CZ52GUY
Member
This is a rhetorical question based on a number of threads I've read in this forum. I'm not asking for advice, but posting the question to hopefully engage in some respectful and productive discussions which may be useful to new shooters, or even emerging shooters.
First by way of disclosure, I'm a pistol/carbine guy by emphasis. I run several thousand rounds of each, I load multiple pistol calibers, and .223 on my 550B. My focus is primarily competition/tactical style shooting (which some would say are contradictory disciplines, but that's a debate for another thread). I've been a casual shotgun shooter over the years and over the past year or so have become completely enamored with my shotgun. As compared to the pistol and carbine I find the operation to be more challenging, which only whets my appetite for more.
I've taken multiple classes, local instructors in my area, and my skill level for all platforms I'd say is quite competent, acknowledging that Shotgun trails Pistol and Carbine because of the opportunity of additional range time for those two platforms. Using objective standards such as Federal Air Marshall qual', IDPA Classifier, Gunsite/Insight/Chuck Taylor standards, etc., I generally do pretty well.
I dry-fire religiously and get out to my local club as often as I can. I'm a certified RO and considered part of the Defensive Shooting discipline leadership.
I have not fired a shot in anger and hope I never have to, but as much as one can know that has not been in that circumstance, my commitment is to protect my family by any means necessary if the time comes, and my shooting is geared toward successfully protecting those I hold dear. By profession I am not LE or Military.
My cards on the table...
...all that being said, there are strong opinions expressed especially in this forum biased toward the dangers of accessorizing. Some of which I believe are legitimate:
1) Accessories don't buy you skill - AGREED. Skill is earned on the range and by dry-fire, and through disciplined acquisition of knowledge, whether by formal instruction or self-taught. You cannot with any accessory buy yourself abilities you have not already earned.
2) Accessorizing can ruin a perfectly good gun - AGREED. Accessories that have only cosmetic virtues without practical value can detract from the capability of a firearm.
Sentiments with which I disagree, not expressed by all, and trying to keep to The High Road, addressing my comments toward the statements, not intending to disparage any individual:
1) Accessories are only of interest to "posers" and "mall ninjas". "Real men" keep their shotty "bone stock". Accessories and customizations of firearms often serve a very useful purpose to "fit the weapon" to the shooter and their intended use thereof.
2) Accessories are inherently unreliable and will inevitably let you down when you really need them.
I accessorize for purpose. Using my Mossberg 500 as a reference object, and working from rear of weapon to business end:
1) 12" LOP Stock - I'm 5-7 with raptor arms. My Hogue 12" LOP stock is comfortable, and allows me to cycle the action easily without an awkward reach. I am also able to conduct rapid reloads by doing a 1/4 turn left while keeping the stock in my shoulder. 1/4 turn back and I'm up and ready to go. IT FITS.
2) Single Point sling attachment & sling - the attachment provided by a friend, it lets me hang the shotty rather then benching or bagging all the time. I can keep it close, ready for my turn to shoot, and I find it handy doing transitions to pistol. The sling? An AK sling adapted to single point which fits my frame, allows for comfortable mount without excess slack, and it doesn't hang excessively low. At the same time, I can transition to pistol without taking the stock in my chin either. IT FITS.
3) TacStar Side-Saddle - With attention to detail on the installation, this accessory has served me well. The shotgun being a comparatively limited capacity firearm, it keeps me reserve supply close to the chamber & tube. For my intended use, the rapid availability of spare ammo' on the gun is essential. IT FITS my needs.
4) EOTech holosight on Weaver Mount - After shooting 1000's of rounds through carbines with EOTech or Bushnell (essentially identical reticle), it is a FAMILIAR sight picture. It has been my experience that the more FAMILIAR the sight picture, the more rapidly one may BELIEVE the sight picture and avoid excess "dwelling". With attention to detail on the installation of the mount, the attachment of the optic, and sighting it in with appropriate loads, IT FITS my needs. I keep high quality lithium batteries in it with spares in close proximity.
5) Mossberg Factory Heat Shield - considered a "glamour gadget" by some, it's an extremely useful device for those who wish to avoid a "barrel branding" when doing inverted reloads (an alternative technique I use when loading from a forearm shell carrier). IT FITS my needs.
6) Surefire dedicated forend - I will verify every target before firing, period. In a low-light circumstance I have no reason to expect that I'll be in a combat scenario where a negligent light discharge results in incoming mortar/RPG/artillary. Properly applied white light is something that is non-negotiable for me for a fighting circumstance. The Surefire has proven to be rock solid reliable. IT FITS my needs.
7) TruGlo tritium front sight - While the EOTech is wonderful, and the batteries are rated for up to 1000 hours, Murphy may be an ever present adversary. This front sight is easy on my old eyes to pick up, and has held up well over multiple vigorous live fire sessions. IT FITS my needs.
My emphasis of IT FITS is based on my experience that not all of us are the same, it's next to impossible that stock factory configurations will FIT all of us.
The long and the short of the point I'm trying to make, serious shooters often customize their firearms including shotguns. They do so with care and respect for intended use.
Are there folks out there going for "a look", reading what the latest SWAT/Military configuration is being offered and flattering those they admire by imitation with a similarly configured shotty? ABSOLUTELY!
But is a fully "accessorized" shotgun objective evidence that it's operator is some "mall ninja poser"...better think again.
Fellow THR's...you are visiting a forum with a motto' Molon Labe, a statement of independence, defiance, and determination based on commitment. Let your quest for knowledge and application thereof be based on that type of character. To those more seasoned traditionalists who often share knowledge in a less than balanced manner, I would respectfully urge a level of perspective and context, understanding that overgeneralizations serve not your interests, or those who seek guidance from you.
For the "seekers" who consider themselves serious shooters, accessories require an extra level of commitment. They should fit a specific purpose. They should work in harmony with each other and the intent of the platform. Care needs to be taken in their installation, use, and long term maintenance. An accessory is a commitment to a trade-off. What to you gain? What do you lose? What is required from you to get the value from it?
These are the factors I believe which should determine whether the serious shooter puts something on his shotty (or any other platform).
Safe shooting,
CZ52'
First by way of disclosure, I'm a pistol/carbine guy by emphasis. I run several thousand rounds of each, I load multiple pistol calibers, and .223 on my 550B. My focus is primarily competition/tactical style shooting (which some would say are contradictory disciplines, but that's a debate for another thread). I've been a casual shotgun shooter over the years and over the past year or so have become completely enamored with my shotgun. As compared to the pistol and carbine I find the operation to be more challenging, which only whets my appetite for more.
I've taken multiple classes, local instructors in my area, and my skill level for all platforms I'd say is quite competent, acknowledging that Shotgun trails Pistol and Carbine because of the opportunity of additional range time for those two platforms. Using objective standards such as Federal Air Marshall qual', IDPA Classifier, Gunsite/Insight/Chuck Taylor standards, etc., I generally do pretty well.
I dry-fire religiously and get out to my local club as often as I can. I'm a certified RO and considered part of the Defensive Shooting discipline leadership.
I have not fired a shot in anger and hope I never have to, but as much as one can know that has not been in that circumstance, my commitment is to protect my family by any means necessary if the time comes, and my shooting is geared toward successfully protecting those I hold dear. By profession I am not LE or Military.
My cards on the table...
...all that being said, there are strong opinions expressed especially in this forum biased toward the dangers of accessorizing. Some of which I believe are legitimate:
1) Accessories don't buy you skill - AGREED. Skill is earned on the range and by dry-fire, and through disciplined acquisition of knowledge, whether by formal instruction or self-taught. You cannot with any accessory buy yourself abilities you have not already earned.
2) Accessorizing can ruin a perfectly good gun - AGREED. Accessories that have only cosmetic virtues without practical value can detract from the capability of a firearm.
Sentiments with which I disagree, not expressed by all, and trying to keep to The High Road, addressing my comments toward the statements, not intending to disparage any individual:
1) Accessories are only of interest to "posers" and "mall ninjas". "Real men" keep their shotty "bone stock". Accessories and customizations of firearms often serve a very useful purpose to "fit the weapon" to the shooter and their intended use thereof.
2) Accessories are inherently unreliable and will inevitably let you down when you really need them.
I accessorize for purpose. Using my Mossberg 500 as a reference object, and working from rear of weapon to business end:
1) 12" LOP Stock - I'm 5-7 with raptor arms. My Hogue 12" LOP stock is comfortable, and allows me to cycle the action easily without an awkward reach. I am also able to conduct rapid reloads by doing a 1/4 turn left while keeping the stock in my shoulder. 1/4 turn back and I'm up and ready to go. IT FITS.
2) Single Point sling attachment & sling - the attachment provided by a friend, it lets me hang the shotty rather then benching or bagging all the time. I can keep it close, ready for my turn to shoot, and I find it handy doing transitions to pistol. The sling? An AK sling adapted to single point which fits my frame, allows for comfortable mount without excess slack, and it doesn't hang excessively low. At the same time, I can transition to pistol without taking the stock in my chin either. IT FITS.
3) TacStar Side-Saddle - With attention to detail on the installation, this accessory has served me well. The shotgun being a comparatively limited capacity firearm, it keeps me reserve supply close to the chamber & tube. For my intended use, the rapid availability of spare ammo' on the gun is essential. IT FITS my needs.
4) EOTech holosight on Weaver Mount - After shooting 1000's of rounds through carbines with EOTech or Bushnell (essentially identical reticle), it is a FAMILIAR sight picture. It has been my experience that the more FAMILIAR the sight picture, the more rapidly one may BELIEVE the sight picture and avoid excess "dwelling". With attention to detail on the installation of the mount, the attachment of the optic, and sighting it in with appropriate loads, IT FITS my needs. I keep high quality lithium batteries in it with spares in close proximity.
5) Mossberg Factory Heat Shield - considered a "glamour gadget" by some, it's an extremely useful device for those who wish to avoid a "barrel branding" when doing inverted reloads (an alternative technique I use when loading from a forearm shell carrier). IT FITS my needs.
6) Surefire dedicated forend - I will verify every target before firing, period. In a low-light circumstance I have no reason to expect that I'll be in a combat scenario where a negligent light discharge results in incoming mortar/RPG/artillary. Properly applied white light is something that is non-negotiable for me for a fighting circumstance. The Surefire has proven to be rock solid reliable. IT FITS my needs.
7) TruGlo tritium front sight - While the EOTech is wonderful, and the batteries are rated for up to 1000 hours, Murphy may be an ever present adversary. This front sight is easy on my old eyes to pick up, and has held up well over multiple vigorous live fire sessions. IT FITS my needs.
My emphasis of IT FITS is based on my experience that not all of us are the same, it's next to impossible that stock factory configurations will FIT all of us.
The long and the short of the point I'm trying to make, serious shooters often customize their firearms including shotguns. They do so with care and respect for intended use.
Are there folks out there going for "a look", reading what the latest SWAT/Military configuration is being offered and flattering those they admire by imitation with a similarly configured shotty? ABSOLUTELY!
But is a fully "accessorized" shotgun objective evidence that it's operator is some "mall ninja poser"...better think again.
Fellow THR's...you are visiting a forum with a motto' Molon Labe, a statement of independence, defiance, and determination based on commitment. Let your quest for knowledge and application thereof be based on that type of character. To those more seasoned traditionalists who often share knowledge in a less than balanced manner, I would respectfully urge a level of perspective and context, understanding that overgeneralizations serve not your interests, or those who seek guidance from you.
For the "seekers" who consider themselves serious shooters, accessories require an extra level of commitment. They should fit a specific purpose. They should work in harmony with each other and the intent of the platform. Care needs to be taken in their installation, use, and long term maintenance. An accessory is a commitment to a trade-off. What to you gain? What do you lose? What is required from you to get the value from it?
These are the factors I believe which should determine whether the serious shooter puts something on his shotty (or any other platform).
Safe shooting,
CZ52'