That Operator Hatin' Thread got me to thinking....

[NOTABIKER]

most people just go out and shoot, few will ever take precision shooting seriously. Few would ever need tactical training for any reason. not many ever hunt. so that leaves the majority of us blasting away at objects 25-100 yards away and go home happy.

[VictorFranko]

I'm still trying to figure out what everyones definition of "range" is.

If you're shooting any kind of military type rifle, AK, AR... You should be training with proper equipment. Yes, (gasp) a chest rig and sling would be nesccessary. As these are not hunting or target rifles.

I dont see it any different than holstering your pistol or having mags on a belt.

But once again, if you're only shooting indoors at a faciltiy with every Tom, Dick and Harry, you are very limited as to what you can do. In which case, I feel sorry for you.

Agreed.
Practicing with the equipment you are going to use to defend yourself in a SHTF scenario is a must.
Under fire is the wrong time to learn that while shooting from the prone position that you can't access your spare mags without exposing yourself because you are laying on them.
It's easy to say "I'll just do this and I'll just do that", but until you get out there and actually practice it, over and over, different situations and different scenarios, you really don't know how you or your equipment will react.

[john67elco]

You're not a real shooter if you go shooting where you see other people let alone what they're wearing

[omgwtfbbq]

You're not a real shooter if you go shooting where you see other people let alone what they're wearing

Do you and your shooting buddies where blinders? Haha.


To the OP:

I agreed. I'm a middle of the road person. I don't own a plate carrier (but I kind want to) and I don't own and multicam (but if I got it as a gift I'd certainly wear it in an appropriate setting).

I said it in the Operator Hating thread but it warrants stating again:

As long as everyone is being safe and respectful, I could care less what they where or how they train.

[Bansh88]

Agreed.
Practicing with the equipment you are going to use to defend yourself in a SHTF scenario is a must.
Under fire is the wrong time to learn that while shooting from the prone position that you can't access your spare mags without exposing yourself because you are laying on them.
It's easy to say "I'll just do this and I'll just do that", but until you get out there and actually practice it, over and over, different situations and different scenarios, you really don't know how you or your equipment will react.

Uh Oh! Gonna start trouble with that. Guns are only for intruder defense in the middle of the night (according to most here)

[mike.h]

Holy smokies...a thread where (almost) everybody agrees....

...the end must be near....

all kidding aside, the OP is correct... and pro 2A is pro 2A

good job guys

[VictorFranko]

Uh Oh! Gonna start trouble with that. Guns are only for intruder defense in the middle of the night (according to most here)

LOL, on my way home from work just now I decided to delete my post.
When I got home and I saw you quoted me, I thought "Damn, too late!", but you didn't quote the whole post, you deleted the stuff I usually don't talk about, for that I thank you!

BTW, Trouble is my middle name

[Rosereader]

If you're shooting any kind of military type rifle, AK, AR... You should be training with proper equipment. Yes, (gasp) a chest rig and sling would be nesccessary. As these are not hunting or target rifles.

I dont see it any different than holstering your pistol or having mags on a belt.

But once again, if you're only shooting indoors at a faciltiy with every Tom, Dick and Harry, you are very limited as to what you can do. In which case, I feel sorry for you.

Since when is my AK a military rifle? It's a factory Izmash that has never seen military service... I and I alone am responsible for its ownership, maintenance, storage and utility... I paid for it out of pocket and hell, it cant even run in any burst fire configuration.

So I am confused why it's not a hunting or target rifle. The way I see it, my rifle is whatever I damn well want it to be. Furthermore you can run drills without a chest rig. 5.11 makes pants for that, and there are plenty of belt pouches to carry spare magazines that my jacket can easily conceal. I understand wanting and owning a plate carrier, but I only see utility in those that are concealable for everyday carry. All in all, I don't need any of the "tactical" gear, as I can do everything they purportedly are necessary to do and not stoop to cosplay in the meantime. Also, since when do such rigs have a monopoly on tactics? Any rational selection of equipment is tactical.

Oh, and most hunting rifles have slings.

[Tommy C]

Since when is my AK a military rifle? It's a factory Izmash that has never seen military service... I and I alone am responsible for its ownership, maintenance, storage and utility... I paid for it out of pocket and hell, it cant even run in any burst fire configuration.

So I am confused why it's not a hunting or target rifle. The way I see it, my rifle is whatever I damn well want it to be. Furthermore you can run drills without a chest rig. 5.11 makes pants for that, and there are plenty of belt pouches to carry spare magazines that my jacket can easily conceal. I understand wanting and owning a plate carrier, but I only see utility in those that are concealable for everyday carry. All in all, I don't need any of the "tactical" gear, as I can do everything they purportedly are necessary to do and not stoop to cosplay in the meantime. Also, since when do such rigs have a monopoly on tactics? Any rational selection of equipment is tactical.

Oh, and most hunting rifles have slings.

We always end up eating our own. The whole point of this thread was to point out that we need to be more tolerant of our fellow shooters. Accept the fact that others are shooting different firearms than you, wear different gear, & use other tactics than you would. As long as proper safety is being addressed, it doesn't affect you & doesn't matter. Your responsibility as a shooter is to make sure they are politically active & vote to preserve our 2nd amendment rights.

[davidb]

i think people should look as tacticool and goofy as they want

i think grown men should stop worrying about how other grown men choose to dress

i think harley riders in leather gear are a little silly, and they probably think i am silly, and i like that, as long as mutual respect is shown

[3006Garand]

I figure it like this. Most (I know, I'm generalizing) folks dressed out in operator gear at a public range are city folks that weren't raised around firearms. Not to matter, though. They have discovered firearms a little later in life, but these guys finally got the chance to go shooting, & they really like it. They eat, sleep, & breathe guns, optics, ammo, & anything that goes with shooting sports. Range trips, gun shows, books, magazines, internet forums, these guys have enthusiasm off the charts for it all. But don't be hatin' on these serious hobby type shooters because they could be the true enthusiast among us; they really love guns.

Because these folks love their hobby & their guns so much, this group is much more politically active than country boys like me that grew up with guns around. I feel that guns are ok & are a part of life, but I don't love 'em. Folks like me are part to blame because we took the freedoms of the 2nd amendment for granted & didn't open our eyes or care enough to see that the gov was taking our freedoms one increment at a time. It sounded ok to lots of complacent gun owners in the 60's & 70's when laws were being passed with words like Safe Handgun Roster. Hey, that sounds great, right? Who in their right mind wants an unsafe gun. If it can save only 1 life! Never dawned on us at the time the gov was using the roster to keep handguns out of the hands of minorities & the poor. And who needs an AR or AK? Just the soldier of fortune types. Every hunter knows a 30.06 or 270 model 70 Winchester is a better deer rifle.

Too much ground was lost before shooters back then finally started to figure out the true motives behind these legislators & these laws that had innocent titles that took our freedoms bit by bit. I think people are more aware, & are waking up to acknowledge that the 2nd amendment is about much more than hunting or target shooting. My opinion is the newer shooter/serious hobby types that love guns & are politically aware are folks we should welcome to our fold. They may dress different, be younger, but we need their enthusiasm, numbers, & dollars if we have any hope for our cause.

Why make a thread about another thread? Why not just post OP in that operator hatingthread?

[mr2ndamendment]

Great post OP.

I grew up in an extremely anti-gun household and escaped from it on my own through the boy scouts, military, friends, and going out there and learning more. Fast forward to 2014 and I've spent 3 years in the firearms industry, from working the gun counter at a busy Cabelas to working at a major gun range/gun shop in SoCal. I've sold guns, taught shooting courses, and been the custodian of records for a FFL. Had lots of great times, but it was all because I never grew up with guns and had to go out there and "earn" it for myself.

Now that I just recently moved to a free state, I REALLY don't take my rights for granted. People here are as you described -they all grew up around guns and use them to put food on the table or have fun on the weekends but they don't really love guns like I do.

For the dudes who buy serious gear, obtain serious training, and own serious weaponry -rock on. It's their right and their passion and they do tend to be very politically active -it's their "baby," their hobby and their passion and they don't want to see it taken away.

[Maltese Falcon]

Yikes, a good exchange of ideas and opinions and all in general agreement.

Something is fishy here...

.

[Tommy C]

Why make a thread about another thread? Why not just post OP in that operator hatingthread?

This thread was inspired by the hating thread, not about it. If I was going to post this in the hating thread, it was going to get buried as things were gettin' ugly there.

[NIKSD]

Recently bought KSG. Never had a shotgun before. The recoil made me think about shoulder padded vest. I was ready to spend over $100 for one- a lot of pockets, nice! I got to read the other tread, and decided against too much tactical. Will spend the money on some non gun related item...

A lot of my friends, in the beginning, get interested because of the "cool" guns/gear I have. Some people will laugh at us, we may find something elce "cool". Contra productive!

Any recommendations on a padded vest? Please!