Tacticool

[btroj]

Took a female coworker to the indoor range today. A year ago she was scared to go and shoot for the first time. She has now gotten t the point of trying to decide what she wants to buy for her first handgun. She has come along way and I am thrilled for her.

So, we are doing our thing and enjoying ourselves. A young guy comes in with his tricked out AR type rifle. 30 round mag, which can't load unless banged on the wall apparently, a big optical sight of some sort, and a forearm pistol grip thing. All this to shoot at 25 yards. He had a shooting glove on just one hand. The glove seemed to make it impossible to shoot in any matter other than fast as possible.

A 223 fully loaded sure is loud indoors. The concussion is pretty bad too. Not the image a new shooter wants to see. I had to explain the some guys just need to have lots of toys. Useless toys. He needs to go back to his video games where he is appreciated.

Rant over.

Brad

[Tom-ADC]

Now I'm confused I was hoping this was about Boyd's Tacicool stocks, I'm disappointed:cry:

[KYCaster]

But...did he LOOK cool? That's all that matters!

Jerry

[HeavyMetal]

That's called a "Speed Glove" a must have tool to work with mags over 10 rounds.

LOL!!

[Dman4321]

I think it must be a Huge Michael Jackson fan...

[Triggerhappy]

To heck with that, DID YOU GET HIS BRASS????

Those guys usually shoot new stuff. Don't have any $$ left over for reloading gear.

[leftiye]

While I'm all for advancements in weapons technology, a lot of these thangs that modify the shape of a gun make me wonder if something more egronomic (reads traditional) wouldn't work better. Better for full auto? Maybe, but if you only shoot short bursts, there isn't much climb anyway, especially when shooting a Mattel toy. A good muzzle brake might just put the old M14 back in the running in this area, though a straighter stock has it's advantages (and has been done in the variants). The ctg. certainly would be an improvement.

[Czech_too]

I guess I ain't "tacticool" cause most of what I shoot are single shots, i.e. Contenders. Now show me a Mauser or Springfield, then I'm interested. These black/plastic rifles don't do much for me, but I will take any brass left behind.

[Bret4207]

Wouldn't it be nice to show up to the range and find some normal type people shooting 7x57's, a 35 Rem, maybe a 6.5 Swede and a smattering of 30-30's, 32-30's and perhaps an M1 Carbiine? And the peestol shooters with 38's, a 38-40, maybe a 38 Super and 380, along with the 22's and 45's? Seems today everything is either taticool or a mag-numb of immense caliber. Jeeze, I'd just like to see a pistol without a scope or electronic sight on it!

[Jim]

Oooooh, Bret. When I first read your post, I thought "Jeesh, he's a grumpy ol' ba.....". Then it hit me: I'M JUST LIKE HIM!! Bad, real bad.:bigsmyl2:

[btroj]

To heck with that, DID YOU GET HIS BRASS????

Those guys usually shoot new stuff. Don't have any $$ left over for reloading gear.

You mean his steel? These guys use surplus ammo or foreign garbage with steel cases. Got to save the money for more cool gear for the gun.

And no, he did not look cool, at least not to me. He looked like the idiot he is. Sadly, this is the market the fun manufacturers are going for. These idiots buy anything black. And they like new black things.

I was impressed by his inch or so sized group. At 25 feet. Oooooohhhhhh. Aaaaaahhhhhh. You be such a great shot. Should have gotten his autograph. He might be the next winner on TopShot!

Brad

[oldhickory]

To each his own...I guess. At an indoor range, give me a nice old Colt DA .38Spl. and I'll wear a smile for days.

[cheese1566]

Don't you guys know?!!!

With all that junk on a rifle, you don't need basic marksmanship fundamentals! Doesn't all that garbage make you shoot better?!!![smilie=p:

[starnbar]

But you gotta look like an OPERATOR//////////////////////////////// thats how they all look

[Linstrum]

And they like new black things.

I was impressed by his inch or so sized group. At 25 feet. Oooooohhhhhh. Aaaaaahhhhhh. You be such a great shot. Should have gotten his autograph. He might be the next winner on TopShot!

Brad


With a 30 round mag he could have written his signature with .223 ammo like Ad Topperwein used to do with his little pump .22 rim banger!


rl924

[JSnover]

"...a big optical sight of some sort ... to shoot at 25 yards."

Geez. Even as a teenager I wasn't gullible enough to waste money like that. Scopes were for Old Guys.

(Now I own 5 scopes but only one of them needs batteries)

[klcarroll]

Running an AR15 on an indoor range is about the same as driving your Corvette around INSIDE your garage!!! .....Cramped, noisy, and pointless!!

Kent

[btroj]

Running an AR15 on an indoor range is about the same as driving your Corvette around INSIDE your garage!!! .....Cramped, noisy, and pointless!!

Kent

YES. It was noisy and annoying. And pointless. He was there with a buddy who seemed impressed. I suppose that is what is cow ta.

I was shooting my 1911 and sighting in my new Marlin 1894c. She was shooting my GP100. I never use high velocity rifles indoor. There is not point. Sort of like the guys who shoot 50BMG rifles at 100 yards.

And he did not look like an operator. He looked like an idiot. He probably couldn't have spelled operator.

[Kraschenbirn]

It doesn't matter where you shoot these days, it just seems to be inevitable to encounter what I refer to as "camo cowboys"...BDU's (either jacket or pants), tricked-out ARs (or similar), and a bucket of the cheapest steel-case FMJs. Even if you you're not there at the same time, you know where they've been by the mess they leave behind...empty cases littering the firing line, xeroxed Bin Laden posters left stapled to the target boards, and empty plastic pop bottles...a few even with bullet holes...laying on the face of the backstop berms.

Bill

[gnoahhh]

Yes, I don't get it either, but to each his own.

Reminds me of the time I was shooting a Colt New Service in .38/40, with some very stiff loads. I could tell that the kid at the next bench was snickering about the "old guy" (I was 41 at the time) shooting an "old timey" pistol as he was showing off his new scope sighted .30 Herret to his buddies. After a bit I invited him to put a cylinder-full through the Colt, whereupon you should have seen the look on his face. He couldn't believe the power generated by a 1920's vintage revolver. He was very deferential for the rest of the day.

[Geraldo]

And he did not look like an operator. He looked like an idiot. He probably couldn't have spelled operator.

I've seen guys at the outdoor range in the latest camo, with chest pouches, etc, and I just want to laugh.

Reality is that your first mag through an MP5 or M4A1 is a blast. Eight hours later, running yet another drill while wearing A) body armor in August B) nearly everything you can fit under body armor in January C) rain gear in a downpour, the suck factor climbs exponentially. I didn't think I could ever get tired of shooting, but there were days when I really hoped we would run out of ammo. And that was the fun part of SWAT.

But in fairness to the wannabes, airsoft dudes, and mall ninjas, they keep a lot of people employed sewing ballistic nylon. 8-)

[fishhawk]

awwwww come on i like to wear the BDU pants and just a T shirt in the summer up at the cabin cutting wood and such. so much more comfortable that the heavy sweat soaked blue jeans! plus the ties on the legs keep the ticks and ants on the out side! signed one of the "camo cowboys" :)

[danski26]

Most of the time I'm embarassed to be in the so called "tactical" field. The other day a buddy pointed out "tactical" socks in a catalog!! Give me a break!!! You want a challenge....take that black rifle and shoot it across the course. 600 yards can be humbling.

[Trey45]

The poor kid, he spent all that money trying to impress you, and it didn't work. I'm sure he's heartbroken about this. At least he's safe from badguys after all that training! As long as the badguys stand perfectly still at exactly 25 yards, and don't shoot back.

[EMC45]

I have seen this same sort at my local WMA range. 511 pants, or camo of some sort, thigh drop holsters for their Glocks. ARs with enough gadgets hanging off them to give a marketing team nocturnal emissions. Oakley or Black Fly sunglasses, and KaBars dangling from their belts (this is all true BTW). Targets set up at 15-20 yards. Bowling pins and energy drink bottles strewn on the ground in front of them. Shooting commences with a 30 round mag dump and is usually followed with some agressive posturing and bump firing. I don't bother looking for brass either....Most of what is shot is steel case, because they spent all their money on the optics and heads up gear clamped onto their carbines....Which don't make them a better shot....I could go on and on about these dupes, who have bought into the flashy adds of all the gunrags out there today. They may snicker at the wheelgun in my hand, but I can shoot, and they can't!

[Geraldo]

awwwww come on i like to wear the BDU pants and just a T shirt in the summer up at the cabin cutting wood and such. so much more comfortable that the heavy sweat soaked blue jeans! plus the ties on the legs keep the ticks and ants on the out side! signed one of the "camo cowboys" :)

Yeah, Steve, but do you have a drop-leg holster, with your pistol on a "tactical retention cord", a Blackhawk tactical vest with 26 AR mags, a "blowout kit", and a Camelbak on you while using your suppressed, camo painted, Picatinny rail equipped Tactical Poulan? :kidding:

It takes more than just camo to be tacticool, buddy ;)

[BeeMan]

Divide and conquer as a tactic does work...and the enemies of the 2A WILL exploit divisions.

I don't have any tactical stuff, have no interest in same, and cringe at the impression it leaves. Still, I will let him have his portion of the range while I use mine.

BeeMan

Edit to add: the cases, if brass, are fair game.

[JSnover]

I'll overlook a lot of it unless they seem likely to shoot somebody. We've quite a few of those TactiFools up here get arrested for Criminal Stupidity: Skimming bullets off the surface of a pond with a pimped SKS and hitting occupied houses on the far side, shooting cars on the highway, things like that.
It means the police have to haul a lot more junk out of thier houses but the upside is most of it is plastic so it doesn't weigh much.

[tonyjones]

I'm going to go out on a limb here... Mr. Tactikool may have been a gun writer.
Tony

[Old Ironsights]

They are called "Mall Ninjas"... (http://lonelymachines.org/mall-ninjas/)

Here's more on how to ID a Mall Ninja... (http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=79487)

[danski26]

Mall ninjas thread is TOO much!!!!!!!! If that is fake it is pure talent on all that faked it. If it is real.......it is the worst thing I have ever read! Pure crazyness!!!

[Tazman1602]

Yeah but can he throw a tommy-hawk????



.................I was impressed by his inch or so sized group. At 25 feet. Oooooohhhhhh. Aaaaaahhhhhh. You be such a great shot. Should have gotten his autograph. He might be the next winner on TopShot!

Brad

[Bret4207]

Well, they annoy me too. In fact, most everyone annoys me, but that's not whats important. What important is that we need them to help fight for our gun rights. They probably aren't bad guys, probably will enjoy the "low and slow" when they get older, just like we do. But we need every single one of them, the high dollar trap shooters, the Glockers and Signuts, the 1911 Ninjas and the Hi Point minimum wage commandos. We need the deer hunters, the duck hunters, the dove shooters and the African Safari Bwanas. We need the varmint busters and tin can ventilators., the rat shooters, trappers and WW2/Korea/VN vets that just want to keep old Betsy in the closet "because". We need the scared grandmas with their late husbands 38 in the dresser, the poor young guy trying to raise a family that takes a cottontail when he can and the wealthy retired industrialist or lawyer that uses the Perrazi as an excuse to spend a little time at the club. We need them all, the cowboy action wannbees that I simply can't comprehend, the action game shooters that I don't understand and the benchresters that consider guys like me beneath contempt.

Today the news of several new gun control bills surfaced in various states and the Federal level. We're in for a fight boys. We need every single vote and voice, every guy and girl that can send an email and make a phone call. I don't care if they want to dress up like Tom Mix or Rambo or Captain America. I don't care if they wear camo, black tactical gear, enough rhinestones to make Porter Wagoner jealous or denim and plaid wool. They can be from Long Island, Wolf Island, Grand Island or the Hawaiian Islands. North Dakota, North Carolina, North Dallas, or North Earlobe. They can be Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Independents or have no affiliation at all. All that matters is that they understand the issue, respond and support the cause.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

[MtGun44]

Amen, Bret.

Young kids don't know any better and probably their older brother is in the Army and he
thinks all his gear is cool. At least he is pro gun, hopefully will get a bit more mature in his
outlook as he gets a bit more senior.

Better on the range trying to be tacitcool than somewhere working to take away our gun rights.

Bill

[AnthonyB]

I see lots of disparaging comments about the "tactical retention cord" and provisions for attaching one on a lot of commercially available pistols. I think they are invaluable for military use but haven't yet come up with a good reason for one on a civilian pistol in an urban environment. I can see utility in the outdoors but have yet to use one there. Tony

[6.5 mike]

I though the cord thingy was so you didn't lose you handgun while fishing. :popcorn:

[btroj]

That is the truth Bret. I just hope these guys are smart enough to understand that they need to stand up and be heard.

[jameslovesjammie]

And I thought this story was going to end, "And you should have seen what he brought out next!!!"

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c129/jameslovesjammie/Message%20Board%20Pics/tacticoolderringer.jpg

[wallenba]

I guess I ain't "tacticool" cause most of what I shoot are single shots, i.e. Contenders. Now show me a Mauser or Springfield, then I'm interested. These black/plastic rifles don't do much for me, but I will take any brass left behind.

I'm of similar mind and like the same types as you. I understand everyone has different interests, but I do dislike they guy who comes to my local indoor range while I'm shooting handguns and shoots 25 yards with a high power rifle with a muzzle brake that sends an earthquake through my chest. It actually I think affects my health, I can feel it in my heart.

[Tom W.]

A lot of the guys that shoot at the range I frequent are from Ft. Benning, and most of them have a lot of "stuff" to shoot. They usually will let anyone that shows any interest in their firearm take a few shots with it. Most are very nice guys.

One man came over from Albany at the Marine Corps station there and had more stuff than most gun shops. Anything that he had was available to anyone for a few shots.
I got to fire some things that I never had an opportunity to fire prior to that day..
Good People, most...

[klcarroll]

Hmmm.........

I wonder what sort of reaction you would get from the "Tacticool" crowd if you showed up at the range all decked out to match your Krag or 1903???

http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad334/sockmeister/369px-HAB_ww1_1918.jpg

:bigsmyl2::bigsmyl2:


Kent

[shooterg]

I wanted(and got a few) Springfield rifles 'cause Gary Cooper used one as Sgt. York, wanted Garands 'cause Pop swore by 'em(he was in Uncle Sam's Misguided Children in WWII) - I'm guessing the young folks just want what they've seen - as long as they're safe, I have no problems with 'em. Kinda tickles you to see 'em admiring their B27 targets shot at 25 yards when the target appears to have been shot with a shotgun !

DISCLAIMER: I have some black rifles myself(mostly for high power), and a flat top with 24" barrel that's as good a groundhog gun as any other I have.

Short of it is, hard to find a gun I don't like and hard not to like anybody that is interested in shooting anything. Maybe some need to work on their manners a little...but hopefully they grow up and pass on a shooting tradition to the next generation.

[Harter66]

Funny,I just aquired my 1st semi-auto rifle an sks. I just never under stood the "if you put enough lead out there something will run into it"bit. Its so much work to feed the darn things.

Isn't there a sticky about our great big disfunctional gun loving family?

I prefer 1 shot 1 hit ,then again I've never put myself where somebody else had the intent of hitting me.

[JSnover]

Funny,I just aquired my 1st semi-auto rifle an sks. I just never under stood the "if you put enough lead out there something will run into it"bit. Its so much work to feed the darn things.

Isn't there a sticky about our great big disfunctional gun loving family?

I prefer 1 shot 1 hit ,then again I've never put myself where somebody else had the intent of hitting me.

That's the scariest thing about the Catalog Commandos. They're not aware of the distinction between aimed fire and covering fire.

[Old Ironsights]

To me, it's less the gear than the attitude.

There a bunch of guys out here in WY who are seriously into their battle rattle... but seriously SHOOT the stuff too - as in, you don't make the "club" until you have scored adequately on 300m targets in both Summer AND below-freezing conditions.

OTOH, they are also just as cool with you bringing an AK, AR, FN, SVD, M1, whatever - so long as you can reliably hit a combat target at 300+m.

Gear doesn't make a rifleman.

[dk17hmr]

Oh man....you guys would hate to go shooting with me than. Black Rifles, plastic semi auto handguns, short barreled shotguns with combat lights, scopes on handguns, high power optics, camo painted rifles, "sniper" rifles all the things mall ninjas and wannabes want and need.

Except my camo painted rifles are hunting tools, most of which are AR-15's, "sniper" rifles that actually get used out to and passed 1000 yards for targets and varmints, short barreled shotguns that are ready to roll for home defense, plastic semi autos that get carried daily, scoped handguns that get used for hunting......yep this younger crowd is a bunch of yahoo's

Of course I can hold my own with my M1 Garand, Springfield 1903, 1911, S&W 28-2, Colt Detective, shooting cast boolit, out to 500 yards with iron sights.....yep bunch of mall ninjas

[Bret4207]

Doug, there are exceptions to the rule. A mall ninja by definition would never consider shooting glueits, much less cast. So in reality my young friend, you aren't a mall ninja, you're just a freak that owns mall ninja toys!

[oldhickory]

I've got an AR-15 myself. not much of a "tacti-cool" AR though, it's a NM version and the only thing I added was a scope mount to the carry handle with an old Weaver 3-9 steel scope. The scope is mostly for testing hand loads, but it does stay on the rifle most of the time anymore. Got close to 30-30rd. mags for it, but they stay home in reserve. When I take it out, it goes with a couple of old 20rd. mags. (it's tough to bench with 30's). It's the only rifle I own that I don't cast for.

[btroj]

Doug, being a mall ninja is more state of mind or an attitude than a description of the weapons being used. This guy had his girlfriend in the back room watching him shoot, Lord knows a woman can't handle a gun like that! He was also showing his buddy all his cool toys. I really liked the fact that his 30 round magazine required lots ot banging on the dividers between shooting stalls to seat the am o properly. Like 30 seconds of banging. Might be a mating call?
Lie I said, it was more the guy than anything. I will say that shooting a optical sited AR at 25 feet indoors is a bit pathetic. The noise and muzzle blast is annoying to others using the facility, especially when shooting as fast as you can pull the trigger.

This guy was not nearly as cool as he thinks. My guess is that he is an Internet expert on shooting however. Got to love those.

Brad

[Old Ironsights]

...This guy was not nearly as cool as he thinks. My guess is that he is an Internet expert on shooting however. Got to love those.

Brad

Exactly. Mall Ninjas are are Keyboard Heroes with money for toys.

Like I said, the guys I hang with occasionally up here in WY have LOTS of very cool heavy mil-spec hardware... but no patience for Mall Ninjas (or malls for that matter).

They are worried about who can (and does) shoot.

They made fun of me a bit for bringing my .357 Rossi to a shoot once, but I figured out the holdover/windage and got a few hits at 300 anyway. [smilie=w:

Next time I'm taking the Savage 99. At least it's box fed. :mrgreen:

[klcarroll]

I generally don't go in for names and labels like "Liberal", "Conservative", ....or "Mall Ninja": ….Names and "Categories" make it much too easy to misunderstand and misjudge people.

....But having said that, I WILL say that I don't feel comfortable in the company of people who do things EXCLUSIVELY for ego and image considerations.

Someone should point out to such people that in the event of a "**** In The Fan" event, all of their "Designer Approved" gear and "Accessory Overloaded" weapons just scream "SHOOT ME FIRST!!"


Kent

[Old Ironsights]

...
Someone should point out to such people that in the event of a "**** In The Fan" event, all of their "Designer Approved" gear and "Accessory Overloaded" weapons just scream "SHOOT ME FIRST!!"
Kent

Absolutely. That's why my "riot gun" is a .357 lever. 12 rounds of intermediate range firepower that doesn't draw attention... and is more than capable of helping me acquire a MBR from a Zombie.

But I'm sure there will also be not a few available from the Mall Ninja who dropped his as soon as someone started shooting back.