If you’re a snobby shooter then this article isn’t going to make you happy, but it might be just what you need to hear. The truth is that you have some expensive firearms, and the chances are astronomically high that you don’t have the skill to exploit their quality. It hurts, I know, but let me explain.
Before we dive into this subject, and the data behind it, we need to further clarify a few things. Nothing in this article is meant to deter you from owning or collecting whatever you want.
I’m simply pointing out the truth that many of us, myself included, delude ourselves in thinking that the next gadget, or a higher quality firearm will take our shooting to the next level, when really the odds are that they will not.
Anecdotes and Hard Data
I can tell you that at one particular competition I saw two different shooters, with brand new $3500 dollar STI pistols, both have negligent discharges. You know how many beat up plastic guns this happened too? NONE!
While this story may be anecdotal, I do have some data to back up my assertion that expensive guns and gear, while cool, are not always necessary.
This information comes from an excellent website called, Precision Rifle Blog. In it they wrote an article where they used some sophisticated ballistic software to model exactly how changing certain variables will effect the outcome on the target.
As the name implies, they are only interested in precision rifle shooting at extended distances. I’m talking distances out to like 2 friggin miles!
The writer of the article used a sophisticated software suite that models every variable imaginable for precision rifle shooting. They then started to change variables like cartridges, load consistency, accuracy in distance estimation, and wind calling to see what effects these variables had on the target.
They found that by far the biggest factor that affected long range accuracy was the accuracy of the wind call, which is a human factor. Incredibly, increasing the mechanical accuracy of the weapon system from .8 moa to .3 moa only increased the odds of hitting a target at distances between 700-1000 yards by 4%!
This means that doubling the mechanical accuracy of the rifle, only increased the odds of hitting the target marginally. The real cost of going from a .8 moa gun to a point .3 moa gun might be $3000!
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They found that if you decreased the wind call error from 4 mph down to 2 mph your accuracy would drastically increase, up to 31% greater chance of hitting your target at distance.
Now I know some of you are saying, “great Jake, but all that wind call stuff is for long distance shooting nerds” and you are right. But you are failing to see the bigger picture.
The biggest increase in accuracy was not increasing the mechanical accuracy of the weapon system, it was increasing the shooting skill of the operator. This is just as applicable to any other firearm and shooting style.
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Snobbery
If I had a dollar for every time someone took a crap one someone else’s gun setup you’d be calling me Jeffy Bezos. Most of this is just plain snobbery brought on by successful marketing campaigns by weapons and equipment manufacturers. I mean if SEALs don’t use it then why should I own it right?
Here’s why….
Now I’m not taking a crap on the SCAR, because I still want want one, and logically that’s crazy. It doesn’t work that well, it’s really expensive, but hey I saw some other SEALs use it right?
What Your Money Should Buy
I’m sure most of you think I’m a communist and are angrily writing emails as fast as you can type, but here me out before you press send. There are a few cases where you might legitimately need an expensive high quality firearm, apart from just wanting something really cool.
Case 1
You are purchasing a defensive weapon, wether that’s for concealed carry, or for your home. This weapon needs to run, and it needs to work all the time, in less than optimal situations.
Again we need to consider our situation and where we are likely to use it. Is our home defense gun likely to need a special nitride coating that allows you submerge it in sea water for months and still shoot it? Probably not, but you might need something that will operate with a wide variety of ammunition and will chamber those rounds easily without malfunction.
Case 2
You are an armed professional and your life, your buddies, or the people you are paid to protect depend on your weapons and equipment working. In this case we still need to consider what environment these weapons will be in to make sure we are buying the best fit for our mission requirements.
In this scenario it makes sense to purchase a thousand dollar plus firearm, if it fits the agencies’ requirements. The part you don’t see is the annual training, schooling, and qualification requirements that normally comes along with these expensive weapons systems.
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Parting Thoughts
As I stated in the beginning I’m not opposed to fancy guns, and gear, I still like that stuff, but I am opposed to folks taking a dump on good equipment because it didn’t cost them a mortgage payment.
I would also encourage you to seek to improve your skill. Places like the American Warrior Society are a great online resource to learn the skills that will allow you fully use very high quality equipment.
If you’re more of a book worm like me, then check out any book by Kyle Lamb, former Delta Sgt Major and all around badass. He has an excellent book on rifle shooting called, Green Eyes Black Rifles that I highly recommend.
Remember the guy who bought a Glock, a thousand rounds of ammo, and a training course from a reputable trainer will always be better than the guy who bought a custom 1911 from the hottest gun smith and shot it once at the range.
Like the article, hated it? Well come at me bro! Put your thoughts in the comments section.
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Not buying it bro, There are plenty more reasons then you stated to buy quality expensive firearms, hierlooms, buying a product once instead of every five years because your palmetto state armory gun keeps going through bolts. Also and this is a bit extreme, BUT I do think its valid in todays political climate, there is a senario where you may have to bury or hide your weapons for long periods of time, whose to say that hiding place is not at the bottom of your koi pond in the back yard, or underground where moisture can become a problem, also some of buy weapon with the thouggt of having to repel some kind of invading force, whether thats looters in a natural disaster, general home defense like you stated, shoot even a more serious invading force like north korea or god forbid our own governing forces trying to disarm the populace.(which i do not condone its wiser to hide your guns and live to fight another day then possible killing fellow Americans that may be convinced later to become an allie.) Now I know that some of these are far fetched, but my point is there are many, many very valid reasons to buy EXPENSIVE weapons system, other then “I just want it!” but even if it is “I just want it!” thats more then enough. Murica!! Furthermore are you kinda in a way not doing the same thing by calling people that by those hi end weapons snobby, that you say your article is preaching against. (Not raging on others weapon setups.) Also I find your, example in the begining, about the STI guns having neglegent discharges, alittle disingenuous, I would argue that the people were the cause of the discharge not the gun, so whether they were carrying cheap glocks or fance niggthawks it would have happened either way. There are many many instances of polymer gun owners having negligent discharges I might argue they are more likely due to the fact most polymers do not have a safety. Anyway you asked me to come at you and this is me trying to do it respectfully. But I am not telling you anything you dont know or at least you should if your a firearms writer. But really in the day of the internet its possible your actually anti gun liberal antifa activist, i only say this because why would you write a article if your pro gun admonishing people for buying guns used by navy seals in other words “dangerous weapons of war, with fully, semi, auto, mag, clips.” Just saying this article does nothing good for the 2A cause.
Eric, I’m only approving your comment because I think it was written honestly. I think you failed to read some of the sarcasm into the writing, or maybe I didn’t convey it correctly. As I stated multiple times I don’t care what you buy, I care about trying to purchase skill with fancy guns, and then shitting on people who don’t do so. Happens all the time.
In the future let’s not accuse people of fitting into certain categories (antifa, anti gun, etc) because you don’t like their opinion, and my goal is not to “do” anything at all for the second amendment just as it wasn’t to do anything at all for the 3rd, 5th, or 8th amendments. The purpose is to highlight that skill matters.
Well said!!
Solid article which adds a common sense approach to the firearm selection conversation.
I think moderate firearm upgrades have a positive effect on a shooter’s performance. A good barrel, a consistent, smooth trigger, and good sights can improve the baseline of performance of the gun and shooter with a moderate price tag. Example, replacing a mil spec trigger and adding a red dot sight to an AR15 will improve a shooter’s performance.
Yep I agree those things can help. Sighting systems I feel like are something that tailors the gun to your particular requirements. Fancy triggers eh sometimes they cover up flaws in the fundamentals. But they’re nice.
Jake, this was a great article, but the rampant spelling and grammar errors hurt my brain.
In my defense I was Marine.
The point of having the best weapons possible it to train with it to the level that takes advantage of it’s attributes. I can take a redneck who has shot with 3moa Walmart bolt-guns, cheap ammo and cheap scopes for 20+ years, stick him behind my custom 6.5CR rig with a $2000 scope and have him making 1000m hits by the end of he day. He never could have done that with cheap guns/scope/ammo.
About SCARs: Sorry Bro, SCARs run like Singer sewing machines, have tack driver accuracy and have service cycle life like a SAW instead of a rifle. I ran custom M14/M1A AMU type rifles for my own enjoyment from 1986-2012 then someone offered to let me shoot their SCAR 17S. It kicked less than my SEI Crazy Horse despite being 3lbs lighter and was just as accurate with controls similar to the M16A2 I used in a professional capacity many years ago.
Those geniuses in the video don’t know the weapon at all and likely never bothered to read the NSWC documentation on how to use it. Almost all Mk17 malfunctions documented by CRANE-NSWC were charging handle contact with hands, terrain surfaces, slings and related gear while firing and improper gas regulator settings. Then again these guys are in the “Gucci” AR15 business now in civilian life so take that video for what it’s worth.
No disagreement with most of this. I would point out that some of the folks that I know that have deployed with SCARs aren’t fans of them either. I might point out that if the weapon design causes malfunctions when used “normally” then it probably isn’t the best design, but like anything you can train around it.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment.