Variety vs Proficiency

[tanks]

Rather than different calibers and/or manufacturers what is important for me is the manual of arms.

I made the change a couple of years ago due to a conversation I had with some guys from STI, If I am shooting tens of thousands of rounds each year in competition using a SA firearm it does not make sense to carry around a striker fired firearm that I use seldom (comparatively speaking).

So, for competition I use a 5.4" SA .40 Infinity
For CCW a 3.9" 9mm STI DVC Carry

Both single action.

[Verdha603]

Variety = Fun.

Proficiency = Utility.

I don't see a point in applying a 'vs.' aspect.

Many guns can simply be fun, but no, I would not trust my life or even shooting for accuracy at the range to them.

Variety can mean hundreds of guns in a collection, but where proficiency applies is maybe a certain 3 or 4 guns (meaning combined of handgun, rifle, shotgun) for which one is proficient and trains with those.

However, for every time I go to the range with that "one" gun to shoot hundreds of rounds through, I take about 3 or 4 others just to have a little bit of fun with which maybe just see 50 rounds or less for what they are (such as rare, C&R, odd-ball stuff, or something just to try out.)

Sometimes guns are just fun - 'tactical' need not apply.

Going to have to agree with The Gleam on this one, or to invoke my favorite five year old from a TV commercial, "Why not both?"

I own a wide variety of handguns, and I like the enjoyment of having a variety of handguns to shoot and become familiarized with, and even getting some help in my own shooting skills with some of them.

I'm not a big fan of revolvers, but having a trio of Smith & Wesson's has made it so that I am actually practice my double-action trigger pulls more frequently, and those skills transfer over to my DA/SA semi-auto's.

I don't like Glocks, but I still keep and regularly shoot a G19 because Glock's aren't going away and I consider it a smart decision to at least be competent with one of the most popular semi-automatic pistols in the country.

Frankly I don't even like 1911's that much, moreso because of how crazy their fans can be over any issue with the handgun itself, but it doesn't stop me from owning a couple and shooting them semi-regularly, especially when one of the few things all my shooting buddies can agree on is that they all like owning a .45-caliber 1911, so no worries about running out of ammo or not having enough magazines at the range when we decide to bring them out.

And while many people keep asking me why I have so many Sig Sauer DA/SA handguns, my skills in shooting one of them transfer over to the rest of them pretty easily when they all have the same manual of arms and the only significant differences comes down to barrel length, caliber, and magazine capacity.

And that's before even getting into getting some enjoyment off watching some folks stop shooting to come over and ask what I'm shooting simply because they've never seen one in person before (I think it's reached the point where other folks asking to shoot my Makarov have put more rounds through it than I have taking it to the range).

[Someday]

I worry about proficiency with the firearms that I carry or depend on for defense, the rest are for fun.

[harbormaster]

Since leaving LE where I had sigs that I sold for some stupid reason (I think my partner wanted it) I adopted the tanks (Ruger P Series 9mm's). I ended up with 2 one a full size and one a compact which really isn't compact.

When my employer agreed to pay for me CCW where I am today the compact Ruger P wasn't going to work, the 1911's were not going to work and so I bought the CZ Rami. The Rami and I went out for 200 rounds of initiation and I was so freeking impressed that I went on a mission to switch from the Ruger P's to the CZ's. I now have the Rami, a 75 and a 45 acp 97. I'm still interested in a P-01.

I agree with Someday above me that I believe in proficiency with those that are for defense like the Rami and eventually I think a P-01. The 75/97 will be more for enjoyable range / island visits.

[Preston-CLB]

I have only three guns: a G17, a Ruger Single Six, and a Savage .223 bolt rifle. I am very proficient with all three, and especially with G17, since it is my SD gun.

I have shot .40, 9mm, .45 acp, and .45 Colt SA, and bolt rifles belonging to friends. I have found that the skills I've acquired through much practice with my own guns, transfers well to the others I have shot.

It's all fun, even at those times I am shooting for SD training.
-P

[naz]

[tawadc95]

I have guns I go to to relax and enjoy shooting but the vast majority of my time is with my edc for one reason, I'm faster with the gun I use most, I do not want to sacrifice valuable time in a defensive situation just to carry what suits my fancy on a given day, timers don't lie. It's about every advantage you can gain.

[Epaphroditus]

Proficiency amongst a variety of arms is mastery.

[nitroxdiver]

Proficiency amongst a variety of arms is mastery.

Absolutely


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[hunterb]

I shoot shotgun clays A LOT. My HD weapon of choice is a shotgun.
A pistol or AR may be better, but not for ME. I can shoot a 4 inch clay disc streaking through the sky at 40mph from 40+ yards with a shotgun. I am just okay with a rifle or pistol.

Point being, your HD weapon should be the one you practice most and shot best IMO.

But that should not preclude you from owning other guns. I have a ton of AR’s. Love them all!

[OCEquestrian]

There's an old saying: beware the man who only owns one gun, he probably knows how to use it.

That said, I own many. When target shooting, don't get so caught up in how close the holes are together, unless you're in a match. If you can group your shots together in a basketball sized area from 10-15 yards out, you're good. That's all you need in a self defense situation.

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A basketball is 9.51 inches in diameter. Having the ability to shoot a 10 inch group at 10 yards at a static range indoors is probably going to be fine in the closer confines of your home in a Home self defense situation but I will suggest that in a CCW situation in public your training needs to have you shooting better than that. Add surprise, the stress of a possible two way range and the less than optimal situation of likely shooting in low light and you will be lucky to hit your target, as many, many, many police offices have found out.

- "Train the way you want to fight and you will fight the way you have trained..."

- "Under pressure, you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training..."

[JoyfulJoker]

Training for proficiency is fun. I’m a beginner shooter. I bought my first gun in August 2018, but just shot bullets. I didn’t know how to train.
I dipped my toe into Action Pistol and it was humbling to see people proficient in multiple guns. ( shooting a plate rack at 7 yards equally well with the left hand , right hand and both hands). In the beginning it’s common advice to train with one gun. Key word: train . I chose one gun and shot it for a year , even though I owned a few . I have guns that are just fun to shoot , but aren’t what I carry. I have 7,000 rounds through my compact carry pistol and dry fire it as well as shoot it weekly. I have a full size gun ( same make , same ergonomics) I train with for proficiency. Muscle memory is what I’m working on for both defense and possible competition. Competition is the only venue I know of that combines stress, rapid fire , movement and accuracy and fun. The people who train for those skills are serious defensive and competitive shooters. All the best shooters I have met all take classes and some also teach .
The second best advice I got after being told to stop buying guns and train with one was get a shot timer. A shot timer is the only way you can actually measure improvement with drills.
The November 2020 issue of Shooting Illustrated has an article on page 66 with some great drills. https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nra...tartid=2#/p/66
My goal right now is the Bill Drill. I can’t do it yet . I am having fun on the way there.

Here it is:

https://www.benstoeger.com/livefire-drill-bill-drill

[rodralig]

Competition is the only venue I know of that combines stress, rapid fire , movement and accuracy and fun. The people who train for those skills are serious defensive and competitive shooters. All the best shooters I have met all take classes and some also teach .

Good on you for getting into action shooting and training!


When I first got into firearms mid-2016, I kind-hearted OG CG member, a Master-class shooter in both IDPA and USPSA, gave me this advice...

"Competition is where you find out you're slow, are not accurate, have poor gun handling, and have equipment that doesn't work... Accept it or do something about it!"

which I always share with newer shooters and/or shooters that haven't been in competition before...


But the general sentiment here in CalGuns, in my observation - "shooting competition will get you killed..." Or worst, I can shoot 10-inches in 10-yards slow fire in a flat-footed well-lit static indoor range, and I am competent enough for most encounters...

And I usually have article on PoliceOne to fall on, a good read from the late Ron Avery:

https://www.police1.com/police-training/articles/why-police-should-participate-in-competitive-shooting-sports-N5gO1UMtVMmRfbAk/

A basketball is 9.51 inches in diameter. Having the ability to shoot a 10 inch group at 10 yards at a static range indoors is probably going to be fine in the closer confines of your home in a Home self defense situation but I will suggest that in a CCW situation in public your training needs to have you shooting better than that. Add surprise, the stress of a possible two way range and the less than optimal situation of likely shooting in low light and you will be lucky to hit your target, as many, many, many police offices have found out.

I am quite amused that many shooters would make blanket statements such as "10-inches in 10-yards flat-footed slow fire in a well-lit indoor range - I am competent enough for most encounters."

At the very least - when one is stressed out, those groups are going to at least double. Even in the confines of a home, a 20-inch group at 10-yards is simply NOT acceptable!

I have been in a Simunitions Force-on-Force scenario - we've had shooters who thought that they were decent missing man-sized targets at 5-YARDS!?!

Based on my classification/performance in action shooting and how I place in tactical/defensive classes - I think I could say I am a decent shooter. But never I think myself competent enough for most encounters - more knowledge, more training and more practice is needed. In general, if we find ourselves in a HD/SD situation - we're most probably already behind the curve.







_

[plinker202020]

Very good input - thanks to everyone who took the time to share their points of view.

I guess it comes down to two different mindsets: collectors/enthusiasts or tool users. A compromise suggested by some is training steadily with the same tool for proficiency while simultaneously collecting a variety for fun.

[Barang]

wife shoots sig p226 and p229 all 9mm. i have p226, p229, p239 all in .40 and p220. different sizes and calibers. we can both pick any one from the safe without transitioning to a different system.

we have duplicates that we use for range toy. she had mk25 and i have plain jane p226.