Has Tactical Gone Too Far?

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M.E.Eldridge

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I want to know your opinions on the matter. Has the tacti-cool fad gotten out of hand? At every gun show I see ARs decked out in all sorts of fancy lights, lasers, collapsable stocks, holographic scopes, grips, mag couplers and other junk. Now I could see the use of a light or laser on a pistol or carbine, in fact I want to put one on a Hi-Point .40 S&W Carbine, but what they got now seems to much to me. Any other thoughts?
 
When I think about tactical I think of the AR market. Some of those M4's weigh as much as an M249!

In short, yes I think its gone too far. Practicality has been overrun by gadgets. And in most AR15 fan's defense, MOST of those add-on's are NECESSARY. Yeah rite....

Whats the point of the red dot with zoom, plus NVD behind it and BUIS sight behind that. Kinda cool to look thru those picture threads though, but quite a bit much.
 
My son-in-law hunts and shoots with me a lot. He always looks like a Navy Seal when we go out. Even his Ruger 10/22 rifle looks tactical. It's almost embarassing to take him along. Trust me, all that tactical equip and looks don't seem to bring him any mor results, but he sure looks cool.
 
Thank god I'm not alone in my way of thinking. Whenever I make my proclivities know to the dealer types they look at me like I'm a whackjob. Oh, well no harm done
 
Tomatoe/tomatoe...

It really depends...

There is A LOT of stuff we do to our guns because its (tacti)cool or we like the looks or we just plain can't find anything else to spend our money on.

However, that being said...

Having a light on a home defense shotgun,carbine or pistol could mean the difference between shooting a loved one and an intruder. Having a "laser" can be intimidating and can stop a hostile in their tracks. Having a Holographic Weapon Site (HWS)....or as you say "scope" can mean faster target acquisition and mean the difference between being dead ir alive.

Most of us will never need ANY of the stuff we have, heck, some people never practice with their "tacticool" gear, but tis better to have and not need than need and not have...
 
What's "tactical" and "toy" for one might not be for another.

A light on the weapon? A red dot sight?

I'd really put those as sort of standard equipment for any defensive weapon, along with backup iron sights in case something breaks.

Beyond that it can get pretty silly. I saw a guy on another board post a picture of his 7.5" shorty AR, but it had a 2x magnifier and a bipod. :scrutiny:
 
Yep...although I'm guilty of it myself!

Mainly, the police have gone way, way overboard with this "Tactical" crap. IMHO, SWAT teams were a bad idea 20 years ago and a worse idea today. The SWAT teams are brought in for every instance it seems. Just as an example..that kid in Florida who was shot...and the kid had a pellet gun.
 
Eh, if you don't like to even look at them, don't pay them any attention and move along. Personally, I don't care for them myself but others do. If you don't like it enough to complain, get an FFL and sell and display the guns the way you think would be ideal.
 
I like sticking lights on carbines because they're helpful. But it can go too far. Some of the tricked out AR's weigh more than ten pounds, not to mention the decked out semi pistols that weigh as much as a magnum revolver. At some point your returns start to diminish.
 
Glockman17366 said:
Just as an example..that kid in Florida who was shot...and the kid had a pellet gun.
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I think that's a bit unfair. A kid in a school with a gun, unknown type of gun at the time, calls for SWAT in my opinion.

If MY kid was in school and some nut was walking around the building with a gun I'd want a SWAT team to take him out just exactly like they did.
 
Nope.

The whole anti-tactical thing has gone too far, though. It's based on the idea that someone else knows whats best for me, and for my kind of shooting.

Join me at the range sometime, and I'd be happy to show you what all the gadgets and doo-dads have bought me. ;)

- Chris
 
Some of it is too far and some of it makes sense. The "uninitiated" ;) won't necessarily understand all of it and so lump it all together as "excessive" when it's something as simple as a red dot. But if you actually have something like a red dot or a good rail system, and use your rifle for more than just bump firing, you might be more attuned to what is useful, and what is junk. Personally, I'm not sure yet if a bipod is a valuable attachment for my AR-15.

A lot of the stuff in the "cheaper than dirt" catalogue etc is pretty junky, as well as a lot of stuff I've seen at gun shows.
 
I never said that no one would ever need any of the tactical shtuff. I also said that a light or a laser could be useful. I don't really consider a red dot scope tactical. While the holographic sights might mean faster target aquisition, the ones I have seen all interfere with iron sights(or vice versa). I also think that to many people now have to rely on doo-dads to for basic firearms skills. Iron sights are on a gun for a reason. Learn to use them effectively and the need for fancy scopes for quick close range shooting won't be nearly as great.
 
my take on it is as follows:

if you've decked your baby out with all the gadgets you can afford, and over the course of firing 5000 rnds or more, those gadgets are still attached and you're happy, then more power to you. rock on.

otoh, if you've loaded it up and stuck it on your mantle without putting more than a few hundred rounds through it, all the while thinking it's the perfect tactical configuration, i reserve the right to snicker.
 
M.E.Eldridge said:
Iron sights are on a gun for a reason. Learn to use them effectively and the need for fancy scopes for quick close range shooting won't be nearly as great.
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Yeah, they are there to use if the primary sight goes down. Sure they won't be as fast since you have to align three different objects (rear sight, front sight, target) in three different focal planes. They also require a consistent cheek weld unlike a holographic or red dot sight.

As to the rest of the stuff, buy what you need and want. Don't buy the rest. Most of that stuff has very practical applications; but if you do most of your shooting at fixed targets from the bench, you won't really get much chance to appeciate what they add. Also in a lot of cases, some gear is very specific and is good for a certain role and not so good for others. If you have made the wrong trade-off you may not be happy with that gear; but it doesn't mean it has no purpose.
 
Tactical went to far the minute someone picked up a spray can and started in with the black Krylon.

That's just fine with me. You want it, I'll sell it, you'll pay for it and it'll go in my wallet.:evil:
When tactical is done for, I'll sell chrome!:neener:

Sam
 
tactical times

I've noticed this alot as well. I chalk it up to the times. Remember the late 80's and most of the 90's? The term "MILSPEC" was all the rage back then, now it's tactical.

Don't get me wrong, 'tactical' sells...you can't tell me it's not a marketing ploy to some extent, but where do we draw the line as to what's practical and what is fluff?

I guess it's up to the operator (hehe..another term that is loosely used) and his gear that HE FEELS GOOD WITH.

Another way to chalk it up is that gear is getting better and more effecient.

My dad had a high speed-low drag tactical belt he used when my brothers and I acted up in the 70's, and he could hit his target:eek:
 
Iron sights are on a gun for a reason. Learn to use them effectively and the need for fancy scopes for quick close range shooting won't be nearly as great.
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Disagree.

While at the Rocky Mountain 3 Gun competition in New Mexico last year, I ran a stock Rock River AR carbine with iron sights.

Despite being told by more than one person that I did quite well* with the iron sights, I was still left in the dust by those with scopes.

Now, granted, it was the first 3 Gun type competition I've ever shot, but I'm pretty much sold on the concept of having some sort of optic, like an ACOG, on a rifle.

*I don't say this to brag, I really consider myself to be a mediocre rifle shot.
 
I would say it has gone way to far. There are two types of people. Those who use all the fancy stuff, and those who shoot with the light and 4 mags attached from a bench.

If you take classes and all of that, then tactical stuff maybe for you. If you have 14 items on your gun and only use them for looks, then I will laugh.
 
*sigh* Forget the "Tactical" fad.

Why are people still droning on about single-action wheelguns and lever-action rifles? Those are so obsoloete, NO military's dumb enough anymore to use 'em!

And black powder, too! Who the heck wants to spend 95% of their time at the range reloading, and in the end only getting off 10-15 shots? :confused:

Nobody uses Apple IIe, BASIC, or slide-rules anymore, either. Get with the times, people! :evil:

/dons flame suit, and goes ahead and call ambulance to save reaction time
 
My son-in-law hunts and shoots with me a lot. He always looks like a Navy Seal when we go out. Even his Ruger 10/22 rifle looks tactical. It's almost embarassing to take him along. Trust me, all that tactical equip and looks don't seem to bring him any mor results, but he sure looks cool.
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I don't see a problem. You see the same thing in the automotive realm. People who came of age thinking big-block Chevelles with Edelbrock intakes and Holley carbs were IT, make fun of the guy driving a slammed Civic with 20" wheels, wings, levitation lights, an aftermarket turbo kit, and video screens on the seatbacks. So what? Different strokes for different folks.

I personally think firearms covered with engraving are ridiculous, so I wouldn't own one. But if someone thinks that's a work of art and wants to own one, more power to him. Cowboy-style guns don't appeal to me either, and neither do revolvers. But there plenty of cowboy action shooters and revolver enthusiasts here. Good for them.

I think putting a bipod on an M4gery is rather silly, BUT if you like to shoot from the bench, what's the difference between a bipod and a benchrest w/sandbags? Not a lot.

Lights and red dots ARE practical accessories, and I am currently in the market for a holographic sight for my SAR-1. Not because I don't know how to use the irons, but because a holosight is faster in good lighting, not cheekweld-dependent, WAY faster in less-than-ideal lighting, and NEAT.
 
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