People trying to "look cool" with their setups?

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And to the "But these are people who don't really look like they know much more than the 14 year old girl learning to shoot with her dad!" statement, when my daughter was 14, I would put her rifle skills up against damn near anyone. OP you seriously need to let go of your prejudiced thinking.

wyohome, you may want to put a little "sarcasm" dealy up there. WE know you were being sarcastic but others may not :D
 
I'm gonna have to be in the "to each their own" boat...


I don't care how people spend their money, but if there's one thing that'll set me off at the range, is someone dressed in the gear, carrying a sooper-tricked-out-tacticoolness rifle talk down upon my choice of a cheap low-end rifle.


You know the kind. The "if it ain't Daniel Defense or (insert bling AR manf. here) it's CRAP!" crowd.


I have a DPMS with a Model 1 upper on it. Less than $600 in that gun. But it's outshot many, many "top tier" AR-15s, all while being cheap low end crap... :D I'm OK with that.


I have a Stag carbine. Arfcommers might scoff at it because I only paid 600 for it (and got a free case with it as well) but I'll take my handloads with it and put it up against any other AR15 shooter at my local range on any given day.
 
Op you are wrong to think like this imo...

For one being ex military has nothing to do with shooting skills... ive seen some people from every branch of the military shoot and a lot of them SUCK

And customizing ar's is fun which is why people do it.. has nothing to do with marksmanship skills or military experience
 
EddieNFL said:
I agree. If a person cannot shoot master/high master XTC, he should not own an AR; if a person cannot shoot the IDPA classifer at expert/master, he should not own a handgun (I suppose we should restrict ownership to military/LE); if a person cannot rebuild a small block, he should not owns tools. (yes, it's sarcasm).

I guess I'm not real concerned with how others spend money.

Betcha really hate cowboy action shooting.
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I really enjoyed your sarcasm. One of the things that jumped to mind immediately is how often people actually do jump to the conclusion that military/LEOs can shoot like experts. I know many LEOs and ex-military who couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat; who couldn't hit a Catholic if they fired at the Vatican; who couldn't hit ****e if the fired at a manure factory.

It cracks me up that because I turned down a commission in '95 that somehow I'm not supposed to have good optics on an AR. For what it's worth, I don't have anything more than iron sights, but I know many who shoot 3-gun who do use and need the better sights.

(I wish I'd gone ahead and commissioned. The class of 1995 made O-5 two years ago. Oh well.)
 
I am all for goofing off with toys, but when it comes to real killing machines, they need to be respected and it appears that respect for firearms among young people is diminishing at the same rate the hobby is growing, if not faster.
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Not sure what part of the country you are from, but in my parts the exact opposite is true. In my observations, most men and women in the 20s and 30s do a commendable job of following the 4 rules. OTH, the most flagrant violators are usuallly guys in their 50s and older. They just love to keep their finger on the trigger, with absolutely no muzzle discipline whatsover. The absolute worst offenders are the older gun store employees.

At least that is generally how it goes where I live.
 
OP, I'm with the majority here...more or less. I don't think you should "roll your eyes" at folks for overspending on a cool setup that is, in your opinion, beyond their skill or experience level. However, it doesn't bother me if you do so. You can feel however you want about such people and their gear. Whatever.

The point is, in America I can have whatever I want, so long as I can convince my wife that I need it. :eek:
 
Odds are if a 22 year old hot female hardbody wearin' nuttin' else but a coupla tactical thigh holsters and a bandolier walked onto the range carrying an AR with 19 gadgets on the rails you'd have no complaints at all. Am I right?
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PICS, WE NEED PICS!!! ;)

Hey, if that's what floats your boat, who am I to judge.
 
I don't have much actual shooting experience, but I've done my research. When I get an AR, it is going to have all the things you said are "tacticool", but I won't be getting it because they're "cool", I'll be getting it because I have a reason to. All of my weapons are double duty as range toys and HD weapons. I don't need to be a perfect target shooter or use them for hunting, because I neither compete nor hunt.

Collapsable Stock: Well, it comes on most ARs anyway, but if I'm in my hallway I want it shorter.
Red Dot: Faster target aquisition. Does it mean I don't have to train? No. But it does mean that no matter my level of training, I can aquire target faster.
Foregrip: Well, I'll probably use an AFG, but ergonomics are not "tacticool", they are healthy. I work in IT, so I know how much bad ergonomics can cause problems.

So you might come to the range, and see me with my "tacticool mall ninja AR" and think I'm just some poser. But all you'd be doing is judging me without getting to know me. Maybe they don't have the experience. Does that mean that they are bad shooters for getting extra gear? No. Does the extra gear help? I'd say yes.
 
Odds are if a 22 year old hot female hardbody wearin' nuttin' else but a coupla tactical thigh holsters and a bandolier walked onto the range carrying an AR with 19 gadgets on the rails you'd have no complaints at all. Am I right?
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You actually think anyone would notice the 19 gadgets on the rails?? :evil: I'm old not dead!!
 
Theres no reason to buy an expensive, military grade 1911 and have it checkered or buy nice stag grips. You could buy a $135 hipoint and have the same experience for a lot less money.

Now did you roll your eyes while reading that at any point? There's nothing wrong with wanting a nice weapon and high quality accessories. Its just a hobby for many people. Kinda in the same league as customizing a nice old muscle car even though you have no intention of racing it.
 
Odds are if a 22 year old hot female hardbody wearin' nuttin' else but a coupla tactical thigh holsters and a bandolier walked onto the range carrying an AR with 19 gadgets on the rails you'd have no complaints at all. Am I right!
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Nice mental images, Imagine the hot brass.
 
Being a hardcore-cant talk to girls-glasses wearing- d&d playing- comic book reading nerd for most (all?) My life I can relate to those guys even though im not one of them. They are being themselves. Their reasons may be childish or simple escapism, maybe bandwagon or maybe they wish they could be that action hero. Their reasons are entirely their own and trust me. Your 1911 without a rail, laser, FLGR, and bayonet looks just as strange to them as their tricked out AR looks to you.

"Stop picking on me because im a geek. Im strange to you, your strange to me" - MC Chris
 
Seriously, as long as he's safe and not breathing down your neck all afternoon or offering you completely bogus information, why should you care how he spends his spare change?
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There is a lot to be said for this. And you know, there are all sorts of people who show up to the range that you probably don't want to be shooting with because they are less than safe and are really actively annoying that are a problem.

With that said, I still haven't figured out why some people feel the need to dress up in costume to go to gun shows. We seem to see a fair number of folks who are dressed in 1800s cowbody, WWII, or Vietnam era gear and they aren't the vendors. I am not suggesting that such costumery is wrong. I just don't understand why they where is an am afraid to ask - I might find the answer appealing.
 
I think the thing that set off my eye-rolling was a comment a group of tacticool guys made to me at the range. They saw my stock Ruger 10/22 and laughed and made some comments. The gist was "haha so funny that someone would use one of OUR cool banana style magazines in that simple old wooden .22 rifle." (It was a $20 butler creek high capacity magazine I use to save my fingers from reloading). It was clear these guys were more interested in appearance than anything else.

And, not that it matters, but I'm not "jealous." I don't want to tell people how to spend their money.
 
Op-
I notice this a lot when I go to the range. People with no real marksmanship skill or military experience shooting expensive guns with all kinds of cool-looking accessories. Example: I recently saw a group of guys with a desert-camo AR with holo sights, foregrips, collapsible stock, the works. These guys were clearly not military/police. Would not surprise me if that entire rig was over $1500. They could easily have bought an AK or SKS, or even just used a good .22 or a hunting rifle. And ditch the useless optics!

If they just wanted to shoot for fun they could do so at about a tenth the total cost and have the same or better experience.

I also see people at the store buying these extremely expensive, military grade optics. What for? Just buy a 1.5x zoom scope! Or use the iron sights!

Am I wrong to kinda roll my eyes at these people? I should note these people are in the minority - most people are hunting types looking to practice or just people who enjoy the sport of shooting.
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Do they tread on you for not having that stuff on yours?

Its the 2nd Amendment man, let it be. Its also a free market...( at least that's what they say )

From the way I dress, you wouldn't know that I'm military, yet I bring my AR to the range and practice.

to the ninja's its all about how cool your stuff looks, I know for a fact I can dog people like that out all day with a 10/22 and iron. But I don't go ragging on them.
 
newbie4help
People trying to "look cool" with their setups?
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As long as they're not AHs to others or doing unsafe stuff, more power to 'em. Shooting is suppose to be fun. Heck, I'm off to the range with my wife and sones tomorrow with our 10/22s. My wife is the only one with a stock setup but with Ruger 25 rounders. The boys and I each have tricked out 10/22s & mine cost about a $1K to build. Would you roll your eyes at a family having a good time on Easter Monday at the range? :rolleyes:
 
I also see people at the store buying these extremely expensive, military grade optics. What for? Just buy a 1.5x zoom scope! Or use the iron sights!
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I actually prefer an Eotech for my AR that we use for defense against feral dogs as opposed to a 1.5x magnified scope.....it serves the purpose better. The Eotech also makes target acquisition faster than with iron sights......

So basically, yes, you are wrong.

I don't roll my eyes at those that shoot their lever guns and western-style revolvers either....I just pull out my .30-30 :D

With that said, I still haven't figured out why some people feel the need to dress up in costume to go to gun shows. We seem to see a fair number of folks who are dressed in 1800s cowbody, WWII, or Vietnam era gear and they aren't the vendors. I am not suggesting that such costumery is wrong. I just don't understand why they where is an am afraid to ask - I might find the answer appealing.
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I have been known to arrive at a gun show or two wearing camo from head to toe after returning from a hunting trip, but I typically dress up as......a college kid ;)
 
I'm 52, ex-military, and I don't care what the gun is as long as it's safe to shoot and you are safely shooting it. Here is my latest project, I converted it myself and everything on it serves a purpose, either to keep it 922r compliant or to help me in what I want to do with it. This isn't the only rifle I own, nor is it my favorite but it serves it's purpose.

2011 manufacture Saiga in 7.62x39, converted.

Saiga012.jpg

Top, the Saiga, bottom is an Armscor M1600 .22 semi-auto.

Saiga003.jpg
 
Some would look at my SKS with it's black folding stock and 75 round drum and think mall ninja. Let them think whatever they want, I know who I am and where I've been and what I've done. And if I choose to bump fire from the hip and dump steel downrange, who really cares? I'll pull out my .22 and follow up shooting quarters at a hundred yards. Is that more acceptable?

Instead of being less than high road, step down from that high horse you're on and possibly give these guys a few pointers. Might be surprised to find out they are actually a couple US Marines recently back from the 'Stan just having a bit of fun.

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