice 1911's and revolvers that look like they sprayed the target with shot pellets. I've also seen plenty of guys with rifles and handguns in MASSIVE calibers that couldn't hit the broadside of a barn.

As far as the "tacticool" getup goes, I don't see that as being any more or less eccentric than the jokers that wear cowboy crap to the range. I just don't see the point of having any of these things if you can't shoot them worth a crap.

[BumbleBug]

Originally Posted by Microgunner

No.
I like old school, new school and everything in between. So long as it goes bang, is accurate and well made.
Intolerance only limits your enjoyment of the hobby.

I say amen & right-on to that!

I was at the range one day & a guy with an AR was shooting. I'm not even sure exactly what set-up he had because I was AR-clueless at the time. I was astonished by how he slowly & methodically put bullet after bullet through a hole I'd be proud of with any of my bolt guns at 100yds. He just sat there shot after shot without lifting his head carefully pulling the trigger & I heard the clink of another case on the ground. I guess I had an epiphany because this accuracy was the real deal & this guy obviously knew what he was doing! Yes, I was fascinated. To each his own & don't judge too quickly; an old dog can be surprised & learn a new trick!

..bug

[feets]

I've shot some very accurate ARs. The platform doesn't appeal to me because I don't get along well with a pistol grip on my rifles. That doesn't make them bad. It can be a very consistent and accurate platform.

It's the mall ninjas dressing up like a character in a Tom Clancy book encouraging others to do the same that bother me. I have yet to see some of the tacticlowns with multiple gadgets hanging off their guns outshoot me at the range. They'll clog up the 25 yard lines turning in much worse groups than I do with a handgun. I consider myself an average shooter but it seems like most of the fools are poor shots at best.

If they'd strip half that crap off their guns and learn how to shoot they would probably have a better time at the range.


I guess I'm considered to be a hater because I have zero interest in the AK and SKS platforms. They rate as garbage in my book. Reliable? Yes. Consistent? Hardly. Accurate? Where are the sub MOA guns?

[HawkeyeNRAlifer]

I agree to a point. To take a light weight, easy to carry AR platform and laden it down with a ton of "tactical" seem foolish. That, and the fact that 99.9% of these guns won't see a situation that requires all the extra doodads. But it is a free country(so the belief goes), so to each their own. As much as I think I'm always right, I still want everyone else to find their own way. I don't have to like it, just tolerate it.

[RBid]

You can either shoot, or you can't. It's that simple. How you do or don't dress up your gun, which handgun you favor, what type of shoes you wear, or any other number of trivial choices you make, have little to do with your ability to apply fundamentals.

I wonder how often guys see what they think must be a mall ninja, while that young faced kid is actually a combat vet who is simply having fun screwing around. On a range trip a bit back, some friends and I were yelling up and down the line that one of our buddies was being out shot by another guy because he needed a foregrip behind his foregrip. He started playing it up, and we were yelling things like, "you need that foregrip behind the other foregrip so you can bring your hand back and give it more elbow!" Half of those guys were JSOC vets. Another guy was pretty much the President of Mall Ninjas of America. All are friends. You'd have a hard time telling us apart.

[Ben Towe]

I'll have to say, the OP was the one of the funniest things I've read on here in awhile.

Some of the tacticool based threads are mind numbingly stupid, but some are valid discussions. I like the AR platform but I'm ever careful when I build one that I put reasonable things on it; things that do more than look cool.

[Mavrick79]

I'm finding it very interesting how 99% of us on this forum are in agreement with the fact that we believe its the mental capacity of the person, not the type of gun used, that is the problem in all these mall/school shootings. Yet at the same time most of you on this thread are now saying its the gun and all the trimmings that make the guy a poor shot, not the guy himself. Ironic isn't it? Hmmm.

Has it ever crossed your mind the guy is just a bad shot, or he is new and learning. So he may have made a mistake with adding too many or the wrong accessories, he's learning and got caught up in the hype or maybe, just maybe, he's just out having some fun and doesn't really care. As long as he's being safe then I say so be it.

Remember, were all one big "happy" family guys.

[Mavrick79]

BTW, every time I go to my indoor range 99% of the people there can't hit crap, and they all shooting something entirely different but pretty much the usual stuff, glocks, m&p's, etc...

I guess by reading this thread they have NO business being there, I mean, what are they thinking? One of them even had some camo pant's and he could barely hit the paper, can you believe the nerve of that guy? What a douchbag!!! LOL

Sorry but you guys seriously need to lighten up. WOW.

[sbaker10]

It doesnt bother me if someone wants to put a light or etc on his gun, the only thing that is annoying are those who literally have 10,000 worth of crap tied on and acts like it makes them a navy seal. Or those who tell you that you need a 4,000 dollar scope and then ask how much your life is worth when tou say you don't want to spend that much

[Skans]

Although I have no interest in 90% of the "tactical" stuff that is out there, I do like some of it. I'm glad this market exists, because every now and then I can find something that is quite useful. Examples:

1. Bought a SCAR CQB stock for my AC556. It permitted me to put away the never-to-be-made-again factory folder. I could easily mount an optic, add a more comfortable folding stock, and easily mount a forward grip which really helps with full-auto fire. Also, the gun is more accurate because it fits very snugly in the aluminum stock.

2. The tactical forward grip mentioned previously really helps with muzzle control with full-auto fire.

3. Eotech sights are tacticool......but they really work.

[feets]

Yet at the same time most of you on this thread are now saying its the gun and all the trimmings that make the guy a poor shot, not the guy himself.

Wrong.


The guy doesn't learn how to shoot but he learned how to open a Tapco catalog and hang crap all over the gun.

Kinda like in hot rodding. If it doesn't go you need to chrome it.

[jnichols2]

feets,

I enjoyed your post. In fact, I enjoyed them all.

I have to admit my AR has a red dot scope and 3x magnifier hanging on it.

I'm 66 years old, with cataracts. My first range visit with the AR was using the stock iron sights. Fact is, I couldn't hit squat beyond 50 yards. The red dot and magnifier let me do just fine at 100 yards.

I just had laser surgery on my left (dominant eye). Haven't been to the range yet, but I'm guessing the 3x magnifier may come off. I'll keep the red dot, it has a real function, and the iron sights still work with it.

I bought a laser for my Ruger LC9 pistol. After the first range trip I realized it was more trouble than it was worth. I carry the LC9 for self defense, and the laser just gets in my way.

[Skans]

The guy doesn't learn how to shoot but he learned how to open a Tapco catalog and hang crap all over the gun.

Oh, come on, you can do both. You can have a gun that you made "tacticool" just because you wanted to; and then have a go to pistol/rifle that you shoot really well.

In fact, I only own a few guns that I actually train with - the rest are just for fun. I have 3 guns that are small enough to carry - I only carry one of them (Ruger LC9, for now). I have a bunch of interesting semi-auto pistols - but I now only shoot one of them as a range gun - Sig X-Five. And, I hunt with a Savage 30-06. I could keep only these three guns and wouldn't miss any of the others from a practical standpoint. But, I would be sad, because I do like having all of those useless guns.

I suspect that I am a lot like 90% of the folks on this forum. Perhaps we don't all have a bunch of uber-tacticool type guns; but most of us have a bunch of guns we don't do much with other than just like having them.

[Double Naught Spy]

I see the OP is yet another post on how he doesn't like the fact that things have changed and times have passed him by. The way things used to be was better than now. Change is bad. Anything more modernized or updated than what he has is wrong because he has the correct level of updated gear.

Life must be pretty bad if you are here to complain about the guns and gear OTHER people are using and enjoying simply because you don't like them.

[Grizz12]

To each their own

Live and let live (shoot and let shoot)

If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all

Talking behind someones back is a cowardly thing to do, man up and go talk to the people you have issues with. If you approach them and ask some questions you may learn something and in turn you may be able to teach them something.

They way the OP feels about tacticool is no different than the way POTUS, and the majority of this administration, feel about any civilian with any type of weapon.

We need to stick together as shooters regardless of the weapons each of us choose to shoot or the clothing we choose to wear.

Off topic - By any chance is the OP from a north eastern state or raised in one? My other guess would be California. I ask this as a personal observation to a theory I have.

[7n6]

Ide say for the most part I'm in agreement with you. I know I'm part of the generation that partakes in all of that "tacticool" stuff, but I can tell you I prefer m1's and revolvers, I love my plain ak's and sks's and bolt guns. I do prefer my m9 over the 1911 ( yes I just said that). I have 1 AR not much "tacticool" stuff on it except it has a forend on the front and a cheap 3-9x30 scope on top. But thats the gun that got my gf into shooting, and her favorite gun to shoot.
And I think thats the point isnt it? To get more people involved in shooting whether they prefer single action revolvers and lever guns or they like to shoot an ar-15 with green zombie heads all over it with a $500 red dot on top and magnifyer behind it and a bi-pod and a chainsaw attached to the bottom.
I would never attack another recreational shooter thats just out enjoying the range and letting the brass hit the floor whether or not they're actually hitting paper.

[zincwarrior]

Love it. I thought I was the only person (besides my wife) who thought the tacticool stuff was cute. For my birthday my daughter has promised to emblazon "Dad's Tacticool Fishing Vest" on the back of my IDPA required shoot me first cover vest.

As NOT ex military I intentionally avoid clothing and doodads that make me out to be a mall ninja. The closest I may get is "tactical brown Walmart Bermuda shorts or hiking pants in out terrible 3.7 hours of winter we have in Central Texas.

I will note, while I see some of this at the range, most of it seems to be in gun mags/catalogs. The tactical pen we saw in a amagazine made both the wife and I laugh hysterically.

I've shot in a carbine match with my M1 carbine using standard 15 round magazines. I did just as well as the black rifle gadget guys. Some of them didn't know what kind of gun I had and thought it was shooting big bullets. Somehow, this old soldier was an alien artifact with it's wood stock and handguard. Sad.

I have seriously thought recently about taking Dad's M1 carbine out and doing that.