citizensoldier16
06-16-11, 20:23
I just spent the better part of 45 minutes browsing through my the main forums I spend the majority of my time on here: AR general discussion, AR technical, and Handguns. What I've seen over the past few weeks makes me shake my head in disgust. I've been a member here for a number of years, and through that time I have become VERY proficient with the search function. However, it seems that many members, both old and new, don't even know it exists. I've seen multiple threads lately with topics or questions that have been beaten worse than a dead horse, so I guess I'm just venting.
Lets break it down by category of topics in which the search function could and would be useful from now on. My suggestion is that if you have a question that would fall in any of the general categories listed below, use the search function. I'm going to suggest some search options for each category. Feel free to add your own, and lets all try to cut down on repeating ourselves, and seeing the same topics come up over and over again.
1) Slings. Everybody should have one, and there have got to be a thousand threads in the forum about them. Single point, double point...doesn't matter. Try them both out, and use what you like. Sling mounting adapters fall into this category as well. There are a plethora of options out there, and I guarantee that every one has been covered in more threads than any of us cares to read.
Search options: "sling" "slings" "Vickers" "Blue Force Gear" "Magpul MS2"
2) Sights and zeroing. We all get it, you need one for the front and one for the rear. It doesn't really matter if you're zeroed for 25m, 50m, or 100m as long as you can hit what you're aiming at reliably. Honestly I'm tired of reading all the new posts of "what range should I zero at?" and "if I zero at 25 meters, where else am I zeroed at?" Point of aim versus point of impact when it comes to the AR platform has been gone over here plenty of times. Please use the search function and 99% says you'll find your answer within the first 5 threads. Other sub-topics which fall in this category should include absolute versus lower 1/3 cowitness, optics, MOA, flip-up versus fixed sights, night sights (pistols), competition sights, and sight markings.
Search options: "sights" "night sights" "Heine" "Trijicon" "zeroing" "trajectory" "ballistics" "flip up sights" "FSB" "cowitness" "red dot sight" "Aimpoint" "eotech"
This will AR specific ballistics table will probably help a lot of people with zeroing and POI:
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm53/emtjmd216/m193ballisticchart-1.jpg
Here's a link to the Sighting sticky:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=65679
3) Trigger upgrades. Nothing special to rant about here, other than the fact that they come up way too often and many of us find ourselves repeating answers to common questions.
4) Lower-tier rifles. We know they aren't built to the standards of Tier 1 rifles. If you are a new member and you find yourself with a sub-standard rifle according to THE CHART, don't even think about posting here about how your rifle "goes bang when I pull the trigger" or how your DPMS can run with a Noveske any time. I'm sure it can, but are you willing to bet your life on that firearm equivalent of WalMart? Do your research, improve what you can if you with, or sell it and buy something reliable. You're only going to catch flak for acting like a jackwagon here.
5) Malfunctions. The AR platform has been around for decades. Your stove pipe or double feed has more than likely happened to somebody else in the past. In addition, that person more than likely got an answer via a thread. Lastly, the answer they got will more than likely work for you, as it has for tens of thousands of other soldiers and civilian shooters alike.
Search options: "stove pipe" "double feed" "failure to extract"
That about covers it for topics I'm tired of hearing. My advice to new members consists of the following:
1) Join the site
2) Don't post immediately to increase the size of your internet ego.
3) Read the da*n stickies!
4) If you have a question, search it. Chances are it's been covered before. Just because you have a new rifle and a question doesn't mean that same question hasn't occurred to 295,398 other people before.
5) Respect the moderators. Their job is hard enough without you spouting off or whining because your ridiculously repetitive post was closed. If it was closed, they probably had a good reason for it, especially if they responded with "Please use the search function" before closing your post.
6) Realize there are probably 1,000 people here with more knowledge and real-world experience than you. If their tag says "Moderator" "Senior Member" or "Subject Matter Expert", take what they say and learn from it. I certainly have.
7) Don't start shit. Nobody likes a flamer.
And finally....
8) If you're thinking of getting rid of a gun, send it to me. I'll certainly take it off your hands. :D
Thanks for letting me vent, guys.
Lets break it down by category of topics in which the search function could and would be useful from now on. My suggestion is that if you have a question that would fall in any of the general categories listed below, use the search function. I'm going to suggest some search options for each category. Feel free to add your own, and lets all try to cut down on repeating ourselves, and seeing the same topics come up over and over again.
1) Slings. Everybody should have one, and there have got to be a thousand threads in the forum about them. Single point, double point...doesn't matter. Try them both out, and use what you like. Sling mounting adapters fall into this category as well. There are a plethora of options out there, and I guarantee that every one has been covered in more threads than any of us cares to read.
Search options: "sling" "slings" "Vickers" "Blue Force Gear" "Magpul MS2"
2) Sights and zeroing. We all get it, you need one for the front and one for the rear. It doesn't really matter if you're zeroed for 25m, 50m, or 100m as long as you can hit what you're aiming at reliably. Honestly I'm tired of reading all the new posts of "what range should I zero at?" and "if I zero at 25 meters, where else am I zeroed at?" Point of aim versus point of impact when it comes to the AR platform has been gone over here plenty of times. Please use the search function and 99% says you'll find your answer within the first 5 threads. Other sub-topics which fall in this category should include absolute versus lower 1/3 cowitness, optics, MOA, flip-up versus fixed sights, night sights (pistols), competition sights, and sight markings.
Search options: "sights" "night sights" "Heine" "Trijicon" "zeroing" "trajectory" "ballistics" "flip up sights" "FSB" "cowitness" "red dot sight" "Aimpoint" "eotech"
This will AR specific ballistics table will probably help a lot of people with zeroing and POI:
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm53/emtjmd216/m193ballisticchart-1.jpg
Here's a link to the Sighting sticky:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=65679
3) Trigger upgrades. Nothing special to rant about here, other than the fact that they come up way too often and many of us find ourselves repeating answers to common questions.
4) Lower-tier rifles. We know they aren't built to the standards of Tier 1 rifles. If you are a new member and you find yourself with a sub-standard rifle according to THE CHART, don't even think about posting here about how your rifle "goes bang when I pull the trigger" or how your DPMS can run with a Noveske any time. I'm sure it can, but are you willing to bet your life on that firearm equivalent of WalMart? Do your research, improve what you can if you with, or sell it and buy something reliable. You're only going to catch flak for acting like a jackwagon here.
5) Malfunctions. The AR platform has been around for decades. Your stove pipe or double feed has more than likely happened to somebody else in the past. In addition, that person more than likely got an answer via a thread. Lastly, the answer they got will more than likely work for you, as it has for tens of thousands of other soldiers and civilian shooters alike.
Search options: "stove pipe" "double feed" "failure to extract"
That about covers it for topics I'm tired of hearing. My advice to new members consists of the following:
1) Join the site
2) Don't post immediately to increase the size of your internet ego.
3) Read the da*n stickies!
4) If you have a question, search it. Chances are it's been covered before. Just because you have a new rifle and a question doesn't mean that same question hasn't occurred to 295,398 other people before.
5) Respect the moderators. Their job is hard enough without you spouting off or whining because your ridiculously repetitive post was closed. If it was closed, they probably had a good reason for it, especially if they responded with "Please use the search function" before closing your post.
6) Realize there are probably 1,000 people here with more knowledge and real-world experience than you. If their tag says "Moderator" "Senior Member" or "Subject Matter Expert", take what they say and learn from it. I certainly have.
7) Don't start shit. Nobody likes a flamer.
And finally....
8) If you're thinking of getting rid of a gun, send it to me. I'll certainly take it off your hands. :D
Thanks for letting me vent, guys.