I suppose that it is natural -- and good -- that we all strive to invest in the best equipment that we can afford, be it a rifle, vest or optic. There is an inherent wisdom to doing this, provided we actually have some idea what we are talking about (i.e. we did our market research) and we have some rational basis for the selections that we make (i.e. we've actually considered our environment).
For example, one needn't know anything at all about the AR-15 to make an excellent purchase decision with an SR-15. Larry Vickers says to get an Aimpoint, so we wisely heed his counsel and ante-up for an Aimpoint, whether we've ever used one before or not. Similarly, one can precisely replicate a favorite trainer's gear setup and purchase a very fine utility rig. What we end up with is a superb rifle, properly-configured with a terrific RDS and supported by a near-optimal equipment loadout ...
... none of which we really have any idea how to employ effectively. At all.
It is here where the familiar strains of the "get some training" chorus can be heard, but there is a point to all of this. The training environment differs sufficiently from the static range environment as to rapidly reveal those things that work, and those that do not -- and some of the things that work well for others won't work well for you. You may have the right sling and mounts, but discover that you really need to turn one of your QD mounts around, or move it forward. You might learn that you really prefer a different model of Aimpoint because of your eyes, or where/how you prefer to mount it. You might discover that your training rig is prone to fouling on everything, is hot and uncomfortable, doesn't really place things where you intuitively want to find them and weighs far too much for the benefit it provides.
Again -- all of the right stuff. But maybe not all of the right stuff for you. Go spend a few minutes in the EE section, and you will find that all of this is a journey, rather than a destination. Still, once you get past the "what kind of underwear is Costa buying?" phase, and spend a few days out on the line, firing drills and working through your gear, you will gain the ability not only to buy good quality kit, but to buy the right kit for your particular needs.
I ran my full military loadout forever, because I figured that is what I would most likely use if I were ever shot down -- train as you fight, right? 10 minutes after I first tried out a training belt, I wondered why I had ever even bothered with the rest of that stuff, because my issued gear was so hot, heavy and uncomfortable that the first thing I would probably do in an E&E situation would be to shuck most of it off and get moving. Turns out, a silly "training belt" would actually be ideal in that situation.
Buy the right stuff. Set it up properly. Then take some training, and be prepared to discover that there may be righter stuff or an even better way to set it up for your own needs. The difference between truly knowing what you are talking about and merely expressing an opinion on these matters is a long trail of often uncomfortable (and sometimes expensive) mistakes. Dare to make a few of them under a quality instructor and learn what really makes sense. Not for Costa. Not for the guy shooting next to you. For yourself.
That is how you round the corner to competence.
AC
Stand your ground; don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here. -- Captain John Parker, Lexington, 1775.
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