Originally Posted by
glocktogo
I've seen too many people bring their defensive equipment to matches and have it take a dump on them to completely agree. I'm not saying it speaks to suitability for particular needs, but it certainly exposes casual use gear masquerading as defensive gear. It also exposes poor setup, tuning, maintenance, manufacturing defects (I once discovered an agency issued, factory .40 with a 9mm frame, which was a problem because the frame was keeping it from feeding correctly) and a host of other issues. I've lost count of the number of guns I've fixed over a plastic barrel at matches when they wouldn't make it through a stage, only to have them finish the match with no further malfunctions. The owner usually walks away with increased knowledge and confidence.
For a $10-20 entry fee, that's a solid ROI. :)