3 Gun/Multigun as Proving Ground?

[glocktogo]

I think that competitive shooting is a good test of skill and technique, and a poor predictor of gear suitability for anything other than competitive shooting. Optics sort of bridge the two; you can see if the reticle picks up, and if you can get hits, but it won't tell much about durability, low-light or night performance, or non-obvious targeting suitability.

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.