This year my blog will become an outlet for opinions on tactics, training and gear as they relate to the firearms industry. I resolve to post three new articles every single week, typically on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I will be interviewing other shooters in the industry, and will be attending events where my goal will be to report on the positives of that culture.
As a man, I am as common sense as they come, (read unintelligent if you wish) and I hope to discuss these categories in a way that everyone can appreciate. Hopefully offering a different angle on many of the established norms in our industry.
Let's kick this off right -I've noticed a disturbing trend over the past few years that has got me asking some unique questions about our gun culture. In particular it seems like we've got four different camps of shooters in the U.S. Please watch Colion Noir's video. It so accurately pinpoints the differences of these four groups, and is darn funny to boot.
I find myself somewhere between the tactical and hunting guys represented in that video. I've been a lifelong hunter and have a law enforcement background. So on my tactical side I would argue that pistols are defensive tools period. There is no other purpose for them than to protect people. On my hunting side I would say that all firearms are useful for the purposes of taking animals for food and sport. I have wandered into the realm of competition shooting various times over the years. First with IDPA, then with 3-Gun, and now I'm getting into precision rifle competition. My problem with competition is that it's a game. Which is totally the point for many shooters, but my tactical side screams out, "it's not realistic to know what threats are going to pop up and be able to plan for it!" Therefore I can't label myself a competition shooter in any way. As far as the "gun collector" goes - I own a collection of guns, but to me, they are all tools. I don't idolize my tools, I use them. I could care less if my guns have dings and scratches.
My beef with all this is the growing "in fighting" between the different camps. Like on Mr. Noir's video, the tactical guy says "you're useless" to all the other guys and sets his mind to believe there's no point to their particular view of gun culture.
Folks this is wrong! We have go to stop fighting each other and unite behind our common goal, which is to maintain our firearms related freedoms. It's like trying to support multiple conservative presidential candidates at the same time. Your support for one hurts the other, and at the end just insures that several good guys end up going home broke and defeated. Why don't all conservatives rally behind one candidate early on, and unite for the common purpose of defeating the liberals?
The different camps within the gun culture are acting no differently, and it's disgraceful. It's actually just tearing us apart.
Tactical guys, you could learn a thing or two about having fun from the Competition guys.
Collectors, you might really enjoy taking down an elk from 800 yards with that $7000 rifle. The Hunters will gladly teach you how.
Wake up and realize that Tactical Tim's overly prideful opinions are just as worthy as your particular perspective on the gun culture. How about you prove your devotion to our cause by trying something outside of your comfort zone this year? For me that's precision rifle competition...oh and I promise to stop harping on the worthlessness of the 1911 platform...
- Me
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