Question: Should Troops and Cops Stick with Issued Weapons?

[butlers]

Let me point this out from my own experience, and I am not a cop but I have served in the US Army. Way back when I purchased an Colt Sporter A2 type prior to the AB of 94 because I thought that it was cool to have just like what I was being issued minus the fun switch. The parts of today wasn't really a thing back in the early to late 90's. So stock was easy to do since there was no other options. I used my rifle to improve my marksmanship so I could easily master the zero and qualification phase of BRM. It looked cool to have as a sign of respect for your own ability and because it gave promotion points in an MOS that literally was waiting for someone else to either die or retire in order to make the cut off for promotions to E-5 and even E-6. Fast forward to from then to right after OIF 1 and suddenly with the dawn of the AWB of 94, I wanted my own M4 type but what I wanted was going to be better than what I had in war because I now had options and because I had felt naked and defenseless without it nearby even though I was back in the safety of CONUS, chalk that itself to PTSD or whatever after being over 16 months there while I was in 1AD. Nothing really changed from what I did on my time and dime to what I did on the Army's time and dime with its usage. It's all training kicking in and it's been repetitive like an instinct that is not lost. Like riding a bicycle almost even.

Thank you for your perspective, and thank you for your service.

Are you about to join a department or service?

Already in the service. I'm the pogue comm Marine I referred to earlier -- and a reservist no less. The likelihood of me ever having to employ my duty rifle to fire back at a bad guy shooting at me is miniscule.

But it's the same with CCW holders, right? The likelihood of us ever having to use our concealed carry pistols is miniscule -- yet we try to do everything we can to maximize our advantage, right?

I've spent enough time around people with CIBs/CARs to know that in combat, things don't go as planned. So...I'm trying to reduce the friction as much as possible. If sticking with a run-of-the-mill 16" midlength mil-spec for home/personal/range use is going to give me that 0.5% advantage in muscle memory if I ever have to use my issued M4 downrange, then why not take it? Sure, I might be missing out (for now) on all the latest-and-greatest gear and upgrades, but I'll have time to enjoy that stuff after I ETS/EAS.

That 0.5% advantage doesn't matter to CAG/DEVGRU guys who get so good at shooting that it doesn't matter the trigger, the gun, the platform. But for average joes like me? If I'm ever in a siuation where I actually need to employ my service rifle, I need all the help I can get!