Door
Newbie
I brought this up on the Discord server the other day, but the more I think about it, the more I think a discussion on the forum would allow for it to be approached more thoughtfully.
I understand the generally correct response to the question is "it depends", but I do wonder if a general principle can be applied here.
I think we all recognize that ammunition right now is quite scarce, and much more expensive than we're used to for most common firearms- this has made it much more difficult for most people to train like they'd like to. For many people this may extend even beyond firearms- gyms may still be closed or operating with limited hours in some communities, some martial arts schools may still have limited hands-on sparring, hands-on job training may be supplanted with often lower quality zoom meetings and webinars. I pose this question specifically in reference to firearms, but I think these concerns can apply to a lot of facets of preparedness, fitness etc right now- albeit with different considerations.
In my own case, what got me thinking about this was noticing that while ammo costs have gone up substantially, things like optics, lights, etc have generally been fairly stable (with the notable exception of budget brands). I had been considering getting into the realm of magnified optics for rifles and red dots for pistols, two things that I have not previously owned or had significant experience with. As someone usually balling on a budget, up to now my usual conclusion was that my dollar would be better invested in more range time. Right now, however, a case of 5.56 or 9mm is often going for something equivalent to the price of entry level rifle optics or good quality pistol optics.
I think it is generally understood that equipment can sometimes enhance or expand our abilities beyond what we could achieve through training (magnified optics extending one's ability to PID at distance), or enhance our training itself (I don't have experience firsthand, but I have heard it enough from people I trust that pistol red dots allow one to see more finely how well they are stabilizing their gun). Of course live ammunition is not our only option for training these days, with dry fire always being an option.
That said, any new equipment we expect to put to serious use will demand training and familiarization. Which leads to a second concern- if training is limited right now anyway, are we really better off "enhancing our abilities" with equipment we don't know inside and out yet, or are we safer getting in all of the training we can on the things we already know? That spiffy new 1-6x may enhance our ability to see a threat at distance, but if we're not as comfortable with it as the red dot or iron sights we moved up from, are we just presenting ourselves with a new set of problems?
I am sure this question presents itself at all levels of experience and training, and it existed before the ammo crisis, albeit less pronounced than now. And, as I said before, I'm sure the general answer is "it depends". But I did want to see what people had to say about this, and I'm curious if anybody thinks any general principles apply here.
I understand the generally correct response to the question is "it depends", but I do wonder if a general principle can be applied here.
I think we all recognize that ammunition right now is quite scarce, and much more expensive than we're used to for most common firearms- this has made it much more difficult for most people to train like they'd like to. For many people this may extend even beyond firearms- gyms may still be closed or operating with limited hours in some communities, some martial arts schools may still have limited hands-on sparring, hands-on job training may be supplanted with often lower quality zoom meetings and webinars. I pose this question specifically in reference to firearms, but I think these concerns can apply to a lot of facets of preparedness, fitness etc right now- albeit with different considerations.
In my own case, what got me thinking about this was noticing that while ammo costs have gone up substantially, things like optics, lights, etc have generally been fairly stable (with the notable exception of budget brands). I had been considering getting into the realm of magnified optics for rifles and red dots for pistols, two things that I have not previously owned or had significant experience with. As someone usually balling on a budget, up to now my usual conclusion was that my dollar would be better invested in more range time. Right now, however, a case of 5.56 or 9mm is often going for something equivalent to the price of entry level rifle optics or good quality pistol optics.
I think it is generally understood that equipment can sometimes enhance or expand our abilities beyond what we could achieve through training (magnified optics extending one's ability to PID at distance), or enhance our training itself (I don't have experience firsthand, but I have heard it enough from people I trust that pistol red dots allow one to see more finely how well they are stabilizing their gun). Of course live ammunition is not our only option for training these days, with dry fire always being an option.
That said, any new equipment we expect to put to serious use will demand training and familiarization. Which leads to a second concern- if training is limited right now anyway, are we really better off "enhancing our abilities" with equipment we don't know inside and out yet, or are we safer getting in all of the training we can on the things we already know? That spiffy new 1-6x may enhance our ability to see a threat at distance, but if we're not as comfortable with it as the red dot or iron sights we moved up from, are we just presenting ourselves with a new set of problems?
I am sure this question presents itself at all levels of experience and training, and it existed before the ammo crisis, albeit less pronounced than now. And, as I said before, I'm sure the general answer is "it depends". But I did want to see what people had to say about this, and I'm curious if anybody thinks any general principles apply here.
